King George II Was The Last Monarch To Lead His Men Into Battle | Historic Royal Palaces George II made Kensington Palace the centre of his court life George II fell out with both his father and his son He was the last monarch to lead his troops into battle in 1743 at the Battle of Dettingen George II at the palaces As Prince of Wales, George felt that he was unfairly treated by his father – not given enough money and not entrusted with the regency when his father returned to Hanover. Relations between father and son were so sour that George and his wife Caroline were thrown out of court by George I and even, for a time, kept from their own children. In retaliation, they set up their own rival court filled with opposition politicians. History was doomed to repeat itself. After George became King in 1727 (Handel’s Zadok the Priest was composed for his Coronation), George and Caroline’s glamorous son, Prince Frederick, arrived in England and in turn became embroiled in a battle of wills with his parents; he was eventually banished from court in 1737.

In the first ten years of George II’s reign, Kensington Palace was the glittering centre of court life where politicians, intellectuals and fashionable people vied for favour. George and Caroline used Hampton Court Palace regularly after their accession in 1727, especially during the summer when the palace would be alive with the flirtations, scheming and bickering of courtiers. George II had many mistresses, most notably Henrietta Howard, one of his queen’s closest ladies-in-waiting who were known as Women of the Bedchamber. However, George was devoted to his wife and was devastated by her death in 1737. She had promoted writers, poets and philosophers and court life under her auspices was glamorous and engaging. After Caroline’s death, the bright and fashionable crowd was gradually replaced by a homely, ageing court residing in Kensington Palace which was by now half shut up and George increasingly focussed on his obsessive love of all things military. Earlier in his reign, George proved himself a good leader in battle and was the last British king to lead his troops into battle. Despite Kensington’s decline, it remained one of George’s favourite palaces right up until his death in 1760.

George II's grandson, George III , was the next monarch after Prince Frederick died in 1751 without ever repairing his relationship with his father. George II, German School, (c.1735 - 40) Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014 George II on horseback (Battle of Dettingen) © National Army Museum / The Bridgeman Art Library You may also be interested in... BBC - History : British History Timeline 1718 British convicts start being transported to penal colonies overseas In 1718, the Transportation Act introduced penal transportation. People convicted of capital crimes had their sentences 'commuted' to 14 years or life in the Americas. Convicts found guilty of non-capital crimes received seven-year sentences. Between 1718 and 1776, over 50,000 convicts were transported to Virginia and Maryland in the modern United States. The American Revolution made further transportation impossible. October - November 1720 'South Sea Bubble' bursts and triggers a financial panic The South Sea Company was a financial and trading organisation mainly dealing with Spanish America.

It received trading rights to the South Seas in return for financing the British government's debt. Shares were issued and unrealistic expectations cultivated. A monopoly of the slave trade was envisaged. When it was discovered that the directors of the profitless company had sold out, it sparked a massive panic and a major financial crash occurred in the City of London. Huge fortunes were lost. April 1721 Sir Robert Walpole becomes the first prime minister In April 1721, Sir Robert Walpole became first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer, in the wake of the South Sea Bubble financial crash of 1720. He confirmed the Whig party's allegiance to the Hanoverian monarchy. He never held the actual title of 'prime minister', but was given the powers that came to be associated with the office. George I also gave him 10 Downing Street, still the official residence of the prime minister. 1723 Poaching becomes a capital offence Poaching disturbances in Windsor Forest and Park led to clashes between 'blacks' (gangs of bandits and poachers who blackened their faces) hoping to maintain common rights and wardens and gamekeepers.

The government issued the Black Act to handle the situation. This made various poaching misdemeanours into capital crimes. 11 January 1727 George I dies and is succeeded by the second Hanoverian king, George II The threat of a Jacobite rebellion (aimed at re-establishing the Stuart dynasty) continued into George II's reign. It continued to be a source of alarm until its final defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. As the country prospered, the king's early unpopularity - partially caused by his preference for Hanover over England - changed into a general respect. March - April 1733 Excise crisis shakes Sir Robert Walpole's administration In 1733, British prime minister Robert Walpole tried to shift the burden of taxation on imports away from collection at customs. He devised an 'excise' scheme - a system of bonded warehouses for tobacco, wine and brandy, where imported goods could be lodged until the proper duty, or tax, had been paid. The project was abandoned after widespread political opposition. 1739 Methodist preachers begin their mission to the poor John Wesley, George Whitefield and other early adherents to Wesleyan views began preaching in fields.

Their aim was to spread the gospels and save souls. They attracted large audiences and many converts to evangelical Christianity. Called 'Methodists' for their focus of rules, this marked the beginning of their mission to the poor. 19 October 1739 Britain declares war on Spain and the 'War of Jenkins's Ear' begins Britain declared war on Spain after repeated depredations on British ships by Spanish 'guarda costas'. This was mainly a colonial war in Caribbean waters. It was named after a Captain Robert Jenkins, whose ear had been severed by the Spanish. The War of Jenkins's Ear lasted until 1748, but from 1742 effectively merged into the larger War of the Austrian Succession, which took place from October 1740 until October 1748. 1740 - 1744 George Anson sails around the world Between 1740 and 1744 the British naval commander George Anson sailed around the world in HMS 'Centurion'. Anson returned to England with nearly £500,000 of Spanish treasure. His account of the voyage became a bestseller.

11 February 1742 Sir Robert Walpole resigns as prime minister At the 1741 general election, Sir Robert Walpole's majority in the House of Commons numbered fewer than 20 seats. When parliament reassembled in December 1741, he suffered defeats in seven divisions. On 11 February 1742, Walpole resigned as first lord of the treasury after 21 years in power. Although he had effectively been prime minister, that was never his title. He died in 1745. 13 April 1742 Handel's 'Messiah' gets its first performance, in Dublin George Frideric Handel was one of the foremost baroque composers. Born in Germany, he lived most of his adult life in England and received a number of royal commissions, including 'Water Music' and 'Music for the Royal Fireworks'. 27 June 1743 George II becomes the last British monarch to lead his army into battle The Battle of Dettingen, at which the British allies defeated the French, was just one engagement in the War of the Austrian Succession.

The war began in 1740, when Prussia invaded the Austrian region of Silesia, but its underlying causes were rival claims for the hereditary lands of the Austrian monarchy, the Habsburgs. Prussia allied with France against Austria, Britain and the Netherlands. The war ended in 1748 with all seized lands returned, except Silesia, which Austria ceded to Prussia. 23 July 1745 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' lands in Scotland to claim the British throne Charles Edward Stuart, or 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', was the grandson of the deposed James II. He landed at Eriskay, Scotland, and quickly gathered an army, who proclaimed him 'Charles III'. On 21 September, he defeated the government army in Scotland at the Battle of Prestonpans. He then marched south 16 April 1746 Jacobites are defeated at Culloden, the last battle on British soil Culloden, the last battle fought on British soil, marked the defeat of the Jacobite revolt of 1745-1746, also known as the '45 Rebellion.

Led by 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' - Charles Edward Stuart, the grandson of the deposed king James II - the Jacobites were fighting to restore the exiled Stuarts to the throne. They reached as far south as Derby before being chased back to Scotland, where they were routed by an army under William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and second son of George II. 1747 Liverpool overtakes Bristol as Britain's busiest slave trading port In the mid-18th century, Liverpool slave ships made around 49 voyages a year against Bristol's average of 20. Bristol had itself overtaken London as the main slave trading port in 1737. Slave ship owners and the owners of Caribbean plantations, most of whom lived in Britain, became very wealthy and influential in government and society. 1750 Scottish landlords start evicting tenants in the Highland Clearances From the 1750s, landlords in the Scottish Highlands began to forcibly remove tenants from their land, usually to replace them with more profitable sheep farming. The clearances resulted in whole Highland communities leaving Scotland and emigrating, most of them to North America. Many others moved to growing urban industrial centres such as Glasgow.

This was part of a broader process of agricultural change in Britain, but in the Highlands it was marked by particular abruptness and brutality. May 1756 Seven Years' War between Britain and France begins The war between Britain and France that began in May 1756 is arguably the first global war in modern history. Britain and her allies fought France in America, India and Europe. France forged alliances with Austria and Russia against Prussia. In 1762, Spain entered the war on the side of France. Britain emerged from the war victorious in 1763, and under the Treaty of Paris acquired Quebec, Florida, Minorca, large parts of India and the West Indies. 23 June 1757 Indian province of Bengal passes into British control after the Battle of Plassey The Battle of Plassey took place between Siraj Ud Daulah, the last independent ruler of Bengal, and the forces of the British East India Company led by Colonel Robert Clive. The defeat of Daulah, who was backed by the French, led to the entire province of Bengal passing into Company control.

This victory, and the enormous wealth of Bengal, are often seen as important factors in establishing eventual British control over all of India. April 1760 Tacky leads a slave rebellion in Jamaica Tacky's Revolt was the largest of many slave uprisings in the British West Indies in the 18th century, caused by the dreadful conditions enslaved people had to endure on the sugar plantations. Hundreds of slaves attacked plantations, killing about 60 whites and setting crops and sugar works alight. Tacky was captured and beheaded, and 400 other rebels died or were executed, but skirmishes continued for many months. 25 October 1760 George III succeeds his grandfather George II George III was the first of the Hanoverian kings to be born and brought up in Britain. He was nicknamed 'Farmer George' because of his passion for agriculture. During his reign, Britain lost its American colonies but emerged as a leading European power. From 1788, George suffered recurrent mental illness and in 1811 his son was appointed regent.

April 1763 Radical journalist John Wilkes is arrested for criticising the king John Wilkes, a member of parliament and journalist, was charged with seditious libel for criticism of George III his paper 'The North Briton'. He was released and for the next 15 years campaigned for parliamentary reform. He was frequently in trouble with the authorities, and was expelled from the Commons a number of times, only to be re-elected. After his arrest in 1768, seven were killed in the 'Massacre of St George's Fields' when a crowd demanding his release was fired on by troops. March 1765 Riots erupt in American colonies after parliament levies 'stamp' taxes In 1765, British Prime Minister George Grenville's administration passed the Stamp Act to raise extra taxes from the North American colonists. The money was intended to pay for the colonists' own military defence against possible future French incursions. Stamp duties were levied on newspapers and legal documents. Six of the 13 American colonies petitioned against the act and riots broke out. The Stamp Act was repealed in March 1766.

June 1767 American colonists are taxed on imports In 1767, Charles Townshend, the chancellor of the exchequer, drew up legislation to raise taxes from North American colonists on selected imports, including glass, paint, lead and tea. As with the repealed Stamp Act of 1765, the intention was to make colonists contribute towards their own defence against French incursions. Colonial protests led to the Revenue Act being repealed in 1770, except for the duty on imported tea. 1768 - 1771 Captain James Cook leads his first expedition to the Pacific In 1768, James Cook led an expedition on HMS 'Endeavour' to observe the astrological phenomenon of the transit of Venus from Tahiti. The voyage continued into the South Pacific Ocean, where Cook circumnavigated New Zealand and charted the east coast of Australia. His team of botanists and scientists brought back to England many important specimens and much scientific information. Cook made two further Pacific voyages. He was killed on the second of these in 1779 by warriors in Hawaii.

January 1770 Lord North becomes prime minister Frederick, Lord North (an honorary title), became prime minister at the end of a decade that had seen six administrations come and go. George III hoped that his friend North could provide political stability. Lord North remained prime minister until 1782. 1771 'Factory Age' begins with the opening of Britain's first cotton mill The weaving of cotton cloth had become a major industry by the 1760s, with most of the labour being done by people in their homes. In 1771, inventor Richard Arkwright opened the first cotton mill at Cromford, Derbyshire. The spinning of yarn was carried out by his own patented machine, known as a water frame. This was a significant step towards the automation of labour-intensive industries and heralded the beginning of the 'Factory Age' in Britain. 22 June 1772 Slavery is effectively outlawed in England When the enslaved James Somerset escaped from his owner in London, he was captured and forced on to a ship bound for Jamaica.

With the help of abolitionist Granville Sharpe, Somerset's case was taken to court and Lord William Mansfield, the lord chief justice, ruled that Somerset should be freed. This was widely, and mistakenly, believed to mean that slavery was outlawed in England. Slave owners continued to capture their runaway slaves and take them back to the Caribbean, but the case marked a milestone in the struggle to abolish slavery. 16 December 1773 'Boston Tea Party' heightens tensions in North American colonies In 1770, taxes on imports to the American Colonies had been repealed on all goods except tea. In 1773, colonists disguised as Native Americans dumped chests of tea from East India Company vessels into Boston harbour in protest against this remaining levy. Political tensions between the American colonists and the British government escalated as a result. 1774 Methodist John Wesley publishes 'Thoughts Upon Slavery' John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, was a lifelong opponent of slavery. In 1774 he published a pamphlet entitled 'Thoughts Upon Slavery', which examined how Africans were captured and transported, and proposed legal and moral arguments against slavery and the slave trade.

