Ever since the Glorious Revolution in 1688, which brought an end to the Stuart dynasty, kings of Britain were not able to wield absolute power. Instead, their authority was limited constitutionally, by an English bill of rights. And King George III of Britain, who many may regard as the tyrannical despot that helped ignite the American Revolution, was no exception. It wouldn’t be right to characterize him as a tyrant, due to his constitutional monarchy. But let’s take a closer look.
George III rose to power in the midst of the Seven Years War, a conflict involving many European powers which evolved into competing colonial claims between Britain and France. Britain’s victory ensured its dominance in North America and India. But it was a costly victory, and the impact of the Seven Years War would increase tensions between Britain and its colonies.
First came the Proclamation of 1763, a proclamation issued by George that limited British settlement beyond the Appalachian mountains. This was intended to lessen hostilities between European settlers and North American natives, but it angered the colonists who wanted to expand further west. Second came the influx of taxes, the taxes that had so angered the colonists, who resisted with the familiar motto of “no taxation without representation.” The colonists (later Americans) tended to portray George III as a tyrant, but the taxes were largely issued by the British Parliament, which George had to share some of his power with.
After losing colonial territory from the American Revolution and just before his confrontations with Napoleon, George started to have episodes of mental madness. He recovered from them though, and continued to rule England with a firm hand. George successfully helped defend Britain during its conflicts with France, which had undergone a chaotic revolution and was now in the hands of Napoleon.
However, in 1810, George III succumbed completely to mental illness. Historians debate over what specific illness he might have had; some suspect it was inherited porphyria, others suspect it was bipolar disorder. Nevertheless, George became unable to rule Britain due to his sufferings. His son George (future George IV) took his place and became prince regent, which helped England defeat Napoleon once and for all at Waterloo in 1815.
George III died in 1820. Part of his legacy is written in the United States Declaration of Independence, where he was accused of “absolute tyranny” over the states. While some of his actions may have angered the colonists, he was not an absolute ruler, but a constitutional monarch. Another part of his legacy comes from his resistance to the French, where George was viewed as a heroic leader.
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