Allan Ramsay / Wikimedia / Public Domain
George III
George III reigned as King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1760 to 1820, later becoming King of the United Kingdom after the union with Ireland in 1801. His reign, one of the longest in British history, was marked by a series of military conflicts, notably the American Revolutionary War, which led to the loss of the American colonies. Additionally, under his rule, Britain faced the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Domestically, the era saw the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution and important agricultural advancements. George III's later years were overshadowed by his recurrent and eventually permanent mental illness, which is believed to have been porphyria, leading to the Regency era under his son, George IV. His legacy is complex, ranging from the "mad king" depiction to a monarch passionate about the arts, science, and agriculture.
This event is also available in the following timelines: