Ernest I
Ernest I (Ernest Benedict Augustus; 1798-1873), was the King of the United Kingdom from 1821 to 1874. His reign saw the transformation of the United Kingdom into one of the world’s first industrialized global powers. At a length of 51 years, 9 months, and 3 day, he reign was the second longest of any British or English Monarch up to that point only behind Henry III at 56 years, and would be the first British monarch to use the title of Emperor of India. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward VII.
| Ernest I | |
|---|---|
| Reign | November 1 1821 - 4 August 1873 |
| Coronation | 3 December 1821 |
| Predecessor | George II |
| Successor | Edward VII |
| Reign | 1821 – 1873 |
| Born | May 10 1798 Palace of Whitehall, London, Britain |
| Died | 4 August 1873 London, Britain |
| Burial | 12 August 1873 St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Spouse | Charlotte Sophia of Pomerania (m. 1821) |
| Issue (details) |
|
| House | Schomberg |
| Father | George II |
| Mother | Wilhelmina Marianne of the Netherlands |
| Religion | Anglicanism |
Biography
Prince Ernest Benedict Augustus was born at Whitehall palace alongside his slightly older fraternal twin sister, Caroline Augusta on the 11 of May, 1798, to of the future King George II and his wife Princess Wilhelmina Marianne of the Netherlands. Prince Benedict George had be married to Princess Wilhelmina Marianne of the Netherlands in order to better cement the claim of the house of Schomberg on Great Britain. This is because she was a direct descendant of the younger son of King William III, Maurice II of Orange, while the Schombergs only link to the throne was through the line of Elizabeth Stuart, a daughter of King James I & VI.
Ernest and Caroline were inseparable in childhood and always in adult life were closer to each other than they were with their spouses and/or lovers. Caroline never married but was rumored to have had numerous secret female lovers. At the age of five Ernest became first in line to the throne when his great uncle passed away from Syphilis and Benedict George came to the throne as King George II. In 1818 Ernest would be engaged to Princess Charlotte Sophia of Pomerania (1796-1877) and the two would marry three years later. Only two months after his wedding, Ernest’s time as Prince of Wales would come to an abrupt end after his father’s unexpected death from Pneumonia.
Ernest’s reign would be marked by the continued expansion of the Empire and the industrial revolution. A charismatic and easily likable man he would work to restore the reputation of the monarchy after the unpopular Frederick and George I in the eyes of the public. Fearing another future succession crisis, Ernest would make sure to produce more than enough heirs to continue the House of Schomberg, with Charlotte bearing 11 of his children. His their relationship would be relatively happy with the two respecting each other, but the two grew distant once their duties to produce heirs were fulfilled.
Continuing the trend set by his father, he would take a rather offhand approach to politics and would allow Parliament to make most decisions, however he would occasionally step in and would even refuse to sign Royal Assent a on three separate occasions. He would strongly support the total abolishment of slavery across the British Empire in 1833 and would also encourage further colonization and settlement efforts, He would also officially pass a law that would firmly establish male preference primogeniture as the sole method of determining the succession of a monarch in order to avoid any future situations similar to what transpired when George I took the throne instead of his brother’s son. In 1869 Parliament would grant him the title of Emperor of India after control of the continent was formally transferred from the East India Company to the British Government. Ernest would be devastated by the death of his grandson Charles in 1870 and would become a paranoid recluce in his twilight years. In 1873 Ernest would experience a stroke while on a trip to the Isle of Wight and would die several hours later of the hemorrhage. Princess Royal Caroline outlived her twin for fourteen more years. He would be succeeded by his son Edward VII.
Family
- Paternal great-grandparents:
- Edward, 3rd Duke of Leinster (1701-1774)
- Lady Valerie Primrose (1699-1764)
- Paternal grandparents:
- Frederick I
- Amelia Robartes, Countess of Radnor (1745-1800)
- Father: King George II (1779-1821)
- Mother: Wilhelmina Marianne of the Netherlands (1782-1858)
- Spouse: Charlotte Sophia of Pomerania (1796-1877)
Titles and honours
- 1798-1804: His Royal Highness Prince Ernest of Wales
- 1804-177: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales
- 1777 - 1779: His Majesty the King
The official style of Ernest I as king was "Ernest, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.".