George IIGreat Britain
George II (10 November 1683-25 October 1760; reigned 11 June 1727-25 October 1760), wassecond Hanoverian king ofKingdomGreat BritainKingdomIreland. He was concurrently DukeElectorHanoverDukeBrunswick-LüneburgGermany.
Prince Georg August (George Augustus) was born at Schloss Herrenhausen, Hanover,son Georg Ludwig, then-Hereditary PrinceHanoverDukeBrunswick-Lüneburg,his wife Princess Sophia DorotheaBrunswick-Zell. He became Hereditary PrinceHanover when his father succeeded as DukeHanoverElector, 23 January 1687. Underprovisions ofActSettlement, Prince George AugustusHanover was naturalizedBritish subject1705becameKnight ofGarter on 4 April 1706. Queen Anne created him DukeMarquessCambridge, EarlMilford Haven, Vicount Northallerton,BaronTewkesbury inpeerageEngland on 9 November 1706. When his father ascendedBritish throne as King George I, he automatically became DukeCornwallDukeRothesay, aseldest son ofBritish Sovereign. His father created him PrinceWalesEarlChester on 27 September 1714 atPalaceWestminster. The new PrinceWales was by this timemanthirty,had been marriedseveral yearsPrincess CarolineBrandenberg-Ansbachwhom he had three sonsfive daughters.:
- Frederick, PrinceWales (1 February 1707-31 March 1751); married 1736, Princess AugustaSaxe-Gotha-Altenberg (30 November 1719-8 February 1772);had issue.
- Anne, Princess Royal (2 November 1709- 12 January 1759); married 1734, Prince Willem IVOrange-Nassau (11 September 1711-12 October 1751);had issue.
- Princess Amelia Sophia Eleanor (10 July 1711-31 October 1746).
- Princess Caroline Elizabeth (21 June 1713- 28 December 1757).
- Prince George William (13 November 1717 - 17 February 1718).
- Prince William Augustus, DukeCumberland (26 April 1721 - 31 October 1765).
- Princess Mary (5 March 1723-14 January 1772); married 1740, Frederick II, LandgraveHesse-Cassel (14 August 1720-31 October 1785);had issue
- Princess Louisa (18 December 1724-19 December 1751); married 1743 King Frederick VDenmarkNorway (31 March 1723-14 January 1766);had issue.
George was neither cultured nor intelligent, but his wife, Caroline, was both. She exercised political influence by her friendship withprime minister, Robert Walpole, even afterquarrel withking which resulted inPrincePrincessWales - asthen were - being thrown outtheir royal apartments. She was also Regent whenever George was on onehis frequent visits abroadHanover. They heldrival court at their homeLeicester House.
George II succeeded tothrone on his father's death1727, butbattlewills continuedhis sonheir, Frederick, PrinceWales, ending onlyFrederick's untimely death1751. Frederick's eldest son,future George III, was thereupon created PrinceWalesEarlChester. However, young George's mother, the Dowager PrincessWales, mistrusted her father-in-lawdid her bestkeep them apart.
George IIremembered aslast British Sovereignlead his own troops ontobattlefield, which he did atBattleDettingen. He was accompaniedthis exploit by his military-minded younger son, William Augustus, DukeCumberland.
The most important eventGeorge's reign, however, wasJacobite Rebellion1745, which almost resultedhis overthrow byStuart claimant tothroneculminated inBattleCulloden (1746),last battlebe fought on British soil. The DukeCumberland, entrustedcommand on his father's behalf, defeatedarmyBonnie Prince Charlie, effectively putting an end toJacobite resistance.
George II, despite being happily married, always had an interestother women,kept many mistresses. Onpremature deathhis wife, Queen Caroline, 1737, he was distraught. When she reputedly told him, on her deathbed, that he should re-marry, he famously replied, "Non, j'aurai des maitresses" ("No, I will have mistresses")! He died on 25 October 1760 fromstroke suffered while sittinghis toiletwas buried at Westminster Abbey.
He was succeeded by his grandson, George III.
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Preceded by: George I | ListBritish monarchs |
Succeeded by: George III |
