In the latest blog for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles examines the career of one of the lesser known Archbishops of Canterbury, who was able to make use of his August 1715 sermon celebrating the accession of George I to press forward his career in the Church. Every 30 January, the rhythm of the parliamentary session in the 17th and 18th centuries was adjusted … Continue reading John Potter, an unusual Archbishop of Canterbury
For almost 20 years, Bloomsbury Square has been the home to the History of Parliament. In the latest post for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles considers the history of the square in one of its most turbulent periods. Bloomsbury Square, and its immediate surroundings, have long been associated with prominent political figures. In 1706, several peers had residences in the square, notably the (2nd) … Continue reading Bloomsbury Square and the Gordon Riots
Henry Benedict, Cardinal York (1725-1807), born 300 years ago this March, was the last member of the royal family to take an active role in a papal Conclave, when he participated in the election of Pope Pius VII at Venice in 1800. Dr Robin Eagles investigates how he found himself in that position… On 6 March 1725, Pope Benedict XIII (1724-30) was roused from a … Continue reading The Last of the Jacobites: Henry Benedict
As part of a new infrequent series on the American Revolution and its connection to Parliament, Dr Robin Eagles explores the immediate background to the Revolution, and early Parliamentary debates surrounding it in February 1775. At the beginning of 1775, pretty much every British politician agreed that something needed to be done about America, with many eager to find a way to reconcile both parties … Continue reading Background to the American Revolution
The Court of George III and Queen Charlotte has often been characterized as a rather dull affair, a stark contrast to the more glitzy events on offer in the household of their son, the Prince of Wales. Just how ad hoc things might be is perhaps not quite as much appreciated. In the latest article for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles considers Queen Charlotte’s … Continue reading A ‘cook’d up’ affair: Queen Charlotte’s 1794 Epiphany Ball
In October 1788, George III fell ill with an unknown ‘malady’ which rendered him unable to fulfil his duties as sovereign: the beginning of the king’s famous ‘madness’. In the latest post for the Georgian Lords, we welcome Dr Natalee Garrett, who considers the role of Queen Charlotte during the period of the king’s illness, and more broadly. As the Prince of Wales was 26 … Continue reading A Meddlesome Mother? Queen Charlotte and the Regency Crisis
The current BBC production of Wolf Hall: the Mirror and the Light, the last of Hilary Mantel’s novels charting the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, is a reminder that Cromwell’s dynasty did not end with him on the block. In this post, Dr Robin Eagles considers the careers of some of the direct heirs and how Cromwell’s descendant, Elizabeth, attended the coronation of Queen … Continue reading The Last of the Cromwells
In the summer of 1780 London, and several other cities across England, experienced some of the worst rioting they had seen in a generation, following the presentation of a petition to Parliament calling for the repeal of the Catholic Relief Act. In the latest post for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles considers the evidence of Lord George Gordon’s trial report and the insights it … Continue reading The day Parliament was invaded
Even in the 18th century, governments of all sorts relied on tough politicians who were willing to do the dirty work to keep administrations afloat. In the latest post for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles highlights the case of Henry Fox, Lord Holland, one of the most notorious of them all, who died 250 years ago. In the winter of 1762/3 Holland oversaw the … Continue reading “Honest and essential service”: Henry Fox, Lord Holland, government fixer
Today the nation will be casting their votes in the 2024 General Election with most constituencies declaring their results in the early hours of the morning. However, as Dr Robin Eagles explains in our final Georgian Elections Project blog, 18th-Century voters would have had to wait for considerably longer to find out who their new MPs were… Even in a snap election, polling day is … Continue reading Declaring the result of an Eighteenth Century Election