In 1788, at considerable personal risk, he preached a sermon against slavery in Bristol, one of the leading slave trading ports. Nonconformists, particularly Quakers, were very active in the abolition movement, and included other well known individuals such as Joseph Priestley and Josiah Wedgwood. 18 April 1775 American War of Independence begins On 18 April 1775, a skirmish between British redcoats and the local militia at Lexington, Massachusetts, led to the fighting that began the American War of Independence. No one knows which side fired the first 'shot heard around the world'. About 15 months after the outbreak of war, colonial leader Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, which argued that the goals of the United States of America were 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'. In September 1783, the Treaty of Paris formally ended the war. 1779 Penitentiary Act authorises state prisons An investigation into the state of English and Welsh prisons in the mid-1770s by penal reformer John Howard revealed the dreadful conditions, inadequate diet and corrupt administration of many jails.

The Penitentiary Act was introduced with the intention of remedying the situation. This was the first British law to authorise state prisons. 2 - 11 June 1780 'Gordon Riots' break out in protest against the Catholic Relief Act In 1778, parliament passed the Catholic Relief Act, which removed many of the traditional restrictions on Catholics in Britain. George Gordon, leader of the Protestant Association, was leading a huge crowd to parliament with a petition calling for repeal of the act when anti-Catholic violence erupted. The ensuing orgy of property destruction and disorder lasted a week. Hundreds died in fighting between protestors and troops. These were amongst the worst riots in English history. 19 October 1781 Americans defeat the British army at Yorktown, Virginia British forces were besieged on the Yorktown peninsula, Virginia, by the American continental army in the west and the French fleet closing on Chesapeake Bay. Left in a hopeless situation, General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to American general George Washington, effectively ending the American War of Independence. The victory demonstrated beyond doubt that Britain could not hope to win a war so far from its own shores. The British government was forced into negotiations to end the conflict.

29 November 1781 133 Africans are thrown overboard the slave ship 'Zong' During a voyage from Africa to Jamaica, the captain of the slave ship 'Zong' ordered 133 slaves to be thrown overboard alive. The ship's owners then filed a fraudulent insurance claim for the value of the dead slaves. In March 1783 the case was heard in London as an insurance dispute rather than a murder trial. The case was widely publicised by outraged abolitionists, particularly Olaudah Equiano and Granville Sharp, and helped to attract new supporters to the abolition cause. 1783 Britain begins to evacuate loyalists from American colonies When it became evident that the American colonists were winning their war of independence, those who had fought for the British faced an uncertain future. These included former slaves who had fought on the understanding that they would gain their freedom at the end of the conflict. Around 75,000 loyalists decided to leave, most of them going to the British North American colonies in what is now Canada, others to the West Indies and some to Britain.

In 1792, more than 1,100 freed slaves and their families who had gone to Nova Scotia left Canada to settle in Sierra Leone, West Africa. December 1783 William Pitt the Younger becomes prime minister After three brief ministries had failed, the William Pitt the Younger became Britain's prime minister at the age of 23. (His father, William Pitt the Elder had held the office twice, in the 1750-1760s). His critics said that the nation had been 'entrusted to a schoolboy's care'. He successfully curbed the national debt, fought revolutionary France, restructured the government of India and passed the Act of Union with Ireland in 1801. Exhausted and in poor health, he died in 1806. 13 May 1787 First fleet of convicts sails to Australia Since 1718, Britain had transported convicts to its North American colonies, until this was ended by the American War of Independence. On 13 May 1787, penal transportation resumed with a fleet of convict ships setting out from Portsmouth for Botany Bay. This marked the beginning of transportation to Australia.

Between 1787 and 1868, when transportation was abolished, over 150,000 felons were exiled to New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land and Western Australia. 22 May 1787 Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade is formed The committee was formed by 12 men, the majority of them Quakers. The two non-Quakers, Granville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson, devoted their lives to the cause of abolishing slavery. These men provided MP William Wilberforce with material to assist his parliamentary efforts to abolish the slave trade. They wrote books and pamphlets and produced prints and posters to publicise the cause. Clarkson travelled tirelessly through England, organising local abolition committees, rallies and petitions and collecting information on slavery from sailors and others who had been involved in the slave trade. 1788 Under pressure from abolitionists, parliament investigates the slave trade Pressure from abolitionists and detailed information gathered on the transatlantic slave trade resulted in the first parliamentary investigation of the trade. Abolitionist Thomas Clarkson led the fact-finding mission, while member of parliament William Wilberforce became the parliamentary spokesman.

There was mass public support for the abolition of the slave trade - in 1788 alone, 103 pro-abolition petitions were sent to Parliament, signed by between 60,000 and 100,000 people. 1 January 1788 First edition of 'The Times' of London is published Originally founded in 1785 as the 'Daily Universal Register', the publication was re-named 'The Times' three years later. It is Britain's oldest surviving newspaper with continuous daily publication, and for much of its history has been regarded as the newspaper of record. Newspapers have been published in Britain since the early 16th century, but it was not until the early 18th century that regular daily newspapers were produced. November 1788 - February 1789 George III's illness sparks a regency crisis George III probably suffered from porphyria, a rare hereditary disease marked by severe attacks of pain and mental instability. For four months in 1788-1789 he was incapacitated by his illness, raising the possibility a 'regent' having to rule on his behalf.

This regency crisis was averted by the George's sudden recovery. 29 April 1789 Former slave Olaudah Equiano publishes his autobiography Olaudah Equiano was a former slave who settled in London and became closely involved in the abolition movement. His autobiography 'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano' is one of the earliest known examples of a published work by a black writer. The public was fascinated by the story of a slave who converted to Christianity, learned to read and write and, by trading on the side, earned enough money to buy his freedom. The book became a bestseller. 14 July 1789 French Revolution begins with the storming of the Bastille The storming of the Bastille prison in Paris is generally held to mark the beginning of the French Revolution. This was a world-shattering event, in which the French monarchy was overthrown, the king, Louis XVI, executed and a republic established. It stimulated political debate in Britain between British Jacobins (pro-revolutionaries, named after the Jacobin Club in Paris), some of whom were republicans, and loyalists, who stressed the virtues of the existing British constitution.

19 April 1791 Parliament rejects William Wilberforce's bill to abolish the slave trade MP William Wilberforce introduced a bill to abolish the slave trade in May 1789. The bill was stalled and eventually consideration of the question was moved to a select committee. A general election again delayed progress and when the bill eventually came to a vote, it was passed by the Commons but defeated by the Lords. Between 1792 and 1806 a number of further unsuccessful attempts were made to enact parliamentary legislation which would either control or abolish the slave trade. 1792 - 1794 Radical artisans form the London Corresponding Society The spirit of 'liberty, equality and fraternity' that stemmed from the French Revolution of 1789 had inspired the establishment of radical societies in Britain. In January 1792, the 'London Corresponding Society', the most prominent of these organisations, was formed under the leadership of Thomas Hardy, a Scottish shoemaker. The LCS debated the need for parliamentary reform. It advocated universal male suffrage, a secret ballot and annual parliaments. The government banned the LCS in 1794.

