What years did the Georgian era cover in British history?
The Georgian era ran from 1714 to 1830, named after the Hanoverian kings George I, George II, George III, and George IV. Many historians extend the period to 1837, when William IV died and Queen Victoria succeeded him.
Why is the Georgian era called Georgian?
The era takes its name from four successive Hanoverian kings who ruled Britain between 1714 and 1830: George I, George II, George III, and George IV. The term is not applied to the two 20th-century British kings named George, George V and George VI.
Who was Robert Walpole and what was his role in the Georgian era?
Robert Walpole was Britain's first de facto Prime Minister, rising to prominence because George I's limited English and disinterest in day-to-day governance left a vacuum at the centre of power. Walpole pioneered a new style of cabinet governance and also managed the political fallout of the South Sea Bubble of 1720.
What was the Peterloo Massacre during the Georgian era?
The Peterloo Massacre occurred in 1819, when a protest rally of 60,000 people gathered to demonstrate about their living standards was dispersed by military action, leaving eleven people dead and 400 wounded.
What was Catholic emancipation in the Georgian era?
Catholic emancipation was a series of Parliamentary actions that removed most restrictions on Roman Catholics in Britain and Ireland, culminating in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. The campaign was led by Daniel O'Connell, who founded the Catholic Association in 1823, and the act was passed after the Duke of Wellington and Home Secretary Robert Peel reversed their opposition to avert the threat of civil war.
What was the South Sea Bubble and when did it occur?
The South Sea Bubble was a financial scandal in 1720, when the South Sea Company issued stock four times to approximately 8,000 investors, driving prices from 130 pounds a share to 1,000 pounds before collapsing overnight. The company's true purpose was to renegotiate government loans of roughly 31 million pounds through market manipulation, and investigations revealed bribes reaching as high as the king.