King George III in Treaty of Paris

Basic Information

Name: George William Frederick of the House of Hanover

Nickname: Your Majesty, Farmer George, Mad King George, Georgey Porgey Pudding-And-Pie

Born: June 4, 1738

Died: January 29, 1820

Nationality: British

Hometown: London

WORK & EDUCATION

Occupation: King. Before that, Prince (of Wales), Duke of Edinburgh

Education: Private tutors

FAMILY & FRIENDS

Parents: Frederick, Prince of Wales, August of Saxe-Gotha

Siblings: Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany

Spouse: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz

Children: George IV, Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, William IV, Charlotte, Princess Royal, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, Princess Augusta Sophia, Princess Elizabeth, Ernest Augustus I of Hanover, Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, Princess Mary, Duchess of Gloucester and Edinburgh, Princess Sophia, Prince Octavius, Prince Alfred, Princess Amelia

Friends: Lord North, George Grenville, William Pitt the Younger

Foes: William Pitt the Elder, the Patriots, Napoleon


Analysis

King George really had absolutely nothing to do with the Treaty of Paris beyond ordering that it be a thing. That's what the monarchy does…when they're not wearing fancy-shmancy hats, giving speeches, or ordering a young Will Shakespeare to write a funny play in time for Twelfth Night.

When the Treaty of Paris was signed, he hadn't yet succumbed to the insanity that would earn him the unflattering nickname of "Mad King George." However, it's pretty probable that the treaty didn't help matters. This was the first time a New World colony had kicked out a European power. It was a humiliating defeat.

By 1788, he was officially the Mad King, a shell of his former self.