King George III

Overview

King George III, the King of Great Britain and Ireland during the American Revolution, played a significant role in the conflict between the American colonies and Britain. George III ascended to the throne in 1760 and had a strong belief in the authority of the monarchy. He viewed the American colonies as an extension of British rule and was determined to maintain control over them.

Under George III’s reign, tensions between the colonies and Britain escalated, leading to the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775. The king strongly opposed the colonists’ demands for greater self-governance and their resistance to British policies such as taxation without representation. He saw these acts of defiance as acts of rebellion against the crown and responded with a firm hand. George III declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion and mobilized British forces to suppress the uprising.

Throughout the war, King George III remained committed to defeating the American rebels and restoring British control over the colonies. He believed that the colonies should be subject to British rule and was determined to crush the rebellion. However, despite his unwavering resolve, the war eventually ended in defeat for the British, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. King George III’s participation in the American Revolution thus marked a significant chapter in his reign and in the history of British-American relations, ultimately resulting in the loss of the American colonies and the birth of a new nation.

Primary Sources – The Georgian Papers Program

“Launched on 1 April 2015 by Her Majesty The Queen, the Georgian Papers Programme is transforming access to papers in the Royal Archives and Royal Library covering the period 1714-1837. By 2020 free digital access will be available to all the material relating to Britain’s Hanoverian monarchs.

At the heart of the Programme is a partnership between the Royal Archives and Royal Library with King’s College London (KCL). King’s both frames multidisciplinary academic interpretation of the material and brings to bear its own track record of leadership in the development of digital access. It also has relevant collections that will feature in the partnership. The Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture (OI) and the College of William & Mary are sharing in this work as primary Programme partners for the USA. The Library of Congress is also contributing to the development of public engagement programming and enhancing digital access.

Including the papers of George I, II, III, and IV and William IV, as well as other members of the Royal Family, politicians, courtiers and the Privy Purse, the Programme promises to deepen our understanding and provide new insights into Britain’s role in the world, its relationships with other European states, colonial America and the United States of America, as well as British politics, the Enlightenment, science, food, art collecting and patronage, life at court and the education of royal children. Careful checking has revealed that only 15% of the 350,000 pages have ever been published before. This will be augmented with a further 100,000 pages of manuscript material from the Royal Library.” From the first annual report of the Georgian Papers Program.

Secondary Sources

Black, Jeremy. George III: America’s Last King. 1. print. Yale English Monarchs. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2006.

Black’s biography is a good starting place for those who would like to learn more about the life of King George III.  While the political details can be overwelming, Black provides interesting accounts of George’s religious views, cultural interests and intellectual pursuits.  American readers should have a dictionary handy when reading, as the author uses many words not generally used on this side of the Atlantic.  Despite this stylistic limitation, I recommend this biography for a more complete assessment of George’s life and contributions.

Brooke, J. King George III. American Revolution Bicentennial Program. McGraw-Hill, 1972. https://books.google.com/books?id=tygXAQAAIAAJ.

Hadlow, Janice. A Royal Experiment: The Private Life of King George III. Henry Holt & Co., 2014.

Hibbert, Christopher. A Personal History. Basic Books, 2000.

Mumby, Frank Arthur. George III, and the American Revolution – The Beginnings. London: Constable & Company, LTD, 1924.

Plumb, J.H. The First Four Georges. 14th ed. Glasgow: Fontana/Collins, 1978.

Roberts, Andrew. The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III. New York: Viking, 2021.

Andrew Roberts writes that contrary to his depiction in the play Hamilton, King George III was not a tyrant or a buffoon. Alternatively, he was a rational monarch with many accomplishments, including several defeats of the French. While he is best known for the loss of America, his regime protected the homeland and expanded the British Empire into new areas. Roberts cites King George’s personal courage in confronting highwaymen, enduring multiple assassination attempts, and standing up to the Gordon Riots. Additionally, he courageously led Britain when under threat of French invasion in 1779 and 1804. While enduring many family trials and disappointments, he was a devoted husband and father. He descended into mental health crises in his last years. However, he endured unbelievably harsh and barbaric treatments that today would be regarded as quackery. Roberts rights the record of a much maligned figure and his work is the most authoritative source.

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