92-513: You may be looking for Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon (1707–1791) British religious leader connected to the Methodist movement Selina Hastings (writer) (born 1945), British journalist, author and biographer [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
184-679: A generous civil list (a fixed annual amount set by Parliament for the king's official expenditure) of £800,000, equivalent to £141,200,000 today. Walpole commanded a substantial majority in Parliament and George had little choice but to retain him or risk ministerial instability. Compton was ennobled as Lord Wilmington the following year. Walpole directed domestic policy, and after the resignation of Lord Townshend in 1730 also controlled George's foreign policy. Historians generally believe that George played an honorific role in Britain, and closely followed
276-541: A ministers' training college at Trefeca (Trevecca) near Talgarth , in Mid Wales , not far from Brecon . George Whitefield preached at the opening ceremony. The college moved to Hertfordshire in 1792, and was renamed Cheshunt College . It moved to Cambridge in 1906. Cheshunt College, Cambridge merged with Westminster College, Cambridge , the training college of the Presbyterian Church of England (and after 1972, of
368-602: A rare exception to egalitarian principles was made and she was offered a private pew. Whitefield became her personal chaplain, and, with his assistance, following problems put in her path by the Anglican clergy from whom she had preferred not to separate, she founded the " Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion ", a Calvinistic movement within the Methodist church. In the earlier part of her life Isaac Watts , Mary, Lady Abney , Philip Doddridge , and Augustus Montague Toplady were among her friends. Lady Anne Erskine (eldest daughter of
460-576: A right to employ as many chaplains as she pleased. In her chapel at Bath (now owned by the Bath Preservation Trust and housing the Building of Bath Collection which is open to the public), there was a curtained recess dubbed " Nicodemus ' Corner" where bishops sat incognito to hear services. Following the expulsion of six Methodist students from St Edmund Hall , Oxford in 1768 the Countess founded
552-462: A small number in London including founding one adjacent to her London home at Spa Fields , Clerkenwell / Finsbury (which resulted in a case being brought before the ecclesiastical courts by the vicar of the parish church of St James ). She partly funded the independent Surrey Chapel, Southwark of Rowland Hill . She appointed ministers to officiate in them, under the impression that as a peeress she had
644-486: A social event to disprove the gossip-mongers. When the Prince of Wales applied to Parliament for an increase in his allowance, an open quarrel broke out. The King, who had a reputation for stinginess, offered a private settlement, which Frederick rejected. Parliament voted against the measure, but George reluctantly increased his son's allowance on Walpole's advice. Further friction between them followed when Frederick excluded
736-715: A tour of England to raise funds for Indian missions in the colonies. She became a slave owner herself in 1770 when she inherited Whitefield's overseas estates in Georgia and South Carolina , including the Bethesda Home for Boys . On Whitefield's advice, she bought additional slaves for the orphanage's benefit. The Countess promoted the writings and freedom of formerly enslaved Africans who espoused religious views compatible with her own. For instance, she supported publication of memoirs, or slave narratives , by Ukawsaw Gronniosaw and Olaudah Equiano . She also used her influence in
828-557: A vigorous protest against the anti-Calvinistic minutes of the Wesleyan Conference of 1770, and against relaxing the terms of subscription of 1772. On the Countess's death in 1791, the 64 chapels and the college were bequeathed to four trustees. Amongst them were Dr Ford, as well as Lady Ann, who was requested to occupy and reside in Lady Huntingdon's house adjoining Spa Fields Chapel, and carry on all needful correspondence (which
920-410: Is better than deception, "His temper was warm and impetuous, but he was good-natured and sincere. Unskilled in the royal talent of dissimulation, he always was what he appeared to be. He might offend, but he never deceived." Lord Waldegrave wrote, "I am thoroughly convinced that hereafter, when time shall have wore away those specks and blemishes which sully the brightest characters, and from which no man
1012-474: Is gone. I know I did not love my children when they were young: I hated to have them running into my room; but now I love them as well as most fathers." In 1754 Pelham died, to be succeeded by his elder brother, Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle. Hostility between France and Britain, particularly over the colonization of North America , continued. Fearing a French invasion of Hanover, George aligned himself with Prussia (ruled by his nephew, Frederick
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#17328561363131104-407: Is totally exempt, he will be numbered amongst those patriot kings, under whose government the people have enjoyed the greatest happiness". George may not have played a major role in history, but he was influential at times and he upheld constitutional government. Elizabeth Montagu said of him, "With him our laws and liberties were safe, he possessed in a great degree the confidence of his people and
