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'''George III''' (George William Frederick; June 4, 1783 – January 29, 1820) was king of Great Britain and Ireland and elector of Hanover for 60 momentous years (1760-1820), and was insane off and on after 1788.  His son and successor [[George IV]] acted as regent during the insane years. A mediocre king, George III's reign is noted for losing the first [[British Empire]] with a defeat in the [[American Revolution]], the building of a second empire based in India, Asia and Africa, the beginnings of the [[industrial revolution]] that made Britain an economic powerhouse, and above all the life and death struggle with the French, 1793-1815, which ended with the defeat of [[Napoleon]] in 1815.   

'''George III''' (George William Frederick; June 4, 1783 – January 29, 1820) was king of Great Britain and Ireland and elector of Hanover for 60 momentous years (1760-1820), and was insane off and on after 1788.  His son and successor [[George IV]] acted as regent during the insane years. A mediocre king, George III's reign is noted for losing the first [[British Empire]] with a defeat in the [[American Revolution]], the building of a second empire based in India, Asia and Africa, the beginnings of the [[industrial revolution]] that made Britain an economic powerhouse, and above all the life and death struggle with the French, 1793-1815, which ended with the defeat of [[Napoleon]] in 1815.   

He was the last powerful king in Britain. He was a mediocre figure with limited skills and weak uunderstanding of issues great or small. He misused his powers to promote incompetent favorites and interfere with the politicians trying to run the government and the [[British Empire]]. After he lapsed into insanity, and was followed by several debauched incompetents, there was no one who wanted a king to be make any serious decisions. The Crown was an a glittering ornament, the centerpeice of increasing elaborate ceremonies.

He was the last powerful king in Britain. He was a mediocre figure with limited skills and weak understanding of issues great or small. He misused his powers to promote incompetent favorites and interfere with the politicians trying to run the government and the [[British Empire]]. After he lapsed into insanity, and was followed by several debauched incompetents, there was no one who wanted a king to be make any serious decisions. The Crown was an a glittering ornament, the centerpiece of increasing elaborate ceremonies.

[[Image:GEORGE3.JPG|thumb|250px]]

[[Image:GEORGE3.JPG|thumb|250px]]

Americans were slow to appreciate the king was not their ally; they had hailed him in 1766 as the 'Patriot King' when the Stamp Act was repealed by the Rockingham ministry, unaware he had privately opposed its lifting. The king was delighted by the series of tough acts of Parliament passed in 1774 collectively known as the Coercive Acts, which were the immediate cause of revolt. He pressed for the royal proclamation of August 1775 that announced that his American subjects were "engaged in open and avowed rebellion."

Americans were slow to appreciate the king was not their ally; they had hailed him in 1766 as the 'Patriot King' when the Stamp Act was repealed by the Rockingham ministry, unaware he had privately opposed its lifting. The king was delighted by the series of tough acts of Parliament passed in 1774 collectively known as the Coercive Acts, which were the immediate cause of revolt. He pressed for the royal proclamation of August 1775 that announced that his American subjects were "engaged in open and avowed rebellion."

During the war the king refused to compromise and selected inept ministers who caused disaster aster disaster, including the formation of a powerful coalition in support of the Americans, the loss of traditional British allies, and the surrender of two main armies at Saratoga (1777) and Yorktown (1781). George wanted to send more soldiers but he lost control of Parliament and his Prime Minister [[Lord North]] was forced to resign. Negotiations that led to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 proved highly favourable to the Americans.

During the war the king refused to compromise and selected inept ministers who caused disaster aster disaster, including the formation of a powerful coalition in support of the Americans, the loss of traditional British allies, and the surrender of two main armies at Saratoga (1777) and Yorktown (1781). George wanted to send more soldiers but he lost control of Parliament and his Prime Minister [[Lord North]] was forced to resign. Negotiations that led to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 proved highly favorable to the Americans.