7 March 1792 Sierra Leone is established under British rule as a home for former slaves A British settlement had been established in the area of West Africa now known as Sierra Leone in 1787, but the community was almost entirely wiped out due to failed crops and disease. In 1792 a group of 1,100 people left Nova Scotia to establish a community of free black people in Sierra Leone. Many of these settlers were black men and women who had fought for the British in the American War of Independence. 1 February 1793 Britain goes to war with France The French had been at war in Europe since 1792, but it was not until the execution of Louis XVI, king of France, that Britain joined the anti-French coalition. In 1805, Britain attained complete mastery of the seas at the Battle of Trafalgar, but by 1807 Napoleon Bonaparte, the emperor of France, was master of continental Europe. War continued until the final defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

1793 British troops attempt to suppress Toussaint L'Ouverture's rebellion in Haiti St Domingue had the largest slave population and was the wealthiest colony in the Caribbean. When a slave rebellion broke out, panic spread among slave owners all over the region. British troops were ordered to invade St Domingue, but disease and Toussaint L'Ouverture's irregular army forced them to withdraw. In 1802 Napoleon sent a French army to crush the rebellion. Toussaint was captured and imprisoned in France, where he died, but his army triumphed and on 1 January 1804 declared the Republic of Haiti. April - June 1797 Naval mutinies occur at Spithead and the Nore Two mutinies broke out in the Royal Navy after clashes between seamen and officers over pay and conditions. There were fears in that such disturbances might be the trigger for a French-style revolution. The Spithead mutiny (near Portsmouth) ended in a royal pardon for the crew. At the Nore (on the Thames Estuary), the mutiny was starved out and one of the ringleaders, Richard Parker, was hanged.

Mutinies occurred in several European navies in the 1790s. 26 May 1798 Society of United Irishmen rebel against British rule in Ireland In 1798, Wolfe Tone, a Protestant lawyer, led the Society of United Irishmen in a rebellion against British rule in Ireland. The SUI recruited supporters among Catholics and Presbyterians, but was beset by internal divisions. After failing to secure French assistance, the rebellion was ruthlessly crushed by British forces. It effectively ended with the capture of Tone in October of the same year. He was sentenced to hang, but took his own life first. 1799 - 1800 Trade unions are outlawed William Pitt the Younger's government passed two acts making it illegal for working men to form combinations in which their political rights were discussed. They were among several repressive measures designed to stifle any catalysts for a French-style revolution in Britain. The Combination Acts were repealed in 1824 and 1825.

1 January 1801 Act of Union creates the United Kingdom Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Ireland were formally joined under the Act of Union to create the United Kingdom in 1801. The Irish parliament in Dublin was dissolved. Despite the Union, Catholics were still unable to vote at general elections or to hold parliamentary and most public offices. 10 March 1801 Britain holds its first census The census was introduced to help the government understand the demographic layout of the country and better utilise the population in times of war. A census of England and Wales, and a separate one of Scotland, has been taken ever since on a ten-yearly basis, with the exception of 1941. In the 1801 census, information was collected on a parish basis and there were no details on individual households. It was not until the 1841 census that more detailed information was requested. 18 July 1801 - 9 June 1803 Matthew Flinders circumnavigates Australia English naval captain Matthew Flinders carried out the first known circumnavigation of Australia in HMS 'Investigator'.

He accurately charted many parts of the Australian coast that had not been surveyed by Captain James Cook on his voyages between 1768 and 1779. 21 October 1805 Royal Navy defeats a French and Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar In 1805, the combined fleets of France and Spain faced the Royal Navy in the last great battle of the age of sail, at Cape Trafalgar off the coast of Spain. British naval hero Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson led the daring British attack in HMS 'Victory', but was killed at the height of the battle. It seems likely that the French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, had already abandoned his plans for the invasion of England, but the victory nonetheless handed Britain complete control of the seas. 25 March 1807 Britain abolishes the slave trade In 1806, parliament passed an act to abolish the supply of slaves on British ships to foreign and conquered colonies. This was followed up by the total abolition of the British slave trade in 1807. It ended more than 200 years of slave trading.

The Abolition of Slavery Act, passed in 1833, freed all slaves in the British empire and provided for compensation for their owners. 1808 British West Africa Squadron is formed to suppress slave trading The British West Africa Squadron was established by the Royal Navy to suppress illegal slave trading along the West African coast after the abolition of the slave trade in 1807. By 1865, nearly 150,000 people had been freed by the Squadron's anti-slavery operations. The Squadron continued its work until the early 20th century. 1811 - 1812 Luddite protesters attack industrial machinery in protest against unemployment During two years of high unemployment, textile workers known as Luddites (named after their mythical leader 'Ned Ludd') sabotaged machinery in the woollen, cotton and hosiery industries in Nottinghamshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. The government infiltrated the protesters with spies and sent 12,000 troops to Yorkshire in 1812 to stop further industrial violence.

1812 - 1818 Hampden clubs are formed to advocate parliamentary reform The Hampden clubs were the first major societies devoted to parliamentary reform following the demise of the London Corresponding Society in 1794. (The LCS had advocated universal male suffrage, a secret ballot and annual parliaments.) The clubs were named after John Hampden, a parliamentary opponent of Charles I. They were banned in 1818. March 1815 Corn Laws are introduced to protect British agriculture The Tory government of Robert Banks Jenkinson, Lord Liverpool, introduced the Corn Laws in a bid to protect British agriculture. Corn prices had halved following the end of the Napoleonic wars, creating a panic among farmers. The laws imposed heavy tariffs on imports of foreign grain. They were repealed in 1846. 18 June 1815 Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, defeats Napoleon at Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was a decisive victory for Britain and its allies in the Napoleonic wars.

The British general who masterminded the victory, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, had once been dismissed by Napoleon Bonaparte as a 'sepoy general' (a derisive reference to his service in India). Napoleon was forced to abdicate as emperor of France a few days later. He was sent into exile on the small Atlantic island of St Helena, where he died. 10 March 1817 Working class 'Blanketeers' mount a march to London Working class men devoted to parliamentary reform began a march from Manchester to London to publicise their case to the government. They were nicknamed 'Blanketeers' after the blankets they carried. The marchers were dispersed by troops before they reached Stockport. 16 August 1819 Eleven die at the Peterloo massacre in Manchester A huge crowd of people gathered at St Peter's Fields, Manchester, to hear radical orators speak on the subject of parliamentary reform and high food prices. The local yeomanry were ordered to arrest the speakers, but panicked and charged the crowd. Eleven people died and hundreds were injured. The massacre became known as 'Peterloo' - an ironic inversion of the British military triumph at Waterloo.

29 January 1820 George III dies and is succeeded by George IV George III, the longest-serving Hanoverian monarch, died after occupying the throne for 60 years. His eldest son, who had served as prince regent from 1811 to 1820 when his father was declared insane, became George IV. The new king became deeply unpopular for his extravagant lifestyle and scandalous private life, but he was an enthusiastic supporter of the arts and his residences, particularly Carlton House and Brighton Pavilion, set new standards of taste. 27 September 1825 World's first steam locomotive passenger service begins The first public steam railway ran between the north eastern towns of Stockton and Darlington. This ushered in the 'Railway Age', with the building of an extensive railway network in Britain providing a fast and economical means of transport and communication. 13 April 1829 Parliament grants Catholic emancipation In 1828, parliament had repealed the Test and Corporation Acts which had banned Catholics from holding government and public offices or from attending universities. The Catholic Relief Act of 1829 went further, granting full emancipation to British and Irish Catholics.

This measure split the Tory party into different factions. The prime minister, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, steered the bill through its final stages and secured the assent of George IV. June 1829 Robert Peel sets up the Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Act was the brainchild of Home Secretary Robert Peel. It established the first paid, uniformed constabulary for the metropolis, excluding the City of London. Before the police there existed an informal system of watchmen, magistrates, volunteer constables and 'thief takers'. Initially unpopular, the police proved a success and by the late 1830s police forces were being set up in many large British cities. 26 June 1830 George IV dies and is succeeded by his brother William IV During his youth, William had served in the Royal Navy and his bluff, unassuming manner - he was nicknamed 'the sailor king' - was in marked contrast to the extravagant, decadent lifestyle of his brother George IV. His reign was dominated by the 'Reform Crisis' - political wrangling over reform to parliamentary representation, including issues like extending the franchise (those allowed to vote) and redrawing electoral boundaries.

William's personal involvement in the crisis damaged his standing. October 1831 Riots break out over the parliamentary Reform Bill The Whig Party, elected to power in 1830, introduced a major bill for parliamentary reform. Bristol, Nottingham, Derby and several smaller towns witnessed violent riots after the Reform Bill was rejected by the House of Lords. Nottingham Castle was attacked and the Council House in Bristol was burnt down. December 1831 Samuel Sharpe leads a massive slave revolt in Jamaica More than 20,000 slaves seized control of a wide swathe of Jamaican territory. It took a month for the British troops on the island to subdue the rebels. Sam Sharpe was executed. The British public's interest in slavery had declined after the slave trade was abolished in 1807, but Sam Sharpe's rebellion helped to bring it to the forefront again. A campaign for the abolition of slavery began to gain momentum in Britain. 4 June 1832 Great Reform Act changes parliamentary representation The third version of the Reform Bill finally received assent from the House of Lords and William IV.

Tory peers only backed the bill after William IV said he would create 50 new Whig lords - thereby giving the Whigs a majority from which to vote the issue through. The Great Reform Act made important changes to parliamentary constituencies and extended the franchise (those allowed to vote), but did not introduce parliamentary democracy or a secret ballot. 1833 Factory Act restricts work hours for women and children The Tory peer and reformer Anthony Ashley Cooper promoted the bill, which restricted the hours of work by women and children in textile mills. Under the terms of the act, mill owners were required to show that children up to age 13 received two hours of schooling, six days per week. 31 July 1833 Parliament passes a bill to abolish slavery in the British empire After years of intense anti-slavery lobbying and pro-abolition public meetings around the country (including an abolitionist march on 10 Downing Street) parliament finally voted to end slavery throughout the British empire. Slaves would initially become 'apprentices' for a six-year term, starting in 1834. This was later shortened to four years.

MP William Wilberforce, who had represented the abolitionists in the House of Commons, died just days before just before the emancipation measure became law. 1834 New Poor Law reforms Britain's social security system In 1832, a Royal Commission into the Poor Law recommended changes to the system of parish poor relief. Many of its recommendations were incorporated into the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. This statute maintained outdoor relief (relief given outside a workhouse), but led to more central control of the system. March 1834 'Tolpuddle Martyrs' are sentenced to transportation for trade union activities Six farm labourers from the Dorset village of Tolpuddle set up a 'friendly society' to campaign for better pay and working conditions. They were put on trial and sent to penal colonies in Australia, but were granted pardons in 1836 following a public outcry. The so-called 'Tolpuddle Martyrs' are credited with helping to launch the trade union movement. 1835 Municipal Corporations Bill creates town councils This legislation gave 178 boroughs the right to have their own town council.

All ratepayers were thereafter entitled to vote in borough council elections. The new councils gradually took control of local services such as education, housing and street lighting. Tom Brown (British Army soldier) - Wikipedia, Photos and Videos Tom Brown (British Army soldier) NEXT GO TO RESULTS [51 .. 100] WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE This article needs additional citations for verification . Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2015) St Mary Magdalene's Church, Yarm Allegiance Sir Thomas Brown (1705 (1705) – 1746 (aged 40–41)) was born in Kirkleatham , [1] in present-day Redcar and Cleveland , in the north-east region of England . He was a hero of the Battle of Dettingen (27 June 1743), [1] [2] in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession ; [1] [2] the last time that a British monarch, in this case King George II , personally led his own country's troops into battle.

Contents Biography[ edit ] Little is known of his early life, save for him being a shoemaker's apprentice in Yarm , before joining the Army . [1] Once enlisted , Brown fought as a private soldier [3] in King's Own Regiment Dragoons (Bland's Dragoons) . [1] [3] During this battle, he had two horses killed under him.[ citation needed ] In the thick of the action, Brown witnessed the regiment's standard falling to the ground and was captured by the French. [1] Brown attempted to dismount his horse to recover the standard, but was struck by a blow from a sabre and lost two fingers from his left hand. [1] His horse bolted in fright to the rear of the enemy lines, where Brown subsequently caught sight of his standard in the hands of a French trooper. [1] Brown reclaimed the standard after killing the enemy soldier, remounted a horse, secured his regiments' standard by wedging its flagstaff between himself and the saddle , and returned to his own by galloping through the massed ranks of the enemy.

[1] During this return, Brown was further wounded by the French, [1] receiving eight sabre cuts in his face, neck and head, and lost most of his nose as a result. [1] Brown diced with death; two musket bullets hit his back, and three passed through his headgear, [1] one of the latter giving Brown a cut across his forehead that went down to his right eyebrow.[ citation needed ] Returning to his own company a hero, he was applauded with 'three loud Huzzas ' in recognition of his valiant bravery . [1] After his army service, Brown retired from the 3rd Hussars, whereupon he was rewarded by King George II with a gold-topped walking stick, a replica nose made of silver to replace his he lost in battle , and a King's pension of 30 crowns (£30) a year. [1] Brown moved to Yarm and opened an inn bearing his own name, where he lived out the remainder of his life. [1] Browns' inn once contained an oil-painted sign which depicted him as the hero of the Battle of Dettingen.

[1] This sign is now lost, but a replica is located in Yarm Town Hall . [1] Brown died in Yarm in 1746 (aged 40–41), and is buried there in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene's Church (OS grid ref: NZ416129). [1] [2] His grave can still be seen [1] and is now marked with a Portland stone replica of a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) headstone, presented by the Queen's Own Hussars in 1968. [1] [2] Titles, styles, honours and arms[ edit ] Titles and styles[ edit ] Honours[ edit ] The Battle of Dettingen is notable for two things: it was the last time a British monarch personally led his troops into battle, and the last time a serving soldier was knighted on the battlefield. Tom Brown was knighted as a Knight Banneret by the King at the end of the battle for his actions, as noted in the The London Magazine, and Monthly Chronologer as "the Trooper who retook the Standard from the French".

[4] This is believed to be the last time a sovereign conferred the title Knight Bannerets to troops on the field of battle. It is recorded that the King created sixteen Knights Bannerets on the battlefield by two sources: a diary entry by Miss Gertrude Savile, which states "This honour had been laid aside since James I, when Baronets were instituted", [5] and a news magazine published in the same year as the battle.

King George II | Britroyals Born: October 30, 1683 at Herrenhausen, Hanover Parents: George I and Sophia Dorothea Relation to Elizabeth II: 5th great-grandfather House of: Hanover Ascended to the throne: June 11, 1727 aged 43 years Crowned: October 11, 1727 at Westminster Abbey Married: Caroline, daughter of Margrave of Brandenburg Children: Four sons and five daughters Died: October 25, 1760 at Kensington Palace, aged 76 years, 11 months, and 25 days Buried at: Westminster Reigned for: 33 years, 4 months, and 15 days Succeeded by: his grandson George III George II was born in Hanover the son of George I and Sophia of Celle. He married Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach in 1705 an attractive and intelligent women, and they had 9 children. In 1708 he took part in the Battle of Oudenarde in Belgium against the French.

His father became King George I of England in 1714 and he became Prince of Wales. However his father�s treatment of his mother whom he had imprisoned left son George with a hatred of his father and they regularly quarrelled. He was even put under arrest by his father who excluded him from public ceremonies. When his father died in 1727 he became King George II and set about changing his father�s policies. Walpole was expected to be dismissed but survived on the intervention of Queen Caroline. The death of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI in 1740 led to the European War of Austrian Succession in which the British and Dutch supported Marie Theresa�s claim to the Austrian throne against the Prussians and French. George II personally led his troops at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743, becoming the last British monarch to lead his troops into battle. The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, in which Charles Edward Stuart (�Bonnie Prince Charlie�) landed in Scotland and marched with a Highland army into England, was defeated at Culloden in 1746 and Scottish opposition brutally suppressed by George�s second son Prince William, Duke of Cumberland.

Like his father he quarrelled with his eldest son Frederick, Prince of Wales, over his marriage but Frederick died suddenly in 1751. The final years of his reign saw George retiring from active politics; however it was a period in which British dominance overseas grew. William Pitt became Prime Minister during the Seven years war against France which spread to India and North America. Robert Clive secured the Indian continent for Britain at the Battle of Plassey, and General Wolfe captured Quebec in Canada. George II died in 1760 of an aneurysm while seated on his water closet. He was succeeded by his grandson also called George. King George II's Signature Quotes: �No I shall have mistresses� � King George II (to his wife Caroline on her death bed when she suggested that he remarry) �Mad, is he? Then I hope he will bite some of my other generals� � King George II (about General Wolfe) �I hate all Boets and Bainters� � King George II on the arts (he spoke with a strong German accent).

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2 years ago Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? - Historum - History Forums Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? User Name Need help with the website? Contact Us anytime. War and Military History War and Military History Forum - Warfare, Tactics, and Military Technology over the centuries Page 1 of 3 Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? Members who was the last British king to go for a battle?,, Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? George II at Dettingen, 1743. Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? Did he actually fight? Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? Quote: Originally Posted by Belisarius Did he actually fight? Well he was the last one to actually be there on the battlefield. Kings fighting their own battles is something that died alongside chivalry, probably somewhere on the fields of Pavia... . But it was the last battle a British king was actually present at the site itself, if I'm not mistaken, he also led the troops (to some extend).

Posts: 8,570 Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? The king was there and in overall command, not only of the English but also of the Hanoverians as Elector of hanover. The operational commander was Field Marshal John Dalrymple, Lord Stair. But the king was the boss; they won the battle, and he gets the credit. Posts: 70 Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? The last British monarch to see action was actually George V1 who was a serving naval officer at Jutland, though not actually King at the time or even first in line to the throne. Posts: 275 Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? I read an interesting aside on George II the other day; apparently gambling was wildly popular in England during this time, and there were many wagers laid on the king's survival of his campaign. It seems that the odds were 4:1 against George's death Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle?

Quote: Originally Posted by Ivor Badger The last British monarch to see action was actually George V1 who was a serving naval officer at Jutland, though not actually King at the time or even first in line to the throne. Monarch = king. So the guy is disqualified. The question isn't which royal family member, hell wasn't that prince Harry in Afghanistan or whatever somewhere to? Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? Was Richard III the last king to actually do some fighting? But yes, it is my understanding that George II was the last king to lead on the battlefield. Posts: 19,933 Re: Who was the last British King to fight in a battle? For the record George II was also the last British monarch born outside Britain (Hannover, Germany) King George II at Dettingen, as his Horse Guards charge the French Maison du Roi. James II seemimgly was the last British monarch born in Britain to led an army in Boyne (1690). Charles Vyner Brooke 3rd Rajah of Sarawak was presumably the last monarch born in Britain to led an army in the early XX century.

Last edited by sylla1; May 19th, 2010 at 12:13 AM. Ten Facts About George Washington and the Revolutionary War · George Washington's Mount Vernon Spying and Espionage Reporting the Revolutionary War The Yorktown Campaign The Trenton-Princeton Campaign Despite having little experience in commanding large, conventional military forces, Washington’s strong leadership presence and fortitude held the American military together long enough to secure victory at Yorktown and independence for his new nation. 1. Washington was appointed commander of the Continental Army on June 14, 1775. He would not return to Mount Vernon until 6 years later. On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress, responding to the growing crisis near Boston, directed that one of its own constituents – George Washington – take command of the newly designated Continental Army. Not only did Washington have the most military experience amongst the Congressional delegates, but as John Adams pointed out there were also great political advantages in having a someone outside of New England take command of a military force that was congregated around Boston and largely made up of New Englanders.

