With the collapse of the old ruling class in Europe came a string of familial despots who governed under the heel of Napoleon Bonaparte and his empire which stretched from Spain to Poland. The shadow of France had descended almost all of Europe –Britain stood almost alone against the upheaval. And at this critical juncture, the kingship of Britain fell from the mad King George III to his pompous, hedonistic son Prince George, who served as regent until his insane father finally gave up the ghost in 1820. Today, despite certain revisionist historians, George IV is not remembered fondly and with good reason. With vague pretensions of being “the first gentleman of Europe,” in truth George IV was a feckless, indulgent, roly-poly dandy –a “preposterous preening prince.” Lord Byron dubbed him “Fum the Fourth” and other writers poked fun at his girth dubbing him “Prinny.” From a young age “Prinny”…
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