Today in History

January 29, 1820

King George III Dies

George III was the third British monarch of the House of Hanover, all of whom were of German, not British descent. In fact, he was the first of the Hanovers to actually be born in Britain and speak English as his first language. But his reign was not an easy one, marked by decisive military struggles. Early in his reign, England defeated France in the Seven Years' War, setting the stage for Great Britain’s dominance in North America and India. However, George III lost the American Revolutionary War and England's American colonies. George III suffered from a recurring mental illness throughout his lifetime and was often sequestered, probably a result of high arsenic levels in his blood. He died on this day in 1820.

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