George I of Great Britain

George I (1660-1727) was born in Osnabrück, Germany and was the ruler of Hanover in North Germany.

When Queen Anne of Great Britain died in 1714, an Act of Parliament said the next ruler must be a Protestant. George was not the closest relative, but was the closest Protestant one. Closer relatives were all Roman Catholic, so George became King of Great Britain and Ireland on August 1, 1714, marking the beginning of the Georgian era of British history.

George I, c. 1714. Studio of Sir Godfrey Kneller.

King George I was the last king of England who did not speak English fluently. George spoke German and French fluently, and he also knew Latin. He often spoke to his Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, in Latin. This was not unusual at the time, as Latin was still the language of diplomacy and scholarship.

Walpole was a skilled linguist, and  though he was able to converse with the king in Latin, he also had to translate documents and speeches for the king, which could be a time-consuming process. This led to some friction between Walpole and George, as Walpole felt that the king was not taking his role as king seriously.

George I's inability to speak English was a source of some amusement to his British subjects. They mocked him for his "German" accent, and they made fun of his attempts to speak English. 

George was a keen hunter. He would often go on hunting expeditions in the countryside, and he was also a skilled marksman. He was known to be particularly fond of shooting pheasants and ducks.

George I also enjoyed fishing. He would often go fishing in the rivers and lakes around his palace. He was known to be a patient fisherman, and he would often sit for hours waiting for a bite.

He was nicknamed the “Turnip King” because many regarded him as a country bumpkin. 

King George was a devout Lutheran, and he insisted that his ministers attend Lutheran services.

King George was responsible for extensive remodeling of Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace during his reign. 

King George I took his meals in private attended by two Turkish servants. He particularly liked oysters and oily salads.

George’s mistress was Duchess Museline von der Schulenburg. There were together for most of their lives and had three illegitimate children together

He suffered a stroke on the road between Delden and Nordhorn while visiting his native Hanover. King George was taken by carriage to the Prince-Bishop's palace at Osnabrück where he died in the early hours of June 11, 1727.

King George was buried in the chapel of Leine Castle but his remains were moved to the chapel at Herrenhausen after World War II.

Source Anglotopia