A constitutional crisis erupted in 1783-4 when the king dismissed the coalition government of [[Charles James Fox]] and [[Lord North]] and supplanted it by one led by [[Chatham|William Pitt the Younger]]. Pitt was faced by a hostile majority in Parliament but within months stabilized his position. Many historians argue that Pitt's success was inevitable given the decisive importance of monarchical power in British politics during the period. Kelly (1981) disputes this view, maintaining that the king gambled on Pitt and that both would have failed but for a run of good fortune.<ref>Paul Kelly, "British Politics, 1783-4: the Emergence and Triumph of the Younger Pitt's Administration." ''Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research'' 1981 54(129): 62-78. Issn: 0020-2894 </ref> Although the king exercised considerable influence in politics from 1783 onward, the emergence of the [[Chatham|younger Pitt]], who had secured his majority in 1784 through royal support, meant that the king's power of interference was curtailed. Yet, in 1801 the king blocked Catholic emancipation and in 1804 refused to approve [[Charles James Fox]] as a minister.

A constitutional crisis erupted in 1783-4 when the king dismissed the coalition government of [[Charles James Fox]] and [[Lord North]] and supplanted it by one led by [[Chatham|William Pitt the Younger]]. Pitt was faced by a hostile majority in Parliament but within months stabilized his position. Many historians argue that Pitt's success was inevitable given the decisive importance of monarchical power in British politics during the period. Kelly (1981) disputes this view, maintaining that the king gambled on Pitt and that both would have failed but for a run of good fortune.<ref>Paul Kelly, "British Politics, 1783-4: the Emergence and Triumph of the Younger Pitt's Administration." ''Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research'' 1981 54(129): 62-78. Issn: 0020-2894 </ref> Although the king exercised considerable influence in politics from 1783 onward, the emergence of the [[Chatham|younger Pitt]], who had secured his majority in 1784 through royal support, meant that the king's power of interference was curtailed. Yet, in 1801 the king blocked Catholic emancipation and in 1804 refused to approve [[Charles James Fox]] as a minister.

* Ditchfield, G. M.  ''George III: An Essay in Monarchy.'' (2002). 233 pp.   

* Ditchfield, G. M.  ''George III: An Essay in Monarchy.'' (2002). 233 pp.   

* Ehrman, John. ''The younger Pitt, 1: The years of acclaim'' (1969); ''The younger Pitt, 2: The reluctant transition'' (1983); ''The younger Pitt, 3: The consuming struggle'' (1996)

* Ehrman, John. ''The younger Pitt, 1: The years of acclaim'' (1969); ''The younger Pitt, 2: The reluctant transition'' (1983); ''The younger Pitt, 3: The consuming struggle'' (1996)

* Hibbert, Christopher. ''George III A Personal History'' (1998). 464pp; favourable popular history. [http://www.questia.com/library/book/george-iii-a-personal-history-by-christopher-hibbert.jsp online edition]; also [http://www.amazon.com/George-Personal-History-Christopher-Hibbert/dp/0465027245/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211333507&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

* Hibbert, Christopher. ''George III A Personal History'' (1998). 464pp; favorable popular history. [http://www.questia.com/library/book/george-iii-a-personal-history-by-christopher-hibbert.jsp online edition]; also [http://www.amazon.com/George-Personal-History-Christopher-Hibbert/dp/0465027245/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211333507&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

* Lloyd, Alan. ''The King Who Lost America: A Portrait of the Life and Times of George III'' (2002), popular  [http://www.amazon.com/King-Who-Lost-America-Portrait/dp/0385506988/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211333507&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]

* Lloyd, Alan. ''The King Who Lost America: A Portrait of the Life and Times of George III'' (2002), popular  [http://www.amazon.com/King-Who-Lost-America-Portrait/dp/0385506988/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211333507&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]

* Namier, Lewis. ''England in the Age of the American Revolution'' (1961), advanced treatise [http://www.questia.com/library/book/england-in-the-age-of-the-american-revolution-by-lewis-namier.jsp online edition]

* Namier, Lewis. ''England in the Age of the American Revolution'' (1961), advanced treatise [http://www.questia.com/library/book/england-in-the-age-of-the-american-revolution-by-lewis-namier.jsp online edition]