William IV o the Unitit Kinrick

William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 Juin 1837) wis Keeng o the Unitit Kinrick o Great Breetain an Ireland an o Hanover frae 26 Juin 1830 till his daith. The third son o George III, William succeedit his elder brither George IV, as the last king an penultimate monarch o Breetain's Hoose o Hanover.

William IV
William IV, paintit bi Sir Martin Archer Shee, 1833
Keeng o the Unitit Kinrick (mair...)
Ring26 Juin 1830 – 20 Juin 1837
Coronation8 September 1831
PredecessorGeorge IV
SuccessorVictoria
Prime Meenisters
Keeng o Hanover
Ring26 Juin 1830 – 20 Juin 1837
PredecessorGeorge IV
SuccessorErnest Augustus I
Born21 August 1765(1765-08-21)
Buckingham Hoose, Lunnon
Dee'd20 Juin 1837(1837-06-20) (aged 71)
Windsor Castle, Berkshire
Buirial8 Julie 1837
St George's Chapel, Windsor
SpouseAdelaide Saxe-Meiningen
IssueLegitimate:

Princess Charlotte o Clarence
Princess Elizabeth o Clarence

Illegitimate:

Full name
William Henry
HooseHoose o Hanover
FaitherGeorge III
MitherCharlotte o Mecklenburg-Strelitz
ReleegionAnglican
ThriftMilitar (Naval)
SeegnaturWilliam IV's signature

William served in the Ryal Navy in his youth an wis, baith in his ring an afterwards, nicknamed the "Sailor Keeng".[1][2] He served in North Americae an the Caribbean. In 1789, he wis creatit Duke o Clarence an St Andras. Syne his twa aulder brithers dee'd withoot leavin legitimate issue, he inheritit the throne whan he wis 64 year auld. His ring saw several reforms: the puir law wis updatit, child labour restrictit, sclavery abolished in nearly aw o the Breetish Empire, an the Breetish electoral seestem refashioned bi the Reform Act 1832. Awtho William did nae engage in politics as muckle as his brither or his faither, he wis the last monarch tae appynt a prime meenister contrar tae the will o Pairlament. Throu his brither Adolphus, the Viceroy o Hanover, he grantit his German kinrick a short-leeved leeberal constitution.

At the time o his daith William haed na surviving legitimate childer, but he wis survived bi aicht o the ten illegitimate childer he had bi the actress Dorothea Jordan, wi that he cohabitit for twunty years. William wis succeedit in the Unitit Kinrick bi his niece Victoria an in Hanover bi his brither Ernest Augustus.

Issue eedit

  1. Princess Charlotte o Clarence 27 Mairch 1819) died a few hours after being baptised, in Hanover.
  2. Stillborn child (5 September 1819) born dead.
  3. Princess Elizabeth o Clarence (10 December 1820 - 4 Mairch 1821) died young.
  4. Stillborn twin boys (8 Aprile 1822)

References eedit

  1. Staff writer (25 Januar 1831). "Scots Greys". The Times. UK. p. 3. ...they will have the additional honour of attending our "Sailor King"...
  2. Staff writer (29 Juin 1837). "Will of his late Majesty William IV". The Times. UK. p. 5. ...ever since the accession of our sailor King...