1196-473: The 10th Earl of Buchan ), was her closest friend and companion for many years in the latter part of Lady Huntingdon's life. In 1748, the Countess gave Whitefield a scarf as her chaplain, and in that capacity, he preached in one of her London houses, in Park Street, Westminster , to audiences that included Chesterfield , Walpole and Bolingbroke . She held large dinner parties at which Whitefield preached to
1288-651: The Act of Settlement 1701 , therefore, the English Parliament designated Anne's closest Protestant blood relations , George's grandmother Sophia and her descendants, as Anne's heirs in England and Ireland. Consequently, after his grandmother and father, George was third in line to succeed Anne in two of her three realms. He was naturalized as an English subject in 1705 by the Sophia Naturalization Act , and in 1706 he
1380-706: The Battle of Oudenarde in the vanguard of the Hanoverian cavalry; his horse and a colonel immediately beside him were killed, but George survived unharmed. The British commander, Marlborough , wrote that George "distinguished himself extremely, charging at the head of and animating by his example [the Hanoverian] troops, who played a good part in this happy victory". Between 1709 and 1713 George and Caroline had three daughters: Anne , Amelia , and Caroline . By 1714 Queen Anne's health had declined, and British Whigs , who supported
1472-547: The Battle of Plassey . George's son William commanded the King's troops in northern Germany. In 1757 Hanover was invaded and George gave his son full powers to conclude a separate peace, but by September George was furious at William's negotiated settlement , which he felt greatly favoured the French. George said his son had "ruined me and disgraced himself". William, by his own choice, resigned his military offices, and George revoked
1564-533: The Black Loyalists . Until her death in London, Lady Huntingdon exercised an active, and even autocratic, superintendence over her chapels and chaplains. Alice Membury, appointed schoolmistress in Melbourne, Derbyshire by Lady Elizabeth Hastings, was ejected by the Countess for 'not turning Methodist'. Selina successfully petitioned George III about the gaiety of Archbishop Cornwallis' establishment, and made
1656-795: The Catholic claimant to the British throne, James Francis Edward Stuart , led by James's son , attempted and failed to depose George in the last of the Jacobite rebellions in 1745 . Prince Frederick died suddenly in 1751, before his father, and George was succeeded by Frederick's eldest son, George III . For two centuries after George II's death, historians tended to view him with disdain, concentrating on his mistresses, short temper, and boorishness. Since then, reassessment of his legacy has led scholars to conclude that he exercised more influence in foreign policy and military appointments than previously thought. George
1748-687: The Church of England , with which most Methodists were still connected. That year the consistorial court prohibited her chaplains from preaching in the Pantheon in Spa Fields, Clerkenwell, which had been rented by the Countess. To evade the injunction, she was compelled to take shelter under the Toleration Act . This placed her among classified dissenters . Such prominent members as William Romaine and Henry Venn did not want to be classified in that status, and left
1840-904: The Colony of Georgia . Lady Huntingdon Lane at the Givens Estates in Asheville, North Carolina , a retirement community affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Lady Huntingdon Road on the grounds of the United Methodist Assembly, Lake Junaluska, NC, located near the World Methodist Center. Huntingdon : County seat of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania (founded September 20, 1787) are both named for her. By her marriage to Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon, she had seven children. Of those, three died in childhood and
1932-459: The Free Church of England in 1863. One of the earliest changes under the new trustees was to complete plans to relocate the college. In 1792 it was removed to Cheshunt , Hertfordshire where it remained as Cheshunt College , until 1905, when its functions were transferred to Cambridge University. The college was noted for the number of men it sent to foreign missions. In 1795, Spa Fields Chapel
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#17328561363132024-689: The War of Jenkins' Ear , became part of the War of the Austrian Succession when a major European dispute broke out upon the death of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI in 1740. At issue was the right of Charles's daughter, Maria Theresa , to succeed to his Austrian dominions. George spent the summers of 1740 and 1741 in Hanover, where he was more able to intervene directly in European diplomatic affairs in his capacity as elector. Prince Frederick campaigned actively for
2116-556: The British throne. George married Princess Caroline of Ansbach , with whom he had eight children. After the deaths of George's grandmother and Anne, Queen of Great Britain , George's father, the Elector of Hanover , ascended the British throne as George I in 1714. In the first years of his father's reign as king, Prince George was associated with opposition politicians until they rejoined the governing party. As king from 1727, George exercised little control over British domestic policy, which
