George IV
Extravagant king and regent whose reign was tarnished by scandal.
George IV was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. He had previously served as prince regent for his father, King George III, from 5 February 1811 due to his father's final mental illness. Known for his extravagant lifestyle and patronage of architecture and fashion, his reign was marked by scandal and financial excess.
- born
- 12 August 1762
- died
- 26 June 1830
- field
- Monarchy
- nationality
- British
- known_for
- Regency era, patronage of John Nash, unpopularity due to dissolute life
Lore & Background
George IV was the eldest child of King George III and Queen Charlotte. He was a talented student, learning French, German, and Italian. At 18, he began a life of dissipation and wild extravagance, involving heavy drinking and numerous mistresses. He secretly married Maria Fitzherbert, a Roman Catholic commoner, in 1785, a union void under the Act of Settlement and Royal Marriages Act. The marriage was publicly denied by his political allies to secure a parliamentary grant to pay his debts. He was an avid horseracing fan but ended his connection with the turf after a scandal involving his jockey Samuel Chifney and the horse Escape in 1790.
Reader's Guide
George IV's significance lies in his role as prince regent during the Napoleonic Wars and his influence on Regency-era fashion and architecture. He commissioned John Nash to build the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and remodel Buckingham Palace, and Jeffry Wyatville to rebuild Windsor Castle. However, his dissolute lifestyle, poor relationships with his parents and wife Caroline of Brunswick, and the failed Pains and Penalties Bill to divorce her diminished the monarchy's prestige. His ministers found him selfish and unreliable, and he was forced to accept Catholic emancipation despite opposing it. His only legitimate child, Princess Charlotte, predeceased him, and he was succeeded by his younger brother William IV.
Did You Know?
- George IV was known affectionately as 'Prinny' by friends.
- He secretly married Maria Fitzherbert, a Roman Catholic commoner, in 1785.
- He commissioned John Nash to build the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
- His only legitimate child, Princess Charlotte, predeceased him in 1817.
More in European Monarchs & Consorts 1-24
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