House / Group: Hanover
Born / died: 1660-1727
Reign: 1714-1727
Next: George II Previous: Anne
Christened Georg Ludwig von Hannover, the eldest son of a German Prince, Ernst August, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Sophia Pfalzgräfin von Simmern.
George's mother was designated heir to the British throne if both William III and his sister-in-law Anne died without issue: she died a few weeks before Queen Anne and thus George inherited the throne, initiating the Hanoverian dynasty.
He married Princess Sophia of Celle (his 1st cousin) in 1682 and they had 2 children (George (II) and Sophia). The marriage was dissolved after indiscretions on both sides and George turned to his mistress, Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg.
George was not a popular king and never learned more than rudimentary English.
He died on a visit to his native Hanover and was buried there, in Leineschloss Church, re-buried in Herrenhausen in 1957.
With the arrival of the Hanoverian line, one quarter of the coat of arms changed to three sections tierced per pale and per chevron for Hanover: gules two lions passant guardant or; or semy of hearts gules a lion rampant azure; and gules a horse courant argent. And on top, gules charged with the Crown of Charlemagne. This was also used by George II.
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