2208-795: The Connexion. After the Patriot victory in the American War of Independence , the Crown fulfilled promises to enslaved Africans and African Americans who had fled their American masters to join the British. The British evacuated thousands of former slaves from the colonies, who became known as Black Loyalists . About 3,000 were resettled in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , where they were to be given land and supplies. The Countess sent missionaries to these colonies, including John Marrant and William Furmage, to attend to
2300-521: The Duke at the christening, which the Duke misunderstood as a challenge to a duel. George and Caroline were temporarily confined to their apartments on the order of the King, who subsequently banished his son from St James's Palace , the King's residence. The Prince and Princess of Wales left court, but their children remained in the care of the King. George and Caroline missed their children, and were desperate to see them. On one occasion, they secretly visited
2392-593: The Elder as Secretary of State for the Southern Department . In April the following year George dismissed Pitt in an attempt to construct an administration more to his liking. Over the succeeding three months attempts to form another stable ministerial combination failed. In June Lord Waldegrave held the seals of office for only four days. By the start of July, Pitt was recalled and Newcastle returned as prime minister. As Secretary of State, Pitt guided policy relating to
2484-541: The Elder in the Cabinet, which would have broadened the government's support base. The King disliked Pitt because he had previously opposed government policy and attacked measures seen as pro-Hanoverian. In February 1746, Pelham and his followers resigned. George asked Lord Bath and Carteret to form an administration , but after less than 48 hours they returned the seals of office, unable to secure sufficient parliamentary support. Pelham returned to office triumphant, and George
2576-484: The French reneged on a promise of help. Losing morale, the Jacobites retreated back into Scotland. On 16/27 April 1746, Charles faced George's military-minded son Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, in the Battle of Culloden , the last pitched battle fought on British soil. The ravaged Jacobite troops were routed by the government army. Charles escaped to France, but many of his supporters were caught and executed. Jacobitism
2668-559: The Great ), Austria's enemy. Russia and France allied with Austria, their former enemy. A French invasion of the British-held island of Minorca led to the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756. Public disquiet over British failures at the start of the conflict led to Newcastle's resignation and the appointment of William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire , as prime minister and William Pitt
2760-588: The Hanoverian succession, thought it prudent for one of the Hanoverians to live in England to safeguard the Protestant succession on Anne's death. As George was a peer of the realm (as Duke of Cambridge), it was suggested that he be summoned to Parliament to sit in the House of Lords . Both Anne and George's father refused to support the plan, although George, Caroline, and Sophia were all in favour. George did not go. Within
2852-505: The Holy Roman Empire". When George became Prince of Wales in 1714, he was granted the royal arms with an inescutcheon of gules plain in the Hanoverian quarter differenced overall by a label of three points argent . The crest included the single arched coronet of his rank. As king, he used the royal arms as used by his father undifferenced. Caroline's ten or eleven pregnancies resulted in eight live births. One of
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2944-452: The King and Queen from the birth of his daughter in July 1737 by bundling his wife, who was in labour, into a coach and driving off in the middle of the night. George banished him and his family from the royal court, much as his own father had done to him, except that he allowed Frederick to retain custody of his children. Soon afterwards, George's wife Caroline died on 20 November 1737 (O.S.). He
3036-640: The Old Pretender's son, Charles Edward Stuart , popularly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or the Young Pretender, landed in Scotland, where support for his cause was highest. George, who was summering in Hanover, returned to London at the end of August. The Jacobites defeated British forces in September at the Battle of Prestonpans , and then moved south into England. The Jacobites failed to gain further support, and
3128-539: The Realm", to govern in his father's absence. He made a royal progress through Chichester , Havant , Portsmouth , and Guildford in southern England. Spectators were allowed to see him dine in public at Hampton Court Palace . An attempt on his life at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane , in which one person was shot dead before the assailant was brought under control, boosted his high public profile. The King distrusted or
