British Monarchy – Page 3

On this day in history….15th December 1785

On this day in history : 15th December 1785 – The Prince of Wales (the future King George IV) secretly marries Maria Fitzherbert – a marriage not only secret but also illegal….

NPG 5389; King George IV by Richard Cosway — Miniature by Richard Cosway, watercolour on ivory, 1792 – Public domain

Maria was born Maria Smythe – and was raised in the Catholic faith…. She had already been widowed twice when she met a 22-year-old George at the opera one evening…. Maria was a few years older than the Prince….

George had always liked the ladies and was prone to falling in love easily – when he met Maria he was instantly smitten…. He asked her to become his mistress – an invitation she demurely declined…. Unthwarted, George proposed marriage….but once again Maria refused…. It is said George then threatened to kill himself if she did not become his wife….

Maria Fitzherbert – by Joshua Reynolds – Public domain

George and Maria were married in a ceremony conducted by Robert Burt – who was paid £500 to keep quiet…. The Royal Marriage Act of 1772 required members of the royal family to seek the permission of the Sovereign to marry…. King George III would never have allowed his son to marry Maria….the Act of Settlement 1701 forbade Roman Catholics from sitting upon the throne….

For nearly ten years George and Maria lived together at Brighton Pavilion, as husband and wife…. George liked to live an extravagant lifestyle and managed to get into considerable debt – (equating to more than £65 million in today’s terms)…. He could never have hoped to pay this kind of sum back – and so he approached the government for help…. Parliament agreed to increase his allowance….but there was a condition…. In exchange he had to give up his life with Maria and marry a Protestant of their choice – Caroline of Brunswick…. He had little alternative….

Caroline was also his first cousin, although the pair had never met…. By all accounts Caroline was quite disgusting – she was ugly, lacked discretion, rarely changed her underwear and hardly ever washed…. She didn’t fancy George much either – saying he looked “nothing like as handsome as his portrait”….

Caroline of Brunswick – by James Lonsdale – Public domain

Nevertheless, the reluctant couple married on the 8th of April 1795….nine months later they had a daughter, Charlotte Augusta…. After the birth George distanced himself from his wife….and a year later took their daughter away to be brought up by a governess….

Charlotte had a lonely, loveless childhood – eventually she rebelled and ran away to be with her mother…. George managed to persuade his daughter to return to Windsor – but was always worried his estranged wife would coax her away again…. So he made Caroline an offer she could not refuse….an allowance of £35,000 per year if she left Britain for good….

Sadly Charlotte died in childbirth in 1817…. George tried to rekindle his relationship with Maria after his separation from Caroline…. In 1800 they did indeed reunite – but things became strained between them, especially when George began to take mistresses…. In 1811 she decided enough was enough and leaving him a farewell letter departed for good….

George became King in 1821…. Caroline, demanding her position as Queen, returned to British shores – even turning up at Westminster Abbey on the day of the Coronation….but to no avail…. Ironically, she died three weeks later….

Coronation of George IV – James Stephanoff – Public domain

King George IV died in 1830….his brother King William IV succeeded the throne…. Eager to make amends to Maria he offered her Brighton Pavilion as a home….where she lived until her death in 1837….

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….17th November 1558

On this day in history : 17th November 1558 – Mary Tudor, England’s first ruling Queen, dies – leaving the Crown to Elizabeth I, her half-sister….

Mary Tudor, 1554 – Antonis Mor – Public domain

Mary’s death was unexpected; she had started to feel unwell in May 1588, after another false pregnancy…. At the time of her death there was an influenza epidemic and it is often thought that she died from this…. But it is more likely the cause of her death was a form of ovarian cancer…. She died at St. James’ Palace – having received her last rites just before midnight on the 16th of November; she passed away at some time between 5am and 6am the following morning…. She was 42-years-old….

Mary was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon – she was declared illegitimate after Henry married Anne Boleyn and the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth…. Even though her father had reformed the English Church, Mary – baptised a Catholic at 3-days-old – retained her faith…. When on ascending the the throne in 1553, she immediately set about reversing the English Reformation and returning England to Catholicism- reviving old heresy laws in order to do so…. During her short reign Queen Mary I was responsible for the death of some 300 Protestant men, women and children – many burned at the stake – earning her the title ‘Bloody Mary’….

The burning of of Latimer and Ridley, two of the Oxford Martyrs – From the Book of Martyrs by John Foxe, 1563 – Public domain

She was not a popular Queen – there would have undoubtedly been much jubilation when her half-sister Elizabeth took over the throne…. Something Mary had vehemently tried to prevent by unsuccessfully producing an heir of her own….

