Full List of British Monarchs Before Queen Elizabeth II
Before the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom witnessed the reign of several monarchs. However, Queen Elizabeth II seems to be the most popular of them all and also the longest-serving ruler of the United Kingdom.
Before her, the United Kingdom had been ruled by eleven monarchs with two queens before Queen Elizabeth II.
The news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch since the beginning of modern history shook the whole world into mourning. The glorious monarch ruled over the United Kingdom for over 70 years witnessing the appointment of 15 UK prime ministers, 12 United States presidents, and all the military and civilian presidents of Nigeria.
Her death was announced by Buckingham Palace on Thursday, September 8, 2022. Buckingham Palace said in a statement:
“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
However, before the ascension of Queen Elizabeth II, we take a look back at the monarchs before her reign.
Here is the full list……
QUEEN ANNE 1702 – 1714.
At 37 years of age, Anne, daughter of James II ascended the throne as the first British monarch. According to Britannica, she was born on February 6, 1665, in London. It was gathered that she became queen in March 1702, where she ruled until 1714 after her demise.
KING GEORGE I 1714 -1727
Son of Sophia and the Elector of Hanover, great-grandson of James I. The 54-year-old George arrived in England able to speak only a few words of English with his 18 cooks and 2 mistresses in tow. George never learned English, so the conduct of national policy was left to the government of the time with Sir Robert Walpole becoming Britain’s first Prime Minister.
George spent little time in England – he preferred his beloved Hanover, although he was implicated in the South Sea Bubble financial scandal of 1720.
KING GEORGE II 1727 – 1760 Only son of George I. He was more English than his father but still relied on Sir Robert Walpole to run the country. George was the last English king to lead his army into battle at Dettingen in 1743. In 1745 the Jacobites tried once again to restore a Stuart to the throne.
Prince Charles Edward Stuart, ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ landed in Scotland. He was routed at Culloden Moor by the army under the Duke of Cumberland, known as ‘Butcher’ Cumberland. Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped to France with the help of Flora MacDonald, and finally died a drunkard’s death in Rome.
KING GEORGE III 1760 – 1820 He was the grandson of George II and the first English-born and English-speaking monarch since Queen Anne.
His reign was one of elegance and the age of some of the greatest names in English literature – Jane Austen, Byron, Shelley, Keats, and Wordsworth. It was also the time of great statesmen like Pitt and Fox and great military men like Wellington and Nelson. In 1773 the ‘Boston Tea Party was the first sign of the troubles that were to come in America.
The American Colonies proclaimed their independence on July 4th 1776. George was well-meaning but suffered from a mental illness due to intermittent porphyria and eventually became blind and insane. His son ruled as Prince Regent after 1811 until George’s death.
KING GEORGE IV 1820 – 1830 Known as the ‘First Gentleman of Europe’. He had a love of art and architecture but his private life was a mess, to put it mildly! He married twice, once in 1785 to Mrs. Fitzherbert, secretly as she was a Catholic, and then in 1795 to Caroline of Brunswick. Mrs. Fitzherbert remained the love of his life. Caroline and George had one daughter, Charlotte in 1796 but she died in 1817. George was considered a great wit but was also a buffoon and his death was hailed with relief.
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