Random one-shots

British Monarchy Gone Wrong

Great Britain is America’s neighbor, across the Atlantic Ocean; where their government system is quite different than that of America’s. The citizens are controlled by somewhat of a monarchy; which is what one will be focusing on for this paper. In the past it was more of a success whereas now it is more so failing. Plus with America showing dislike towards any country that is not a democracy it does not display as much confidence towards the motherland. For a long as it came to be Great Britain is and was a monarchy, but as anything else it too shall evolve, out of monarchy that is.

            When the United Kingdom started to form a government, the first to take charge where The Stuarts, who ruled from 1603-1649 and continued 1660-1714 before another family took charge. This royal family came from Scotland, and at the time the Scottish where not rulers to be bragged about. So to put it simply they sucked as rulers and only brought on a path of destruction. The first ruler went by the name of James I, the first, and ruled for twenty-two years.  When he was crowned king for England; he was already the king of Scotland, and known as James VI. Therefore he was a king of two countries and could not rule well, and even went as far to call himself “King of Great Britain”.  What a great starting point for a new country. It was because of him that in 1707 the two countries formed as one and where called Great Britain. Before James ruled England he was a king in Scotland for twenty-nine years, so he was aged of fifty-eight when he passed. One great piece of history he left behind was the fact that he, ”authorized the translation of the King James Bible.”

After his father died Charles I obtained the throne of Great Britain, and also took the throne of Ireland after his late brother. He ruled for twenty-four years in Great Britain, and was executed in London.  During his rule the English Civil War took place between those who supported him and those who supported Parliament. At one point he was accused of treason was set on trial and executed. His son was sent on exile and without monarchy for eleven years England was known as Commonwealth of England.

When the eleven years passed the time period was known as the ‘Restoration’ and Charles II took control of rule in 1660. The king ruled for about twenty-five years, and had about eight mistresses and seventeen children; to say the least he had some time on his hands. When parliament lost confidence in their ruling Charles came and snagged Great Britain, which contains Scotland, England, and Wales. He died at the age of fifty-four, while his brother, James II, took control for a mere four years and was dethroned at the age of fifty-five and continued living until the age of sixty-seven.  Two more rulers of the Stuarts family took charge; one being a queen. Thus she, Queen Anne, had eighteen children but not a single one lived past the age of twelve. Therefore her third cousin took the throne, and the royal name was shed.

The Hanoverians took over Great Britain, and thus a new royal family was in the house. The first of the Hanoverians was King George I, he was from northern Germany and ruled for a total of thirteen years. He was “declared, George by the grace of God and King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland.” His sons, King George II, succeed him and gifted the British Prime Minister the residence he still uses to this day. George II’s was succeeded by King George III, his grandson. King George III was the first King to be born in England and he ruled for a long fifty years then he fell into insanity. George the IV was the son of the previous king and with no heirs his brother took over. William IV was a king for a short seven years but before hand was part of the Navy and was known as the “Sailor King”. His Niece Victoria took the throne when she came to be eighteen years old. Queen Victoria had the longest reign in English History, standing at sixty-three years. She married a man of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family named Albert; Making Queen Victoria the last ruler of the Hanoverian family.