George I

Son of Ernst August Herzog zu Braunschweig und Lüneburg (Kurfürst from 1692), and Sophie, a granddaughter of King James I of England. He succeeded his father in 1698. The Act of Settlement (12 Jun 1701), seeking to ensure a Protestant succession in Great Britain, decreed that, in default of issue to either King William III or Princess Anne (later Queen Anne), the crown was to pass to Sophia as granddaughter of James I, and to "the heirs of her body being Protestants." Thus, George became heir to the throne after his mother died on 8 Jun 1714 and acceded on 1/12 Aug 1714 upon the death of Queen Anne. He landed at Greenwich on 18/29 Sep 1714. The German affairs remained a primary concern for George I throughout his reign in Great Britain. He made periodic lengthy visits to Hanover [7] and was unable to speak English until the end of his life. Unpopular in England, George survived two Jacobite rebellions in 1715 and 1719. In 1715 the intrigues with the Jacobites led to dismissal of key Tory ministers including Viscount Bolingbroke, Duke of Ormonde and Stafford. As a result, George relied on the Whig ministers reasoning that the Tories were favorable to the Stuart cause. The administrative skills of George's ministers, Earl Stanhope, Viscount Townshend and Robert Walpole, strengthened the position of the House of Hanover in domestic affairs. Showing a keen interest in foreign politics, George I contributed to the formation of the third Triple Alliance with the Netherlands and France. The king's involvement in the South Sea Company affair (1720) undermined his position. However, Walpole's handling of the affair helped the king avoid a conflict with the House of Commons. Since that time the Whigs dominated political scene, and Walpole's preeminence among his colleagues earned his position of First Lord of the Treasury the unofficial title of prime minister. The Treaty of Hanover between England, France and Prussia, arranged by George I and Viscount Townshend, was signed (Sep 1725) to safeguard the British trade interests. Biography source: [8]