George III: A Personal History [Hardcover]

Christopher Hibbert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 1999

In George III: A Personal History, British historian Christopher Hibbert reassesses the royal monarch George III (1738–1820). Rather than reaffirm George III’s reputation as “Mad King George,” Hibbert portrays him as not only a competent ruler during most of his reign, but also as a patron of the arts and sciences, as a man of wit and intelligence, indeed, as a man who “greatly enhanced the reputation of the British monarchy” until he was finally stricken by a rare hereditary disease.Teeming with court machinations, sexual intrigues, and familial conflicts, George III opens a window on the tumultuous, rambunctious, revolutionary eighteenth century. It is sure to alter our understanding of this fascinating, complex, and very human king who so strongly shaped England’s —and America’s—destiny.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Poor George III. Americans think of him as a tyrant whose unjust taxes provoked their revolution. Moviegoers envision a nightshirt-clad lunatic running through the palace halls in The Madness of King George. The handsome, gracious, conscientious young man of 22 who mounted the throne in 1760 may well be a revelation to many readers of Christopher Hibbert's elegant new biography. At 75, Hibbert is the dean of popular British historians and the author of more than 30 books spanning five centuries of European life; his experience enables him to convey prodigious research with the lightest of touches in his intimate account, which focuses on the king's personal character. Though Hibbert capably covers the period's political events and shows George to be a hardworking constitutional monarch, he prefers to direct our attention to the loving husband, devoted (though sometimes domineering) father, hearty appreciator of (very conventional) fine art, knowledgeable patron of literature, and avid all-around reader whose interests ranged from architecture to agriculture. This affectionate portrait makes it all the more distressing when George's bouts of madness (the result of a hereditary metabolic disease) begin in 1788 and permanently incapacitate him long before his death in 1820. Old-fashioned narrative biography doesn't get much better than this. --Wendy Smith

Review

"A noble biography, which treats its subject the right amount of sympathy and understanding... Hibbert has brought the complexities of the man to the fore and revealed him to be one of the great kings of the modern era -- great in both the dramatic, tragic sense and as a constitutional monarch." --The -- Sunday Times, London

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (January 11, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465027237
• ISBN-13: 978-0465027231
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #469,333 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A different take on an monumental historical figure., November 18, 2001

By 

mirope "mirope" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: George III: A Personal History (Paperback)

Historian Christopher Hibbert brings his considerable talent for writing personal biographies to the fascinating subject of Britain's King George III. Not only is Hibbert's scholarship solid, but he also does a wonderful jo of combining all the important elements of the King's life into an entertaining and compelling read. George III was on the throne for almost 60 years during a period of great social and political upheaval throughout the western world, yet many don't know much about him. Americans especially know little more about him that the tyranical caricature popularized during the American Revolution.

The book begins with a chapter about the King's dissolute father whose personality and relationship with his family were remarkably similar to that of George III's own son, the future George IV. Hibbert establishes George III's own unique personality by examing both his early upbringing and the key political players who helped shape his dedication to duty. George III certainly lacked the flamboyance of both his father and son. In contrast, he was sober and prudish, but nevertheless quite interesting and complex. During his reign he weathered both the American and French Revolutions, long periods of war abroad, and various periods of political unrest at home. Throughout, Hibbert paints a portrait of a monarch selflessly concerned about his subjects and dedication to providing thoughtful leadership. As for his personal life, the King was faithfully resigned to an arranged marriage with a rather plain and increasingly unpleasant woman with whom he had 15 children. The family dynamics make for great reading. His relationships with most of his sons were difficult and a sources of much frustration since they frequently refused to comply with his strict mandates. His many daughters were mostly confined to the royal household and were expected to wait attendance on the King and Queen. A few daughters managed to ecape into marriage late in life, and others had scandalous love affairs with the King's courtiers. All of this family drama was further acerbated by the mysterious "madness" that George III began to suffer from periodically in his middle age. By the time the madness begins, Hibbert has done such a wonderful job of establishing the King's decency and dignity that the reader cannot help but be moved as these very qualities are brutally stripped away by his disease. Also, there is an appreciation of the magnitude of the political crisis it precipitated.

My one complaint about this book is that, at least in this American's opinion, Hibbert almost completely glosses over the American Revolution. His general analysis - that the Americans unjustly demonized the King - has some merit, but it virtually ignores the significant economic and social changes that created the Revolution. Perhaps such political theory is beyond the scope of this personal biography, but it should be examined more thoroughly, not only with regards to the American Revolution but also with regards to how these changes were successfully integrated into the British constitutional monarchy.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Intelligent Biography, December 6, 2001

By 

First Things First "captainreflection" (Burbank, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: George III: A Personal History (Hardcover)

This book is without a doubt the funniest history book I've ever read! This is not to say that King George III's life was akin to a comedy show...in fact it was punctuated by wars, irresponsible children, incompetent doctors, and constant upheaval in the government, but there is something about the way that Christopher Hibbert conveys the pomposity and ritual of the royal court which made me laugh out loud repeatedly throughout the book. The stories from Fanny Burney, an author in her own right, but for several years one of Queen Charlotte's Assistant Keepers of the Wardrobe, are uproariously funny and intriguing. There were so many witty and brilliant people participating in the court and government of Britain at this time, with John Wilkes stirring up the English rabble in his efforts to emancipate the American Colonies, and the hilarious Horace Walpole, always good for a bon mot in any situation. King George was a sponsor of Captain Cook's voyages, a great lover of books and the compiler of 3 of history's most impressive libraries, and a patron of the theater and comedy. He was inclined to wander into the shacks of peasants along the country roads he would travel to chat with the common folk, to the utter shock of the hosts. Unfortunately his story turns tragic as the King begins to lose his mind and later on goes stark raving mad, frequently confined to a straitjacket. But in the end, King George III was greatly loved by his countrymen, and when he finally passed away, the country went into a deep period of mourning. Keep your dictionary handy because Hibbert employs a masterful and scholarly vocabulary throughout this book. This bio gets my highest recommendation! Enjoy it.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well done biography of a maligned king..., June 27, 2000

By 

Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: George III: A Personal History (Hardcover)

Before I read this biography of George III, I knew very little about him. I knew he liked Handel because we were told when we stood up for the Alleluia chorus of the Messiah that we did it because George III set the precendent way back when. Some of us still stand.

I knew that George III had been depicted as a tyrant by the framers of the Declaration of Independance.

I knew that George III had suffered from an hereditary disease that caused his urine to run purple, hence it's name

I wanted to know more about George III because I am fascinated with the history of the French Revolution and the defeat of Napoleon. I wanted to know why George wasn't rousted from his throne like the French King and the monarchy done away with.

What I discovered about George III was that he was a good man, a loving father, and a beloved king. I learned he was religious, loved Handel to excess, and was opposed to slavery. I learned that he had all kinds of charities, cared about the poor and the sick, and lived relatively frugally all his life. He admired the Methodists because of their "simple" ways, even though he was High Church Anglican. He lived until he was in his 80's and his madness did not finally put him under until he was 72. He had many children, most of whom disappointed him. He and his wife spoke German behind closed doors, and he owned lands in Hanover in Germany.

I learned a lot more, and I enjoyed reading this book even though I wasn't sure I would. Hibbert writes well, his text is interesting and his research thorough. The story is about the private life of George III, so not a lot of political or economic history is discussed although it is always in the background. This is the story of the "upstairs" at Windsor, Buckingham, and Weymouth.