The House of Hanover ruled Britain for nearly 200 years, and this dynasty oversaw the modernisation of Britain. Despite their not insignificant place in British history, the monarchs of the House of Hanover are often glossed over. But the six Hanoverian monarchs were some of Britain’s most colourful characters – their reigns filled with scandal, intrigue, happy marriages and terrible conjugal relationships.
They lost America but oversaw the rise of the British Empire to span nearly 25% of the world’s population and surface area. The Britain Victoria left in 1901 was dramatically different to the one the German-born George I arrived in in 1714.
George I (1714-27)
The second cousin of Queen Anne, George was born in Hanover, heir to the German Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, which he inherited in 1698, along with the title Elector of Hanover.