Mary is buried in Westminster Abbey – ironically under Elizabeth I – in a shared grave….

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On this day in history….3rd November 1534

On this day in history : 3rd November 1534 – The Act of Supremacy is passed by Parliament, making King Henry VIII head of the newly formed Church of England….

Image credit : Ann Longmore-Etheridge via Flickr

The Act of Supremacy officially confirmed the split from Rome….leading to the seizure of Church property…. With a need to remove the power of the Catholic Church – and also to raise money for the continuous wars with Scotland and France – over 800 monasteries and convents were dissolved….being either demolished, reclaimed as Anglican Churches – or sold off….

King Henry VIII famously married six times….in search not only of marital happiness but also for political gain – and the desire for a male heir….

Henry was the second son of Henry VII; his older brother, Arthur, was destined for the throne – whilst Henry was being prepared for a life in the Church…. He was educated in music, poetry, languages, theology and sports…. Arthur married Catherine of Aragon (to whom he had been betrothed since the age of 2) in November 1501 – the pair were just teenagers – but tragically Arthur died of a sudden illness a few months later…. Henry became next in line to the throne and was betrothed to his dead brother’s widow….

Catherine of Aragon – attributed to Joannes Corvus – Public domain

Henry became King when he was 17-years-old and married Catherine of Aragon six weeks later…. Over the following 15 years she gave birth to 3 sons and 3 daughters….all died in infancy – except one daughter, Mary (later to become Queen Mary I)….

Henry – although he had fathered an illegitimate healthy son, Henry Fitzroy, in 1519 – wanted a son who could become his heir…. He was convinced his marriage to Catherine was cursed – because of an old myth about marrying a brother’s widow…. On becoming infatuated with one of his wife’s attendants, Anne Boleyn, he decided to seek an annulment – so that he could remarry…. Of course, his intentions were denied by the Pope – Henry’s response was to put himself in charge of the Church and effectively change the rule book….

In 1533 Henry and Anne Boleyn were married and they had a daughter, Elizabeth…. Mary was declared illegitimate and Elizabeth made heir to the throne in her place…. In January 1536 Henry had an accident whilst taking part in a jousting tournament…. On hearing the news a pregnant Anne miscarried a son…. Henry turned his attentions to another woman in his Court, Jane Seymour…. Within six months he had Anne executed for incest and treason….and he married Jane…. To his joy she gave him his son and heir, the future Edward IV – but at the cost of her own life – Jane died two weeks later….

Jane Seymour – Hans Holbein – Public domain

Henry then married Anne of Cleves – a political union – to strengthen an alliance with Anne’s brother, who was the ruler of a Protestant Duchy in Germany…. After only a few days Henry had the marriage annulled….

Catherine Howard was to become his next wife….but after two years he had her beheaded for adultery and treason….

Catherine Howard – Hans Holbein – Public domain

Henry’s final marriage was to Catherine Parr in 1543 – and it was she who managed to reconcile his daughters, Mary and Elizabeth…. Henry died on the 28th of January 1547, his 56th birthday…. His 9-year-old son, Edward VI came to the throne – but died six years later…. Catherine Parr remarried and at the age of 35 gave birth for the first time, to a daughter, Mary Seymour – only for Catherine to die from complications of childbirth 8 days later….

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On this day in history….25th October 1760

On this day in history : 25th October 1760 – George III becomes King of England and Ireland and reigns for almost 60 years – although he was mentally unfit to reign in his last decade….

Coronation portrait by Allan Ramsay, 1762 – Public domain

Born in London at Norfolk House, St. James’s Square on the 4th of June 1738, George was two months premature and not expected to live – as a precaution he was baptised the same day…. However, he grew to be a healthy child, albeit rather shy…. Along with his younger brother, Prince Edward, George was educated by private tutors and could read and write in English and German….and by the age of 8 years was able to comment on current day political matters…. His lessons included physics, chemistry, astronomy, French, Latin, mathematics, geography, agriculture, music, commerce and law….

George and brother Prince Edward, Duke of York, with their tutor Francis Ayscough – by Richard Wilson – Public domain

His father, Frederick, Prince of Wales, did not get on with his own father, King George II – and as a result the King took little interest in his grandchildren…. When Frederick died suddenly in 1751, from a lung injury, the young Prince George became heir to the throne….and suddenly his grandfather developed an interest in him…. The title of Prince of Wales was bestowed upon him – although the young George had inherited his father’s title of ‘Duke of Edinburgh’, ‘Prince of Wales’ was not automatically passed on….

