George I (1660-1727)


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The future George I had become a patron of the composer Handell before acceding to the English throne. He appointed Handell as Kapellmeister to the Hanover court in 1710. As King of England, George appointed Handell music teacher to his granddaughters.
George I appointed the artist James Thornhill as royal history painter in 1718 and knighted him in 1720.
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In May 1727 King George I became patron of the Royal Society.
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Sophia Dorothea of Celle is sometimes referred to as the "princess of Ahlden". She was imprisoned in the castle of Ahlden.
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When George I first arrived in London in 1714 he brought with him 18 cooks.
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At the news of Sophia Dorothea's demise, the court of Hanover went into mourning.
George I sent word to Germany that no one was to wear black.
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In Kings & Queens of Great Britain, David Soud wrote:

George made it clear from the start that he favored the Whigs, even though they were the party advocating Parliamentary power over royal prerogative.
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Last edited by a moderator:
20th October 2014
George I Coronation Festal Evensong:
In the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent-
The Georgian Group
 
Artemisia said:
:previous:
Marrying and siring a potential Heir to the Throne usually meant increase in Parliamentary allowance, which is why George III's unmarried children hastened to comply with the King's wishes and marry. However, there were plenty of descendants of Sophie of Hanover around - just few descendants of George III. In fact, there nearly 150 descendants of George II living in 1837 (the year of Queen Victoria's accession), and at least twice as many descendants of Sophia, Electress of Hanover through other lines.

The Line of Succession (George III's descendants) looked like this:
1. Princess Victoria (later Queen Victoria)
Click to expand...

In the 1953 edition of Burke's Peerage Baronetage & Knightage (hundredth edition) there is a list titled "Table of the first fifty persons in line of Succession on the accession of H. M. Queen Victoria, on 20th June 1837.

At number 1 is Ernest Augustus I, King of Hanover, Duke of Cumberland, uncle 1771-1851 and at number 50 (actually 51 as the list makes an error with stating number 36 twice) is Frederick, Prince of the Netherlands, gt. gt. grandson of Geo. II 1797-1881.

In addition there is another list which is titled "The order of Succession on the accession of H. M. Queen Elizabeth II." At number 1 is H. R. H. Prince Charles, Duke of Cornwall and at number 60 is Elizabeth Abel Smith.
 
It was said that Princess Anne had taken a strong dislike to George as far back as 1680 when he went to London to court her.

George I's one public mistress in England, Ehrengard Melusine von Schulenburg, was extremely thin and was christened 'the Maypole' by London society. Her official title was Duchess of Kendal, after 1719.

In later years she was created Princess von Eberstein by the Emperor Charles VI. This led to all sorts of rumours that George must have secretly married her, especially as Robert Walpole regarded her 'as much Queen of England as anyone ever was.'

George I was a complete hypocrite about his young wife's affair as his relationship with Melusine was a longstanding one and he had two children by her at the time he divorced his wife. He had other mistresses as well, of course.
 
Why Sophia Dorothea of Celle had no title of Queen?
 
Blog Real said:
Why Sophia Dorothea of Celle had no title of Queen?
Click to expand...

Blog Real, Sophia Dorothea was not crowned as Queen when George I had his coronation on October 20, 1714. George's marriage to Sophia Dorothea had been dissolved.
 
There were plenty of heirs, but the British would probably have preferred a child from one of G IIIs sons rathter than some German they had never heard of. And if the Pr Reg had died soon after Charlotte's death, the throne would have gone to another middle aged childless Royal duke and then another and another.. THe Princesses were too old to have children.
 
Were any paintings of Sophia Dorothea of Celle brought from Hanover to England when George Louis became King George I? If Yes, who were the artists?
 
I've just read that article Eya; from my (years ago) earlier readings Sophia Dorothea has been one of my favourite royal wives.

It depicts George as being something of a hypocrite - very true in modern times.

Unfortunately back in time, Kings were practically expected to keep mistresses! while Queens were expected to just put up (and probably very happy to do so in a lot of cases once duty was done!).

Should a Queen stray there was always the chance that a pretender prince or princess could take the throne.
 
He was a thoroughly unpleasant man but she was a very stupid woman
 
Without condoning what happened with Koingsmark, it's a pity it all came to this as far from being vile George was actually a underrated monarch and is highly regarded as Elector, far from being the boor he's often made out as being, George was regarded as a model enlightenment prince by many in Germany in his own life time. He helped consolidate the system of cabinet government and the office of the prime minister was developed during his time as King. A lot of people who knew him in person often really respected and liked him. He could speak English and if not French was adequate for government business. Most of the other stories (that he was carrying on with his half sister being the most important) are old Jacobite propaganda.

There isn't much actual evidence linking George to Koingsmarks murder, it may well have been other members of the court acting on their own steam to prevent a major crisis, it's pretty likely that he was involved but there is still the possibility that he was not. The fact that K and SD were planning to elope was a major threat to the consolidation of the Brunswick Luneburg lands and would severely undermine the family's attempts at gaining electoral dignity from the emperor and their eventual accession to the British throne. It's also worth nothing that SD's father agreed to her house arrest and loss of access to children was common for women in her position in those days.

There is a bio of George by the late Ranghild Hatton that may be of interest for those who want more info on this time period.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_I_of_Great_Britain
 
I don't know what he was like as King/Elector.. but he certainly was an upleasant man as a husband. But Sophia should have not had an affair. ITs unfair but that's the way it was.. or at least if she had an affair, keep it discreet and certainly not be thinking of elopement.
 
Why did King George I have little interest in the domestic affairs of England?After all, he had succeeded Queen Anne as sovereign.
 
CyrilVladisla said:
Why did King George I have little interest in the domestic affairs of England?After all, he had succeeded Queen Anne as sovereign.
Click to expand...

George was German. He was 54 years old when he came to the throne. He was 50 when he was made heir to the throne. George spoke very little English, believed almost none at first, and had to converse with his ministers in French. He eventually stopped attending cabinet meetings and just meeting in private, which led to lessening of power of his cabinet.

It wasn't really a matter that he had NO interest. He had interest, he simply lacked power or will power. He was used to Hannover where he was absolute monarch and his word was law. In GB he had to contend with parliament. While he was strong and quite effective in foreign policy, helping lead GB in foreign alliances, he crumbled under pressure from his ministers in domestic policy. With his son and heir joining the opposition, he found himself unable to stand up to the likes of Walpole. Its not that he didn't have a desire to change domestic policy, just not the will power.

Its sharp contrast to Hannover. In GB where he was seen as cold and unintelligent by many, in Hannover it was very different. He was considered a very progressive leader, one who was a great supporter of the enlightenment. He offered sanctuary to Voltaire, and he allowed public criticism without censoring it.
 
Did King George I offer solitude to Voltaire in Hanover or in Great Britain?
 
CyrilVladisla said:
Did King George I offer solitude to Voltaire in Hanover or in Great Britain?
Click to expand...

England. After being arrested for at least the second time he was offered a choice between continued time in the Bastile or exile. He was offered sanctuary in the UK by George who was actually a fan of his earlier work. George I died not long after, and while his son was not a fan, Queen Caroline was. Voltaire was a fan of the constitutional monarchy in the Uk over absolute in France.
 
On December 28, 1694 Sophia Dorothea's marriage to George Louis was dissolved. Why was she not permitted to remarry?
 
How influential was Sir Robert Walpole in helping King George I in the South Sea Bubble incident?
 
If King George I and Sophia Dorothea had had a happy marriage, England might have had a Queen Sophia when George succeeded Queen Anne. Sophia Dorothea was stuck in a loveless marriage.
 
CyrilVladisla said:
The Countess pleaded with King George I for the life of her husband James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Dertwentwater. James was an English Jacobite.
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-the-countess-pleading-87953220.html
Click to expand...

Her pleas were in vain and Derwentwater was beheaded on Tower Hill on the 24th of February 1716.
His heart was removed and smuggled to Paris where it was enclosed in the Chapel of the Convent of Our Blessed Lady of Syon in Paris by its English Jacobite Prioress, Anne Throckmorton.

Prioress Anne Throckmorton (1664 – 1734)

378px-Anne_Frances_Throckmorton.jpg
 
Were there better options for a sovereign than King George I?
 
Why did King George I have all documents concerning his and Sophia Dorothea's divorce destroyed?
 
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