2020-05-28 Thu

George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Luneburg (Hanover) in the Holy Roman Empire from 23 January 1698 until his death in 1727. He was the first British monarch of the House of Hanover.

During George's reign, the powers of the monarchy diminished and Britain began a transition to the modern system of cabinet government led by a prime minister. Towards the end of his reign, actual political power was held by Robert Walpole, now recognized as Britain's first de facto prime minister. George died of a stroke on a trip to his native Hanover, where he was buried. He is the most recent British monarch to be buried outside the United Kingdom.

Depicted above is a 1718 quarter guinea coin from the reign of George I, showing him in profile.

Image Source: Wikipedia.in