King George II died suddenly on the 25th of October 1760 and the 22-year-old Prince of Wales succeeded the throne…. Being an unmarried monarch his mother and advisors were eager to see him settled down – and so the hunt for a suitable wife began….

On the 8th of September 1761 the new King married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, from a small North German duchy…. Their marriage took place in the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace – and it was the first time they had ever met….

Princess Charlotte by Johann Georg Ziesenis C1761 – Public domain

Princess Charlotte had received a far more basic education to that of George – her upbringing could be compared to that of an English country gentleman’s daughter….she would have had little interest or experience in politics or such matters…. However, theirs was a good match, it worked and they became devoted to one another – unlike his grandfather before him and indeed his own sons after him, George never took a mistress…. The marriage produced 15 children – 9 sons and 6 daughters…. In 1761 King George bought Buckingham House (now Buckingham Palace) for his wife as a comfortable family home….close to St. James’s Palace, where all important court functions took place it became known as the Queen’s House….

Their’s was, it seems, a happy marriage – but as the years went by George began to become unwell – suffering from bouts of mental illness…. The cause of his illness remains unknown, although there have been suggestions it was due to the blood disease porphyria….

George’s reign would have been a particularly stressful one – there were many military conflicts and wars during the time….not least the American War of Independence…. George would have been under much strain as many of Britain’s colonies in North America were lost….

Portrait by Sir William Beechy 1799/1800 – Public domain

In late 1810, already nearly blind with cataracts and suffering great pain from rheumatism, George became extremely ill…. He blamed stress after the death of his beloved youngest daughter, Princess Amelia – who had died from TB….

King George III was mentally unfit to reign in his last decade….his eldest son – the later George IV – acted as Prince Regent from 1811…. Queen Charlotte was terrified by her husband’s illness – he had developed acute dementia, had become completely blind and increasingly deaf and even showed erratic and violent behaviour – eventually she could not bring herself to visit him…. When she died in November 1818 he was incapable of understanding….

For the last few weeks of his life George was unable to walk…. Christmas 1819, for a 48 hour period he spoke utter nonsense and could be understood by no one…. He died at Windsor Castle on the 29th of January 1820…. Despite his illness, George III lived and reigned longer than any of his predecessors – only Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II have lived and reigned longer….

British History, Uncategorized

On this day in history….2nd October 1452

On this day in history : 2nd October 1452 – The birth, at Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, of King Richard III – the last King of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenets….

Late 16th Century portrait of Richard III – Public domain

Richard was the twelfth of thirteen children – his older brother was to become King Edward IV – to whom Richard remained loyal until Edward’s death in 1483 – unlike their middle brother, George, who plotted against Edward….

However, Richard was not without controversy himself…. Upon Edward’s death his 12-year-old son succeeded him to the throne…. Richard was named as Lord Protector and the young Edward and his brother were taken to live within the palace at the Tower of London – which was then a royal residence….

In the June of 1483 the marriage of the two young princes’ parents was declared illegal and therefore invalid – which made the boys illegitimate…. This meant young Edward was no longer the rightful heir to the throne and instead it passed to his uncle and protector, Richard….

Earliest surviving portrait of Richard III C1520 – Public domain

Richard wasted no time in securing his position as King, he was quickly crowned on the 26th of June…. Shortly after, the two princes disappeared, never to be seen again…. Many believe Richard had them murdered….

Richard himself was killed at Bosworth Field on the 23rd of August 1485 – he was the last English King to die in battle…. Henry Tudor succeeded him, as King Henry VII….

An 18th Century illustration of the death of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field – Thomas Pennant – Public domain

Richard’s body was taken to a monastery in Leicester and buried beneath a fine alabaster tomb…. But after King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries the Franciscan friary disappeared and along with it all traces of Richard’s tomb….

In September 2012 archaeologists discovered a skeleton under a car park in Leicester and it was believed to be the remains of Richard….

The skeleton as it was discovered – Photo credit : Richard Buckley, Mathew Morris, Jo Appleby, Turi King, Dierdre O’Sullivan, Lin Foxhall – CC BY SA 4.0

Using DNA and bone analysis, radio carbon dating and radiological evidence this was indeed proven…. King Richard III was finally reinterred at Leicester Cathedral in March 2015….