George III Of Great Britain

George William Frederick, known as George III, was born on June 4, 1738, at Norfolk House in St James's Square, London. He was the eldest son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, and a grandson of King George II. His birth occurred two months prematurely, and he was baptized on the same day by Thomas Secker, the Rector of St James's and Bishop of Oxford. His early godparents included King Frederick I of Sweden, Frederick III, Duke of Saxe-Gotha, and Sophia Dorothea, Queen in Prussia.

As a child, George III was considered healthy, reserved, and shy. He and his younger brother Edward (later Duke of York and Albany) received private education at Leicester Square. Family correspondence indicates that by the age of eight, he could read and write in both English and German, and he was familiar with political events of the time. He became the first British monarch to study science systematically, with lessons encompassing chemistry, physics, astronomy, mathematics, French, Latin, history, music, geography, commerce, agriculture, and constitutional law. His religious education was Anglican.

Following the death of his grandfather, King George II, in 1760, George succeeded to the throne at the age of 22. Prior to accession, in 1751, after the death of his father, he became the heir apparent and was granted the title Prince of Wales. In 1761, he married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, with whom he had 15 children, including nine sons and six daughters. The couple's marriage was reportedly happy, and George notably never took a mistress.

During his reign, which lasted from October 25, 1760, until his death on January 29, 1820, George III oversaw numerous significant events. The Acts of Union 1800 united Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with George as its monarch. He was also concurrently duke and prince-elector of Hanover in the Holy Roman Empire before becoming king of Hanover on October 12, 1814. Notably, George III was the first Hanoverian monarch born in Great Britain, with English as his first language, and he never visited Hanover.

His early years as monarch saw Britain emerge victorious in the Seven Years' War, establishing dominance in North America and India. However, his reign was marked by the loss of the American colonies following the American Revolutionary War, which concluded with British recognition of American independence in 1783. Later conflicts included the wars against revolutionary and Napoleonic France, culminating in Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815. In 1807, the British Empire prohibited the transatlantic slave trade.

From the 1780s onward, George III experienced recurrent mental health issues. The exact diagnosis remains uncertain, but some historians and medical experts suggest conditions such as bipolar disorder or porphyria. His final relapse occurred in 1810, after which his eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, was appointed Prince Regent. George III died at age 81, on January 29, 1820, at Windsor Castle. His son succeeded him as George IV.

Throughout his reign, George III held the titles of Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, and Elector of Hanover, before being declared King of Hanover in 1814. He was awarded honors including the Order of the Garter in 1749 and founded the Order of St Patrick in 1783. His arms evolved with his titles, reflecting his statuses in Britain, Hanover, and the Holy Roman Empire.

George III's legacy includes his long reign, which covered the Georgian and Regency eras, and his role in key legislative and military events. He was involved in legislation concerning domestic affairs and colonial governance, and presided over the expansion of the British Empire. His health decline in later years led to seclusion and increased reliance on his regent. He died of pneumonia, and his funeral took place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.