George I

George I (March 28 1600 - October 11 1727).From 1714 to 1727 he rules as King over Great Britain and Ireland. Son of Sophia of Hanover, Elector (=Kurfürst) of Hanover.

After the death of the last Stuart, Queen Anne in 1714, George I inherited the throne of England and Ireland under the Act of Settlement (1701) and became the first king of the House of Hanover. He was chosen to be king because he was brought up a Protestant. “The other alternative was the Catholic son of James II by Mary of Modena, James Edward Stuart” (britannia.com).

There was an attempt to bring the so-called Old Pretender to the throne in 1715, but, like the subsequent Jacobite risings, it was not successful.

He was aware that his decision to become King would likely upset at least half of Britain's population. During George's reign, political power shifted more and more to Parliament, because the king did not speak fluent English and was in Hanover most of the time. At that time the Whigs dominated Parliament. And Robert Walpole dominated Parliament, Privy Council and politics: “After the South Sea Bubble crises of 1720, Robert Walpole took over. The most able of George’s ministers and known as the first ‘Prime Minister’. Walpole’s was the longest running administration in British history (1721-42)”.

His marriage

In 1682 he married his cousin, Princess Sophia Dorothy of Celle, the daughter of Duke Georg Wilhelm of Celle. She gave birth to a son, George, Prince of Wales, and a daughter named Sophia Dorothea. Their marriage was not based on love but rather motivated by reasons of State. In their marriage, she endured the pain of his infidelity. At Court, King Georg's Mistresses held greater significance than her. Despite playing a significant role in orchestrating the marriage, her mother-in-law treated her as inferior and an unwelcome presence. Sophia of Celle faced frequent accusations of infidelity, but it was her involvement in a scheme against her mother-in-law that ultimately led to her imprisonment and divorce from King George I. This divorce granted him the opportunity to enter a new marriage.

Jacobite rising

In 1715, a significant Jacobite rising occurred, with James Stuart asserting his claim to the throne. The Scottish fought beside him, but due to poor coordination and lack of support from the French, the uprising ultimately failed. After the Scottish clans suffered defeat in the battle of Felkrik, James Stuart withdrew his claims. Interestingly, the Tories appeared to show sympathy towards the Jacobites.

His relationship with his son

The Jacobites asserted that King George's children were illegitimate as his marriage to Sophia Dorothea had ended in divorce. King George held a strong hatred towards his son, George, Prince of Wales, due to political scheming. The Tories capitalized on this strained relationship to consolidate political influence and establish connections with the Prince of Wales. During his trips to Hannover, King George I entrusted the governance of his country to his Ministers, rather than leaving it under the control of the princes. "This disdain between father and son was a blight which became a tradition in the House of Hanover" (britannia.com).

Sources

Michael, Wolfgang. England under George I: The Beginnings of the Hanoverian Dynasty. London: Greenwood Press, 1936, pp. 77-79.

"https://www.royal.uk/george-i." royal.uk, The Royal Household, https://www.royal.uk/george-i.

Britannia Staff Article. "George I (1714-27 AD)." Britannia.com, original URL: http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html, archive URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20180825064546/http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon53.html.

Oxford Reference. "George I." oxfordreference.com, original URL: https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199559220.001.0001/acref-9780199559220-e-157?rskey=6o1VDx&result=280.

BBC History. "George I (1660-1727)." bbc.co.uk, original URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/george_i_king.shtml.