George I

George I (1660-1727) was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1714.  Born in Hanover, Germany, he inherited the throne as a result of the Act of Settlement in 1701 which ensured the continuation of a Protestant monarchy.  George came to the throne aged 54 unable to speak English and, consequently, spent much of his time elsewhere.  Having aligned himself with the Whig Party before becoming King, once in power he continued to uphold this position and largely excluded the Tories from key positions in government.  At the beginning of his reign, there was a constant threat of a Jacobite rebellion: a significant uprising in 1715 was suppressed in the North.  George I encouraged the Arts in England, for example by establishing the Royal Academy of Music in 1719, and by inviting Handel to the Royal Court. He died of a stroke travelling back to Germany in 1727 and is buried in Hanover.