3220-631: The United Reformed Church), in 1967. In 1842, the Presbyterian Church of Wales opened a college at Trefeca which is approximately a quarter of a mile south of the site of the Countess's college (which is now a farmhouse). The Countess had an interest in the Thirteen Colonies , and issues related to Native Americans and enslaved Africans there. During the mid-1760s, she met and befriended Mohegan preacher Samson Occom , then on
3312-716: The advice of Walpole and senior ministers, who made the major decisions. Although the King was eager for war in Europe, his ministers were more cautious. A truce was agreed in the Anglo-Spanish War , and George unsuccessfully pressed Walpole to join the War of the Polish Succession on the side of the German states. In April 1733 Walpole withdrew the unpopular Excise Bill that had attracted strong opposition, including from within his own party. George lent Walpole support by dismissing
3404-509: The age of 43. George II decided not to travel to Germany for his father's funeral, which far from bringing criticism led to praise from the English who considered it proof of his fondness for England. He suppressed his father's will because it attempted to split the Hanoverian succession between George II's future grandsons rather than vest all the domains (both British and Hanoverian) in a single person. Both British and Hanoverian ministers considered
3496-679: The arts, and commissioned portraits from fashionable artists of the day. On 21 April 1730, she became one of the 21 aristocratic women whose support Thomas Coram would enlist in his efforts to establish the Foundling Hospital . Securing the support of notably pious women such as Lady Huntingdon as signatories to the Ladies' Petition for the Establishment of the Foundling Hospital lent his endeavour not only respectability but cachet; many of
3588-498: The bill's opponents from their court offices . George II's relationship with his son Frederick, Prince of Wales , worsened during the 1730s. Frederick had been left behind in Germany when his parents came to England, and they had not met for 14 years. In 1728, he was brought to England, and swiftly became a figurehead of the political opposition. When George visited Hanover in the summers of 1729, 1732 and 1735, he left his wife to chair
3680-461: The concessions demanded by the other, and the idea was shelved. Instead, the prince married Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha in April 1736. In May 1736, George returned to Hanover, which resulted in unpopularity in England; a satirical notice was even pinned to the gates of St James's Palace decrying his absence. "Lost or strayed out of this house", it read, "a man who has left a wife and six children on
3772-753: The construction of 64 chapels in England and Wales, plus mission work in colonial America, she is estimated to have spent over £100,000 on these activities, a huge sum when a family of four could live on £31 per year. A regular correspondent of George Whitefield and John Wesley , she is also remembered for her adversarial relationships with other Methodists. Selina Shirley was born in August 1707 at Astwell Castle , Northamptonshire , second daughter of Washington Shirley, 2nd Earl Ferrers , and Mary Levinge, daughter of Sir Richard Levinge, 1st Baronet . The family moved to Staunton Harold Hall , in Leicestershire when she
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3864-918: The death date of a fourth is unknown. Her longest surviving children were: On the Countess of Huntingdon and the Welsh Methodists, see E. Wyn James, 'Blessèd Jubil!’: Slavery, Mission and the Millennial Dawn in the Work of William Williams of Pantycelyn', in Cultures of Radicalism in Britain and Ireland , ed. John Kirk, Michael Brown & Andrew Noble, 'Poetry and Song in the Age of Revolution', vol. 3 (London: Pickering & Chatto, 2013), 95-112. George II of Great Britain George II (George Augustus; German : Georg August ; 30 October / 9 November 1683 – 25 October 1760)
3956-690: The economic disaster of the South Sea Bubble allowed Walpole to rise to the pinnacle of government. Walpole and his Whig Party were dominant in politics, as the King feared that the Tories would not support the succession laid down in the Act of Settlement . The power of the Whigs was so great that the Tories would not hold power for another half-century. George I died on 11/22 June 1727 during one of his visits to Hanover, and his son succeeded him as king and elector at
4048-508: The electorate. The British army had not fought in a major European war in over 20 years, and the government had badly neglected its upkeep. George had pushed for greater professionalism in the ranks, and promotion by merit rather than by sale of commissions , but without much success. An allied force of Austrian, British, Dutch, Hanoverian and Hessian troops engaged the French at the Battle of Dettingen on 16/27 June 1743. George personally accompanied them, leading them to victory, thus becoming
4140-622: The first university in the Electorate of Hanover , and visited it in 1748. The asteroid 359 Georgia was named in his honour at the university in 1902. He served as the Chancellor of the University of Dublin between 1716 and 1727; and in 1754 issued the charter for King's College in New York City, which later became Columbia University . The province of Georgia , founded by royal charter in 1732,
