George I of Great Britain

thumb| George I (28 May 1660 – 11 June 1727) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 and ruler of the Electorate of Hanover within the Holy Roman Empire from 23 January 1698 until his death in 1727. He was the first British monarch of the House of Hanover. Quotes Mgr. l'Electeur est pleinement persuadé qu'en establissant dans Sa maison la succession à la couronne, on n'a jamais pensé à rendre la couronne elective puisqu'on a nommé Madame Sa Mere uniquement par la raison qu'Elle est la plus proche dans la ligne protestante, ce qui est un aveu formel du droict hereditaire qu'on reconnoist dans cette ligne. Mais comme cette ligne a esté apellée à la succession par des actes du Parlement qui ont declaré les Princes Papistes incapables de regner, S. A. E. laisse à considerer s'il ne seroit pas à propos que ceux qui se declarent pour le droict hereditaire, evitassent de le faire d'une maniere absolue, et adjoutassent toujours "dans la ligne Protestante, Et à l'exclusion des Princes Papistes", en conformité des actes du Parlement. His Highness the Elector is fully persuaded that in establishing the succession to the crown in His house, no thought was ever given to making the crown elective, since Madam His Mother was appointed solely for the reason that She is the nearest in the Protestant line, which is a formal admission of the hereditary right recognised in this line. But as this line has been called to the succession by acts of Parliament which have declared the Papist Princes incapable of reigning, His Highness leaves it to be considered whether it would not be proper for those who declare themselves for the hereditary right to avoid doing so in an absolute manner, and always add "in the Protestant line, and to the exclusion of the Papist Princes", in conformity with the acts of Parliament. Memorandum presented to Earl Rivers (16 October 1710), quoted in Onno Klopp, Der Fall des Hauses Stuart und die Succession des Hauses Hannover in Gross-Britannien und Irland, im Zusammenhange der europäischen Angelegenheiten von 1660-1714. Dreizehuter Band. Die Kriegsjahre 1708, 1709 und 1710 (1887), p. 556 Quotes about George I He's a proper, middle-siz'd, well-proportion'd Man, of a gentile Address, and good Appearance. He's not addicted much to any Diversions besides Hunting; is reserv'd, and therfore speaks little, but judiciously. He's not to be exceeded in his Zeal against the intended universal Monarchy of France, and so is most hearty for the common Cause of Europe, wherin his own is so necessarily involv'd. He understands our Constitution the best of any Forener I ever knew; and tho he be well vers'd in the Art of War, and of invincible Courage, having often expos'd his Person to great Dangers in Hungary, in the Morea, on the Rhine, and in Flanders (of which you cannot be ignorant) yet he's naturally of peaceable Inclinations, which mixture of Qualitys is agreed by the Experience of all Ages to make the best and most glorious Princes. He's a perfect Man of Business, exactly regular in the Oeconomy of his Revenues, reads all Dispatches himself at first hand, writes most of his own Letters, and spends a very considerable part of his Time about such Occupations in his Closet, and with his Ministers. John Toland, The Account of the Courts of Prussia and Hanover (1705), pp. 69-70 It was perhaps still more remarkable, and an instance unparalleled, that sir Robert governed George the first in Latin, the king not speaking English, and his minister no German, nor even French. Horace Walpole, Reminiscences: Written by Mr Horace Walpole in 1788, For the Amusement of Miss Mary and Miss Agnes B***y (1819), p. 10 It would but aggravate our Sorrow particularly to enumerate the Virtues of that pious and most excellent Princess: The Duty we owe to Your Majesty and to our Country, oblige us to moderate our Grief, and heartily to congratulate Your Majesty's accession to the Throne, whose Princely Vertues give us a certain Prospect of future Happiness, in the Security of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties, and engage us to assure Your Majesty, that we will, to our utmost, support your undoubted Right to the Imperial Crown of this Realm, against the Pretender, and all other Persons whatsoever. The House of Commons, address to George I upon his accession to the British throne (5 August 1714), quoted in G. F. Gent, The History of the First and Second Session of the last Parliament (1714), p. 93 External links Category:1660 births Category:1727 deaths Category:Monarchs from the United Kingdom Category:House of Hanover