George IV

Biography & Memoir, Royalty
Cover of the book George IV by E.A. Smith, Yale University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: E.A. Smith ISBN: 9780300184235
Publisher: Yale University Press Publication: June 10, 1999
Imprint: Language: English
Author: E.A. Smith
ISBN: 9780300184235
Publisher: Yale University Press
Publication: June 10, 1999
Imprint:
Language: English
This engrossing biography of George IV, king of England from 1820 to 1830, gives a full and objective reassessment of the monarch’s character, reputation, and achievement. Previous writers have tended to accept the unfavorable verdicts of the king’s contemporaries that he was a dissolute, pleasure-loving dilettante and a feeble and ineffective ruler who was responsible for the decline of the power and reputation of the monarchy in the early nineteenth century. Now E.A. Smith offers a new view of George IV, one that does not minimize the king’s faults but focuses on the positive qualities of his achievement in politics and in the patronage of the arts.

Smith explores the roots of the king’s character and personality, stressing the importance of his relationship with his parents and twelve surviving siblings. He examines the king’s important contributions to the cultural enhancement of his capital and his encouragement of the major artistic, literary, and scholarly figures of his time. He reassesses the king’s role as constitutional monarch, contending that it was he, rather than Victoria and Albert, who created the constitutional monarchy of nineteenth-century Britain and began the revival of its popularity. Smith’s biography not only illuminates the character of one of the most colorful of Britain’s rulers but also contributes to the history of the British monarchy and its role in the nation’s life.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
This engrossing biography of George IV, king of England from 1820 to 1830, gives a full and objective reassessment of the monarch’s character, reputation, and achievement. Previous writers have tended to accept the unfavorable verdicts of the king’s contemporaries that he was a dissolute, pleasure-loving dilettante and a feeble and ineffective ruler who was responsible for the decline of the power and reputation of the monarchy in the early nineteenth century. Now E.A. Smith offers a new view of George IV, one that does not minimize the king’s faults but focuses on the positive qualities of his achievement in politics and in the patronage of the arts.

Smith explores the roots of the king’s character and personality, stressing the importance of his relationship with his parents and twelve surviving siblings. He examines the king’s important contributions to the cultural enhancement of his capital and his encouragement of the major artistic, literary, and scholarly figures of his time. He reassesses the king’s role as constitutional monarch, contending that it was he, rather than Victoria and Albert, who created the constitutional monarchy of nineteenth-century Britain and began the revival of its popularity. Smith’s biography not only illuminates the character of one of the most colorful of Britain’s rulers but also contributes to the history of the British monarchy and its role in the nation’s life.

More books from Yale University Press

Cover of the book Faust by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Imprudent King by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Grave New World by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book German Rocketeers in the Heart of Dixie by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book The Life of Louis XVI by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Love in the New Millennium by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Red Flags by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book A Darwinian Left by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Benjamin Franklin by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Divine Love by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Mobilizing Inclusion: Transforming the Electorate through Get-Out-the-Vote Campaigns by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Knowledge of Things Human and Divine by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book Christians and Pagans: The Conversion of Britain from Alban to Bede by E.A. Smith
Cover of the book The Fortunes of Francis Barber by E.A. Smith
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy