George IV of the United Kingdom

George IV (George Augustus Frederick) (12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Hanover from 29 January 1820. He had earlier served as Prince Regent when his father, George III, suffered from a relapse into insanity from porphyria.

The Catholic Question

George IV spent the majority of his reign in seclusion at Windsor Castle, but continued to interfere in politics. At first, it was believed that he would support Catholic Emancipation, but his anti-Catholic views became clear in 1824. The influence of the Crown was so great, and the will of the Tories under Prime Minister Lord Liverpool so strong, that Catholic Emancipation seemed hopeless. In 1827, however, Lord Liverpool retired, to be replaced by the pro-Emancipation Tory George Canning. When Canning entered office, the King, who was hitherto content with privately instructing his ministers on the Catholic Question, thought it fit to make a more bold declaration. It was made known that "his sentiments ? on the Catholic question, were those his revered father, George III, and lamented brother, the Duke of York, had maintained during their lives, and which he himself had professed when Prince of Wales, and which nothing could shake; finally, ? that the recent ministerial arrangements were the result of circumstances, to His Majesty equally unforeseen and unpleasant."

Related Topics:
Windsor Castle - 1824 - 1827 - George Canning

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Canning's views on the Catholic Question were not well-received by the most conservative Tories, including the Duke of Wellington. As a result, the ministry was forced to include Whigs. Canning died later in that year, leaving Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich to lead the tenuous Tory-Whig coalition. Lord Goderich left office in 1828, to be succeeded by the Duke of Wellington, who had by that time accepted that the denial of some measure of relief to Roman Catholics was politically untenable. With great difficulty, Wellington obtained the King's consent to the introduction of a Catholic Relief Bill. The King afterwards withdrew his approval, yet he granted it again. Relief was granted to Catholics in 1829.

Related Topics:
Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich - 1828 - 1829

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