Arriving shortly after the conclusion of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Washington moved swiftly to assume command of the ragtag forces surrounding besieging the British garrison within the city of Boston. What Washington did not realize at the time was that it would be six long years of battle, marching, siege, crises, and winter encampments before Washington had an opportunity to return to his beloved Mount Vernon. In September 1781, as the combined American and French forces made their way down to Yorktown , Virginia, Washington was able to make a brief visit to his home along the Potomac River. During this visit Washington and Rochambeau refined their plan for defeating Charles Cornwallis’ forces trapped on the York Peninsula. 2. Prior to his appointment as head of the Continental Army, Washington had never commanded a large army in the field George Washington was but one of only a handful of candidates considered by the Second Continental Congress who possessed any significant military experience. But by European standards Washington’s experience in commanding large conventional armies was non-existent. Leading up to the French & Indian War , Washington had ably commanded the Virginia Regiment, but this provincial military unit never had more than 2,000 men in its ranks.

In 1754 Washington commanded roughly 100 regulars and 300 militia at the ill-fated Battle of Fort Necessity. Despite this seeming lack of experience in managing large army formations, Washington brought a number of strengths to his new position as commander of the Continental Army. Washington had learned many important command principles from the British regular officers that he marched with during the French & Indian War and British army manuals that he studied. He also witnessed, firsthand, how vulnerable British formations could be in the rough, timbered frontier land that predominated in North America. His verve, impressive physical presence, and command instincts helped to hold together an ill-equipped force that outlasted his more experienced opponents. And as Benjamin Franklin would famously state, “[a]n American planter, who had never seen Europe, was chosen by us to Command our Troops, and continued during the whole War. This man sent home to you, one after another, five of your best generals, baffled, their Heads bare of Laurels, disgraced even in the Opinion of their Employers.” So much for conventional experience. 3.

Washington and the Continental army narrowly escaped total destruction in the New York campaign of 1776 Unlike the successful Siege of Boston, the efforts to defend the city of New York ended in near disaster for the Continental Army and the cause of independence. In what proved to be the largest battle of the Revolutionary War in terms of total combatants, Washington’s forces on August 22, 1776 were flanked out of their positions atop the Gowanus Heights (part of today’s modern Brooklyn) and soundly defeated by William Howe's roughly 20,000 man force on Long Island . Confronted by a powerful British army to his front and the East River to his back, Washington rapidly formulated a risky plan to save his threatened army atop Brooklyn Heights. With the constant threat that the Royal Navy would enter the East River and block his avenue of retreat, Washington ordered that all available flatboats be brought down to his position so that the army could be moved to nearby Manhattan on the night of August 29-30, 1776.

Aided by a providential fog that hid the evacuation, Washington was able to successfully move all 9,000 of his troops to Manhattan without losing a man – a remarkable military feat that astounded his British enemy. As the New York campaign progressed, Washington’s forces were subsequently defeated at the Battle of White Plains on October 28, 1776 and later at Fort Washington on November 16, 1776. The debacle at Fort Washington cost the Americans 59 killed and another 2,837 captured. Chased from New York, Washington’s fractured and demoralized army retreated all the way across New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. It was during these dark days at the close of 1776 that Thomas Paine’s words from the recently published American Crisis rang most true - “These are the times that try men’s souls…the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” 4.

Washington crossed the Delaware River twice in December 1776 Washington’s great triumph against the Hessian forces at Trenton on the December 26, 1776 is one of the best known episodes of the Revolutionary War. (Map: Battle of Trenton ) Fearing a counterattack by British regulars, Washington hustled his tired warriors and frozen Hessian captives back to the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River. Would this single victory over a Hessian garrison be enough to sustain the morale and inspiration of the beleaguered Patriot cause? Encouraged by reports of the enemies’ general confusion in New Jersey and a successful campaign to extend the enlistments of many soldiers ready in his ranks, Washington decided to seize the initiative once more. Determined to expand upon his initial success Washington shuttled his army and artillery back across the frozen Delaware on December 30, 1776 and into a strong position along the Assunpink Creek outside of Trenton. It was here that Washington awaited the arrival of Gen. Charles Cornwallis’ force of 8,000 Redcoats and Hessians.

Disdaining any complicated maneuvers, a confident Cornwallis ordered three successive frontal assaults on January 2, 1777 by his Hessian grenadiers and British Regulars. Each attack across the narrow Assunpink bridges and fords was driven back with heavy loss of life. The casualties were so heavy that one soldier remarked that the bridge to his front “looked red as blood, with their killed and wounded and their red coats.” (Map: Battle of Second Trenton ) With the rapid onset of an early winter’s eve, Cornwallis ordered a cessation of offensive actions. Certain of a victory the following day, the British general boasted that “we've got the old fox safe now. We'll go over and bag him in the morning." Unfortunately for Cornwallis, the morning sun that illuminated the empty American camps proved that the “old fox” was gone. Washington during the night had stolen a march and had marched his army north to Princeton where the Americans proved victorious once more on January 3, 1777 (Map: Battle of Princeton ).

The victories at Trenton and Princeton, not only helped bolster the morale of the American army and encourage recruitment, but these bold actions also greatly impressed the French who were actively weighing their involvement in the war. Learn More: 10 Facts About Washington's Crossing of the Delaware 5. Washington’s smallpox inoculation program was one of his best decisions of the war Up until modern times, disease, not bullets, bayonets, or cannon fire, had been the great killer of soldiers in all armies. In 1775, smallpox had so devastated the American army in Canada that John Adams bemoaned that “…smallpox is ten times more terrible than the British, Canadians and Indians together.” Having survived his own bout with the smallpox in 1751, Washington was altogether familiar with how disease could rob the cause of a viable army. Not only would smallpox kill off soldiers in the ranks, but the threat of infection also scared away many of the recruits that Washington’s army depended upon.

Starting during the winter of 1777 in Morristown , New Jersey, Washington took the bold and controversial move to have soldiers in his army inoculated against smallpox infection using a technique called variolation. Later during the winter encampment at Valley Forge, Washington went even further, demanding that his entire army be inoculated – an action that required great secrecy since inoculated soldiers were incapacitated for a period of time. By some reports, death by smallpox in the ranks dropped from 17% of all deaths to a low of 1% of all reported deaths – a tremendous reduction. Historian Elizabeth Fenn, author of Pox Americana: The Great Smallpox Epidemic of 1775-1782, claims that “Washington's unheralded and little-recognized resolution to inoculate the Continental forces must surely rank with the most important decisions of the war…" Learn More: George Washington and the Inoculation of the Continental Army 6. Supply issues became one of Washington’s greatest challenges One of the oldest of military adages is that amateurs study tactics while professional warriors study logistics.

