Hanoverians: The History of a Dynasty (Dynasties) [Paperback]

Jeremy Black (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 20, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1852855819 | ISBN-13: 978-1852855819 | Edition: New edition

George, the elector of Hanover, inherited the throne of Great Britain on the death of Queen Anne in 1714. George I and his son, George II, continued to spend much time in Germany, insisting on the interests of Hanover influencing on British foreign policy. Lacking the popular touch and perceived as foreigners, they drew little affection from their subjects, though George II survived the dynasty's greatest crisis of the invasion of England by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745. George II's grandson, George III, reigned for sixty years (1760-1820), presiding over Britain's conquest of India and Canada and its loss of the American colonies. His son, George IV, Prince Regent during his father's madness, drew scandal to the monarchy. The death of William IV, the 'Sailor King', in 1837 brought his niece Victoria to the throne. The Hanoverians, in a series of personal portraits, shows how these kings, though constitutional monarchs, continued to exert considerable influence, crystallising politics and society.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...it is a synthesis by a historian uniquely qualified to synthesize, it refers to well-chosen and illustrative primary documents, and it has the advantage of making a clear, tersely phrased argument. Series on grand themes like dynasties can degenerate into coffee table books permeated with nostalgic grandeur, but this one is solid history. The volume would be suitable for senior undergraduates and for others needing a brief introduction, or even a refresher, of British high politics in the long eighteenth century."- Mark F. Proudman, Canadian Journal of History, Spring/ Summer 2006

'Jeremy Black...is a prolific author...The book should inspire further research in other parts of the Stuart Kingdoms on the quality of leaders and more detailed research in manuscript sourses for contemporary observations on the men treated here.'

Canadian Journal of History, Spring-Summer, 2006 ( Based on HB edition)

“…it is a synthesis by a historian uniquely qualified to synthesize, it refers to well-chosen and illustrative primary documents, and it has the advantage of making a clear, tersely phrased argument. Series on grand themes like dynasties can degenerate into coffee table books permeated with nostalgic grandeur, but this one is solid history. The volume would be suitable for senior undergraduates and for others needing a brief introduction, or even a refresher, of British high politics in the long eighteenth century.”- Mark F. Proudman, Canadian Journal of History, Spring/ Summer 2006

Book Description

In The Hanoverians, one of Britain's most widely read historians, Jeremy Black, presents a detailed look at the long reign of this family's scandal-plagued reigning dynasty from the eighteenth to the early nineteenth century, including four King Georges and William IV. From the controversial King George I, who spoke only French and German, to George III's humiliating loss of the American colonies and bouts of insanity, to the disliked George IV's scandalous marriage and attempted divorce, the reign of the Hanoverians was filled with interesting stories and extraordinary characters.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Hambledon Continuum; New edition edition (January 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852855819
• ISBN-13: 978-1852855819
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,821,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exploring both the character of the rulers themselves, November 11, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hanoverians: The History of a Dynasty (Dynasties) (Hardcover)

A history professor and a leading expert on eighteenth-century Britain, Jeremy Black presents The Hanoverians: The History Of A Dynasty, an enthralling true account of British King George I, George II, George III, and George IV, who presided during an era when they were seen virtually as foreigners by their own subjects. Their dynasty survived the invasion of England by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745, and the loss of the American colonies, and achieved conquest both Canada and India. Exploring both the character of the rulers themselves, and the lasting impact of their rule, The Hanoverians is a remarkable and welcome contribution to British and world history shelves.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Total waste of time, February 10, 2010

By 

W. Cosby "History lover" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Hanoverians: The History of a Dynasty (Dynasties) (Hardcover)

I got this book for a course and no one in the class including the instructor found anything good to say about it. It is a good subject still waiting for a readable book

1 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THESE LOSERS WOULD ACCEND TO ONE OF THE GREAT EUROPEAN THRONES, September 30, 2006

By 

Shannon Deason (Houston) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Hanoverians: The History of a Dynasty (Dynasties) (Hardcover)

This is a very thorough well written book on one of the most unlikely European Dynasty's. I mean when George I asscended to the thrown of England he could not speak a word of English and the duchy of Hanover was a second rate backwater, thanks to the English law that a Catholic could not accend to the throne, thus disqualifing the great dynasty's of the Bourbon's and the Hapsburg's, this idiot and his bad genes where thrust upon the unfortunite people of England. England then got a line of mediocre to just plain horrible monarchs, George III being the only good one, with Edward VII, George V, and Elizabeth I being mediocre. Victoria was just awful, after Albert ruled for her, then died, she just got lucky with excellent prime minister's like Disralli, and Gladstone, while she just mourned and self indulged her ridiculous grief at Balmoral, she also placed her children on thrones all over Europe, I mean the crazy Prussian Kaiser that started World War I, was her grandson!, talk about bad genes!, at least she stayed out of the way of her ministers, because her idea's where just inane. At least the Hanovarians had the good sense under George V during World War I to change their German name to Windsor, least anyone think they where aligned with the German enemy, which they were not, George V was an English Patriot to the core. The Windsor's of today thanks to the Scottish Queen Mum and British Princess Diana, are actually more English than German, so William will actually be a true British King..what a thought..an Brit on the British Throne.