4232-430: The former ward of his aunt Queen Sophia Charlotte of Prussia . The English envoy to Hanover, Edmund Poley, reported that George was so taken by "the good character he had of her that he would not think of anybody else". A marriage contract was concluded by the end of July. On 22 August / 2 September 1705 Caroline arrived in Hanover for her wedding, which was held the same evening in the chapel at Herrenhausen . George
4324-494: The gathered dignitaries after they had eaten. Moved to further the religious revival in a Calvinistic manner compatible with Whitefield's work, she was responsible for founding 64 chapels and contributed to the funding of others, insisting they should all subscribe to the doctrines of the Church of England and use only the Book of Common Prayer . Amongst these were chapels at Brighton (1761), Bath (1765), Worcester (c. 1766), Tunbridge Wells (1769), several in Wales, and
4416-403: The guardianship, he established a regency council. In 1720, Walpole encouraged the King and his son to reconcile, for the sake of public unity, which they did half-heartedly. Walpole and Townshend returned to political office, and rejoined the ministry. George was soon disillusioned with the terms of the reconciliation; his three daughters who were in the care of the King were not returned and he
4508-552: The language of diplomacy and the court, until the age of four, after which he was taught German by one of his tutors, Johann Hilmar Holstein. In addition to French and German, he also learned English and Italian, and studied genealogy, military history, and battle tactics with particular diligence. George's second cousin once removed , Queen Anne , ascended the thrones of England , Scotland , and Ireland in 1702. Though she had had seventeen pregnancies, of which five resulted in live births, her only surviving child died in 1700. By
4600-481: The last British monarch to lead troops into battle. Though his actions in the battle were admired, the war became unpopular with the British public, who felt that the King and Carteret were subordinating British interests to Hanoverian ones. Carteret lost support, and to George's dismay resigned in 1744. Tension grew between the Pelham ministry and George, as he continued to take advice from Carteret and rejected pressure from his other ministers to include William Pitt
4692-499: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Selina_Hastings&oldid=812960830 " Category : Human name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon ( née Shirley ; 24 August 1707 – 17 June 1791)
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#17328561363134784-508: The next several years with opposition to George I's policies, which included measures designed to increase religious freedom in Great Britain and expand Hanover's German territories at the expense of Sweden. His new London residence, Leicester House , became a frequent meeting place for his father's political opponents, including Sir Robert Walpole and Lord Townshend , who had left the government in 1717. The King visited Hanover again from May to November 1719. Instead of appointing George to
4876-416: The nineteenth and first part of the twentieth century relied on these biased accounts. Since the last quarter of the twentieth century, scholarly analysis of surviving correspondence has indicated that George was not as ineffective as previously thought. Letters from ministers are annotated by George with pertinent remarks and demonstrate that he had a grasp of and interest in foreign policy in particular. He
4968-430: The opportunity of meeting his bride before any formal arrangements were made. Negotiations from 1702 for the hand of Princess Hedvig Sophia of Sweden , Dowager Duchess and regent of Holstein-Gottorp , came to nothing. In June 1705, under the false name "Monsieur de Busch", George visited the Ansbach court at its summer residence in Triesdorf to investigate incognito a marriage prospect: Princess Caroline of Ansbach ,
5060-409: The opposition but Pelham's party won easily. Like his father before him, Frederick entertained opposition figures at his house in Leicester Square . When Frederick died unexpectedly in 1751, his eldest son, Prince George , became heir apparent. The King commiserated with Frederick's widow, Augusta, and wept with her. As her son would not reach the age of majority until 1756, a new British Regency Act
5152-424: The opposition in the 1741 British general election , and Walpole was unable to secure a stable majority. Walpole attempted to buy off the prince with the promise of an increased allowance and offered to pay off his debts, but Frederick refused. With his support eroded, Walpole retired in 1742 after over 20 years in office. He was replaced by Spencer Compton, Lord Wilmington , whom George had originally considered for
5244-414: The palace without the approval of the King; Caroline fainted and George "cried like a child". The King partially relented and permitted them to visit once a week, though he later allowed Caroline unconditional access. In February 1718, Prince George William died aged only three months, with his father by his side. Banned from the palace and shunned by his own father, the Prince of Wales was identified for