As with all military campaigns, providing for the vast material needs of an army in the field requires a focus on organization and effective supply management. Unfortunately for Washington and the Continental Army, a poor supply chain became a chronic issue that negatively impacted combat effectiveness. Biographer Ron Chernow states that “[s]eldom in history has a general been handicapped by such constantly crippling conditions…He repeatedly had to exhort Congress and the thirteen states to remedy desperate shortages of men, shoes, shirts, blankets, and gunpowder. This meant dealing with selfish, apathetic states and bureaucratic incompetence in Congress. He labored under a terrible strain that would have destroyed a lesser man.” Nowhere were supply troubles more evident and onerous than during the Valley Forge winter encampment of 1777-1778. Rather than snow and frigid temperatures, it was actually the rainy, temperate weather at Valley Forge that turned the surrounding roads to mud, further hindering an already tenuous supply network. Local farmers were more likely to send their foodstuffs and supplies to the nearby British who had hard currency to offer in return. The Continental Army by comparison could only offer payment in greatly devalued paper currency or through IOUs.

Washington became so concerned over the poor state of supply that he appointed Gen. Nathanael Greene as his new quartermaster. Greene, who was initially concerned about taking this thankless job, overhauled the inefficient supply system and greatly improved the state of the Continental Army through his efforts. Video: Valley Forge in the American Revolution 7. Mount Vernon escaped destruction in 1781, but the method used to gain its security alarmed Washington In April of 1781 the British sloop of war HMS Savage anchored menacingly in the Potomac River near George Washington’s plantation home at Mount Vernon. The Savage, under the command of Captain Thomas Graves, had been raiding up and down the Potomac and now demanded that the General’s estate provide the sloop with “a large supply of provisions.” If the order to provide supplies was actively resisted, Mount Vernon was likely to have been put to the torch as other nearby plantation homes had been. While the Savage was anchored close to shore, seventeen intrepid Mount Vernon slaves made their way down to the ship and gained their freedom as they arrived on the warship’s deck.

Lund Washington, George Washington’s distant cousin and estate manager, first thought to resist this ultimatum per his master’s instruction, but later agreed to provide sheep, hogs, and “an abundant supply of other articles” to the Savage, partially in an attempt to win back the escaped slaves. Captain Graves gladly accepted the supplies, spared the plantation, and refused to return the slaves. Washington, once he learned of Lund’s decision to provide supplies to the enemy, was incensed. From his headquarters in New Windsor, New York, he wrote Lund and dismissed any significant concern over the escaped slaves, but noted that “It would have been a less painful circumstance to me, to have heard, that in consequence of your non-compliance with [the HMS Savage’s request], they had burnt my House, and laid the Plantation in ruins.” Learn More: The HMS Savage at Mount Vernon 8. Prior to its decisive victory at Yorktown, the American military teetered upon total collapse Years of rampant military spending, economic mismanagement, and hyperinflation fueled by a successful British campaign to flood the colonies with counterfeit paper money had left the American financial coffers bare.

Washington, in a letter to John Laurens in France, declared in January 1781 that he could not even pay the teamsters that were required to bring supplies to his troops. A gloomy and frustrated Washington admitted that “we are at the end of our tether, and that now or never our deliverance must come.” French setbacks in Rhode Island, news of British successes in the Southern theater, and intelligence reports indicating a possible French exit in 1781 all added to the sense of impending defeat. In late May 1781 Washington’s situation and the fate of the American cause began to rapidly improve. Comte de Rochambeau, the commander of the French troops in America, informed Washington that France had made a 6,000,000 livres gift to the Continental Army. But it was the news that Rochambeau did not initially share with Washington that made an even bigger impact. The French fleet, now operating in strength in North American waters, had been secretly directed to the Chesapeake and a real opportunity to defeat Cornwallis’ force now existed.

Washington, who had been stubbornly fixated on attacking the British base at New York City, rallied to Rochambeau’s plan and moved his army south to Virginia. On September 5, 1781 the French fleet under the command of Admiral de Grasse drove off the British fleet sent to relieve Cornwallis. The trap was now set. The siege of Yorktown began on September 28, 1781 and ended with a Franco-American victory on October 19, 1781 – the decisive battle of the Revolutionary War. Learn More: The Yorktown Campaign | Watch "Now or Never: The Yorktown Campaign of 1781" 9. Washington deftly put down a growing military rebellion Despite having achieved a decisive victory at the Battle of Yorktown in October of 1781, threats to the Patriotic cause continued. In March of 1783, a growing number of American military officers, discouraged by lack of regular pay and ongoing financial support, began to openly discuss options that included a wanton disbandment of the army or possibly even a military show of force pointed directly at Congress.

Washington, who learned of the “Newburgh Conspiracy” through a printed camp circular, appeared at a March 15, 1783 meeting and challenged the gathered group of officers. “My God! What can this writer have in view, by recommending such measures! Can he be a friend to the army? Can he be a friend to this country? Rather is he not an insidious foe?” Towards the end of his address, Washington reached into his pocket to retrieve a pair of spectacles and in a theatrical gesture remarked that “…I have not only grown gray, but almost blind in service to my country.” This display of self-sacrifice from their longstanding leader deeply affected many of the officers who in turn abandoned their treasonous thoughts and returned the obvious affection of their leader. Videos: Washington and the Newburgh Conspiracy 10. Washington’s greatest display of power was his surrender of power On December 23, 1783, Washington strode into the statehouse at Annapolis, Maryland and surrendered his military commission to a grateful Congress.

In front of the gathered congressmen, Washington declared, “Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from the great theatre of Action—and bidding an Affectionate farewell to this August body under whose orders I have so long acted, I here offer my Commission, and take my leave of all the employments of public life.” History is filled with example after example of military commanders seizing political power during times of revolution – Julius Caesar, Oliver Cromwell, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mao Zedong, and Muammar Gaddaffi are just some of the better known examples. We take it for granted today that the United States Armed Forces are subordinated to civilian rule, but in the 18th century it was far from certain that any general would simply surrender power to a civilian authority. But for George Washington, civilian control of the military was a core part of his beliefs. Washington’s resignation signaled to the world and the American people that this new nation would be founded on different principles. An astonished King George III, when he learned of Washington’s intention to peaceably surrender his commission, uttered that “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.” Animated Presentation

Question: Which British King was the last to personally lead an army into battle ?
Answer: GEORGE II