George I

George I was the King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1714 to 1727, and the first monarch of the House of Hanover. Born in Hanover, Germany, he ascended to the British throne due to the Act of Settlement 1701, which ensured a Protestant successor. His reign marked a shift in power, with the king having a more limited role and the government being increasingly controlled by ministers and Parliament. This period saw the rise of the first de facto Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. George I's relationship with his son, the future George II, was strained, and he faced Jacobite rebellions seeking to restore the Catholic Stuart line to the throne. Despite being the British monarch, he spoke little English and was more comfortable speaking his native German.