5336-422: The parish ." The King made plans to return in the face of inclement December weather; when his ship was caught in a storm, gossip swept London that he had drowned. Eventually, in January 1737, he arrived back in England. Immediately, he fell ill with a fever and piles , and withdrew to his bed. The Prince of Wales put it about that the King was dying, with the result that George insisted on getting up and attending
5428-411: The peace deal on the grounds that the French had infringed it by disarming Hessian troops after the ceasefire. In the Annus Mirabilis of 1759 British forces captured Quebec and captured Guadeloupe , defeated a French plan to invade Britain following naval battles at Lagos and Quiberon Bay , and halted a resumed French advance on Hanover at the Battle of Minden . By October 1760 George II
5520-649: The premiership in 1727. Wilmington, however, was a figurehead; actual power was held by others, such as Lord Carteret , George's favourite minister after Walpole. When Wilmington died in 1743, Henry Pelham took his place at the head of the government. The pro-war faction was led by Carteret, who claimed that French power would increase if Maria Theresa failed to succeed to the Austrian throne. George agreed to send 12,000 hired Hessian and Danish mercenaries to Europe, ostensibly to support Maria Theresa. Without conferring with his British ministers, George stationed them in Hanover to prevent enemy French troops from marching into
5612-492: The regency council in Britain rather than his son. Meanwhile, rivalry between George II and his brother-in-law and first cousin Frederick William I of Prussia led to tension along the Prussian–Hanoverian border, which eventually culminated in the mobilization of troops in the border zone and suggestions of a duel between the two kings. Negotiations for a marriage between the Prince of Wales and Frederick William's daughter Wilhelmine dragged on for years but neither side would make
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#17328561363135704-576: The reign of Queen Anne, and had been one of Caroline's women of the bedchamber . She was his mistress from before the accession of George I until November 1734. She was followed by Amalie von Wallmoden , later Countess of Yarmouth, whose son, Johann Ludwig von Wallmoden , may have been fathered by George. Johann Ludwig was born while Amalie was still married to her husband, and George did not acknowledge him publicly as his own son. Against Walpole's wishes, but to George's delight, Britain reopened hostilities with Spain in 1739. Britain's conflict with Spain,
5796-462: The respect of foreign governments; and a certain steadiness of character made him of great consequence in these unsettled times ... His character would not afford subject for epic poetry, but will look well in the sober page of history." In Britain: George II's full style was "George the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of
5888-412: The sides of his and his wife's coffins to be removed so that their remains could mingle. George donated the royal library to the British Museum in 1757, four years after the museum's foundation. He had no interest in reading, or in the arts and sciences, and preferred to spend his leisure hours stag-hunting on horseback or playing cards. In 1737, he founded the Georg August University of Göttingen ,
5980-410: The war. Great Britain, Hanover, and Prussia and their allies Hesse-Kassel and Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel fought against other European powers, including France, Austria, Russia, Sweden and Saxony . The war involved multiple theatres from Europe to North America and India, where British dominance increased with the victories of Robert Clive over French forces and their allies at the Battle of Arcot and
6072-754: The will unlawful, as George I did not have the legal power to determine the succession personally. Critics supposed that George II hid the will to avoid paying out his father's legacies. George II was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 11/22 October 1727. George Frideric Handel was commissioned to write four new anthems for the coronation, including Zadok the Priest . It was widely believed that George would dismiss Walpole, who had distressed him by joining his father's government, and replace him with Sir Spencer Compton . George asked Compton, rather than Walpole, to write his first speech as king, but Compton asked Walpole to draft it. Caroline advised George to retain Walpole, who continued to gain royal favour by securing
6164-400: The women were lending their signature where their husbands had previously refused, making the Foundling Hospital 'one of the most fashionable charities of the day.' Selina would later provide the Coram with 'financial support for fees, stamp duties, vellum, seals and others expenses [sic] connected with the presentation of the Foundling Hospital Charter for the King's signature.' The petition
6256-461: The world of the arts to secure publication for Phillis Wheatley 's 1773 volume of poems, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral by Phillis Wheatley, Negro Servant to Mr. John Wheatley, of Boston, in New England , which was dedicated to the Countess. Because the Countess was ill when Wheatley visited London, the two women never met. Several pieces of their correspondence are extant. Until 1779, Lady Huntingdon and her chaplains were members of
