King George III dies
Ten years after mental illness forced him to retire from public life King George III the British king who lost the American colonies dies at the age of 82.In 1760 20-year-old George succeeded his grandfather George II as king of Great Britain and Ireland.Although he hoped to govern more directly than his predecessor had King George III was unable to find a minister he could trust until 1770 when he appointed Lord North as his chief minister.Lord North proved able to manage Parliament and willing to follow royal leadership but Georges policy of coercion against the American colonists led to the outbreak of the American War for Independence.The subsequent loss of Englands most profitable colonies contributed to growing opposition to the king but in 1784 his appointment as prime minister William Pitt (the younger) succeeded in winning a majority in Parliament.
After Pitts ascendance the king retired from active participation in government except for occasional interference in major issues such as Catholic Emancipation which was defeated in 1801.In 1765 the king suffered a short nervous breakdown and in the winter of 1788-89 a more prolonged mental illness.By 1810 he was permanently insane.It has been suggested that he was a victim of the hereditary disease porphyria a defect of the blood that can cause mental illness when not treated.
He spent the rest of his life in the care of his devoted wife Charlotte Sophia whom he had married in 1761.Following his retirement from public life his son the Prince of Wales was named regent and upon his fathers death in 1820 ascended to the throne as King George IV.