6348-479: The year both Sophia and Anne were dead, and George's father was king. George and his father sailed for England from The Hague on 16/27 September 1714 and arrived at Greenwich two days later. The following day, they formally entered London in a ceremonial procession. George was given the title of Prince of Wales . Caroline followed her husband to Britain in October with their daughters, while Frederick remained in Hanover to be brought up by private tutors. London
6440-449: Was King of Great Britain and Ireland , Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg ( Hanover ) and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 ( O.S. ) until his death in 1760. Born and brought up in northern Germany , George is the most recent British monarch born outside Great Britain. The Act of Settlement 1701 and the Acts of Union 1707 positioned his grandmother Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant descendants to inherit
6532-489: Was 17 and in 1728, she married Theophilus Hastings, 9th Earl of Huntingdon , who lived at nearby Donington Hall . This was arranged by his elder half-sister, Lady Elizabeth Hastings , a well-known religious philanthropist and supporter of women's education. She gave birth to seven children in the first ten years of the marriage, four of whom died young; her husband died in 1746, while she allegedly suffered from poor health. The family were interested in politics, religion and
6624-540: Was all but crushed; no further serious attempt was made at restoring the House of Stuart . The War of the Austrian Succession continued until 1748, when Maria Theresa was recognized as Archduchess of Austria. The peace was celebrated by a fête in Green Park, London , for which Handel composed Music for the Royal Fireworks . In the general election of 1747 , Frederick, Prince of Wales , again campaigned actively for
6716-484: Was an English Methodist leader who played a prominent part in the religious revival of the 18th century and the Methodist movement in England and Wales. She founded an evangelical branch in England and Sierra Leone , known as the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion . She helped finance and guide early Methodism and was the first principal of Trevecca College, Wales , established in 1768 to train Methodist ministers. With
6808-517: Was attempted until 90 years after her death. Obituaries and tributes were written: Horace Walpole described her as the patriarchess of the Methodists , whilst the Roman Catholic, John Henry Newman , commented She devoted herself, her means, her time, her thoughts, to the cause of Christ. She did not spend her money on herself; she did not allow the homage paid to her rank to remain with herself. She
6900-436: Was blind in one eye and hard of hearing . On the morning of 25 October he rose as usual at 6:00 am, drank a cup of hot chocolate, and went to his close stool alone. After a few minutes, his valet heard a loud crash and entered the room to find the King on the floor; his physician, Frank Nicholls , recorded that he "appeared to have just come from his necessary-stool, and as if going to open his escritoire ". The King
6992-522: Was born in the city of Hanover in Germany, followed by his sister, Sophia Dorothea , three years later. Their parents, George Louis, Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Lüneburg (later King George I of Great Britain ), and Sophia Dorothea of Celle , both committed adultery. In 1694 the marriage was dissolved on the pretext that Sophia Dorothea had abandoned her husband. She was confined to Ahlden House and denied access to her two children, who probably never saw their mother again. George spoke only French,
7084-573: Was clearly a pivotal figure in the Evangelical Revival. Huntingdon College , in Montgomery, Alabama , is a coeducation liberal arts college named after the Countess of Huntingdon to honour her contributions to Methodism. Huntingdon Street in Savannah, Georgia , is likewise named after her in recognition of her association with Whitefield and John and Charles Wesley in their apostolic works in
7176-522: Was deeply affected by her death, and to the surprise of many displayed "a tenderness of which the world thought him before utterly incapable". On her deathbed she told her sobbing husband to remarry, to which he replied, "Non, j'aurai des maîtresses!" (French for "No, I shall have mistresses!"). It was common knowledge that George had already had mistresses during his marriage, and he had kept Caroline informed about them. Henrietta Howard , later Countess of Suffolk, had moved to Hanover with her husband during
7268-420: Was forced to appoint Pitt to the ministry. George's French opponents encouraged rebellion by the Jacobites , the supporters of the Roman Catholic claimant to the British throne, James Francis Edward Stuart , often known as the Old Pretender. Stuart was the son of James II , who had been deposed in 1688 and replaced by his Protestant relations. Two prior rebellions in 1715 and 1719 had failed. In July 1745,
7360-594: Was immense). She did this dutifully until her own death in 1804 and burial at Bunhill Fields . The principal trustee was the Reverend Thomas Haweis , who presided at the Convocation of the Connexion, comprising about 120 chapels. As rector of the Church of England parish at Aldwincle until his death in 1820, he ensured the Connexion kept as close to the Church of England as was possible; many chapels became part of
7452-516: Was jealous of George's popularity, which contributed to the development of a poor relationship between them. The birth in 1717 of George's second son, George William , proved to be a catalyst for a family quarrel; the King, supposedly following custom, appointed Lord Chamberlain Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle , as one of the baptismal sponsors of the child. The King was angered when George, who disliked Newcastle, verbally insulted
7544-499: Was keen to participate in the war against France in Flanders , but his father refused to let him join the army in an active role until he had a son and heir. In early 1707 George's hopes were fulfilled when Caroline gave birth to a son, Frederick . In July Caroline fell seriously ill with smallpox , and George caught the infection after staying by her side devotedly during her illness. They both recovered. In 1708 George participated in
7636-510: Was largely controlled by the Parliament of Great Britain . As elector he spent twelve summers in Hanover, where he had more direct control over government policy. He had a difficult relationship with his eldest son, Frederick , who supported the parliamentary opposition. During the War of the Austrian Succession , George participated at the Battle of Dettingen , and thus became the most recent British monarch to lead an army in battle. Supporters of
7728-464: Was lifted into his bed, and Princess Amelia was sent for; before she reached him, he was dead. At the age of nearly 77 he had lived longer than any of his English or British predecessors. A post-mortem revealed that George had died as the result of a thoracic aortic dissection . He was succeeded by his grandson George III, and buried on 11 November in Westminster Abbey. He left instructions for
7820-422: Was like nothing George had seen before; it was 50 times larger than Hanover, and the crowd was estimated at up to one and a half million spectators. George courted popularity with voluble expressions of praise for the English, and claimed that he had no drop of blood that was not English. In July 1716, the King returned to Hanover for six months, and George was given limited powers, as "Guardian and Lieutenant of
7912-655: Was made a Knight of the Garter and created Duke and Marquess of Cambridge , Earl of Milford Haven, Viscount Northallerton, and Baron Tewkesbury in the Peerage of England . England and Scotland united in 1707 to form the Kingdom of Great Britain , and jointly accepted the succession as laid down by the English Act of Settlement. George's father did not want his son to enter into a loveless arranged marriage as he had and wanted him to have
8004-445: Was named after him. During George II's reign British interests expanded throughout the world, the Jacobite challenge to the Hanoverian dynasty was extinguished, and the power of ministers and Parliament in Britain became well-established. Nevertheless, in the memoirs of contemporaries such as Lord Hervey and Horace Walpole , George is depicted as a weak buffoon, governed by his wife and ministers. Biographies of George written during
8096-482: Was often able to prevent the appointment of ministers or commanders he disliked, or sideline them into lesser offices. This academic reassessment, however, has not completely eliminated the popular perception of George II as a "faintly ludicrous king". His parsimony, for example, may have opened him to ridicule, though his biographers observe that parsimony is preferable to extravagance. Lord Charlemont excused George's short temper by explaining that sincerity of feeling
8188-410: Was passed that would make her regent, assisted by a council led by Frederick's brother William in case of George II's death. The King also made a new will, which provided for William to be sole regent in Hanover. After the death of his daughter Louisa at the end of the year, George lamented, "This has been a fatal year for my family. I lost my eldest son – but I am glad of it ... Now [Louisa]
8280-599: Was presented to King George II in 1735. In 1739, Lady Huntington joined the first Methodist society in Fetter Lane , London. Sometime after the death of her husband in 1746, she threw in her lot with John Wesley and George Whitefield in the work of the great revival. According to Schlenther, it was Wesley who first attracted her to Methodism, noting a visit to his chapel in Donnington (Wood) in East Shropshire, in which
8372-428: Was still barred from becoming regent during the King's absences. He came to believe that Walpole had tricked him into the rapprochement as part of a scheme to regain power. Over the next few years, he and Caroline lived quietly, avoiding overt political activity. They had three more children: William , Mary , and Louisa , who were brought up at Leicester House and Richmond Lodge , George's summer residence. In 1721,
8464-817: Was used by the founders of the non-denominational Missionary Society , which became the London Missionary Society , for preachers contributing to this, its founding meeting. After her death, much of her movement merged with the Congregationalist Church , who came to predominate in the London Missionary Society, and more joined the Free Church of England in 1863, although in 2022 there were still 22 Connexion congregations functioning in England, with others in Sierra Leone. In her will, she requested no biography of her should be written and none
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