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The Hanoverian Succession

2024/12/26
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A
Andreas Gestrich
E
Elaine Chalus
M
Mark Knights
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Andreas Gestrich：汉诺威家族对继承王位存在内部分歧，索菲亚公主的丈夫更关注提升家族在神圣罗马帝国的地位。莱布尼茨进行了家谱研究，支持汉诺威家族成为英国国王。1701年《王位继承法案》通过后，汉诺威家族谨慎地推进继承过程，因为斯图亚特王子仍有可能改信新教。乔治一世在位期间，需要在伦敦和汉诺威之间平衡权力，《王位继承法案》禁止在英国政府中雇佣德国人，反之亦然，这给他的统治带来了挑战。他通过建立德国事务部，并与英国枢密院分享权力来解决这个问题，但这种权力分享依赖于高效的邮政系统，并伴随着英德双方持续的猜忌和摩擦。 Elaine Chalus：安妮女王去世后，汉诺威王朝继承成功，这在很大程度上归功于卡罗琳·安斯巴赫公主，她为乔治一世提供了稳定的继承人。汉诺威王朝继承对英国民众生活的影响因社会阶层而异，对上层阶级来说带来了机遇，对文化和艺术也有影响。卡罗琳王后对政治、宗教和艺术都有影响，她还推动了接种牛痘的普及。 Mark Knights：1701年《王位继承法案》的必要性在于确保新教继承，解决英国25年来反复出现的继承危机。该法案的通过是为了避免一场可能席卷欧洲的继承战争。辉格党是汉诺威继承的自然支持者，而托利党则对打破斯图亚特王朝继承、邀请一位几乎不会说英语的外国人感到不安。1701年《王位继承法案》与安妮女王去世之间（13年）的时期非常动荡，党派政治达到高潮，媒体也发挥了重要作用。战争、宗教和税收是导致这段时期动荡的几个主要因素。苏格兰对《王位继承法案》的不满和1707年的《苏格兰联合法案》加剧了当时的紧张局势。乔治一世加冕期间，发生了一些骚乱，抗议者主要来自支持英格兰教会的人，他们反对汉诺威王朝继承。1715年的雅各布派叛乱是试图通过叛乱来改变政府的一次失败尝试，导致辉格党获得权力并清除托利党。汉诺威王朝继承对英国经济的影响，包括美国殖民地经济的繁荣和南海泡沫破裂；对苏格兰经济的影响，包括税收增加和由此产生的不满情绪。罗伯特·沃波尔在调解乔治一世和乔治二世之间的矛盾、处理南海泡沫事件以及团结辉格党方面发挥了关键作用。 Melvyn Bragg: 引导讨论，提出问题，并总结发言人的观点。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why was the Act of Settlement of 1701 necessary?

The Act of Settlement was necessary to secure the Protestant succession in Britain. After the Glorious Revolution of 1688, the Bill of Rights prohibited Catholics from ascending the throne. With Queen Anne having no surviving children and over 50 Catholic candidates ahead of any Protestant ones, the Act ensured the throne would pass to the Protestant Electress Sophia of Hanover, a granddaughter of James I, to prevent a Catholic Stuart restoration.

Which political party in Britain supported the Hanoverian succession and why?

The Whigs were the primary supporters of the Hanoverian succession. They advocated for Protestant tolerance and expansionist foreign policies, particularly against Catholic threats. The Whigs saw the Hanoverians as Protestant champions who aligned with their goals, while the Tories were more skeptical, uncomfortable with breaking the Stuart succession and inviting a foreign ruler who spoke little English.

What were the Hanoverians' reservations about the Act of Settlement?

The Hanoverians had reservations due to their own ambitions in Europe. Ernst August, Sophia's husband, sought to elevate Hanover to an electorate within the Holy Roman Empire, which required imperial approval. Announcing their claim to the British throne could have been counterproductive. Additionally, George I later considered dissolving the personal union between Britain and Hanover due to the complexities of managing both realms.

What was the economic impact of the Hanoverian succession on Britain?

The Hanoverian succession brought economic stability and growth, particularly for the Whigs and the Protestant Empire. The American colonies, crucial to Britain's economy, supported the succession. However, the South Sea Company, initially successful, collapsed in 1720, causing the first major stock market crash. In Scotland, the Act of Union led to increased taxes, fueling discontent and contributing to the 1715 Jacobite rebellion.

How did George I manage to rule both Britain and Hanover simultaneously?

George I established a German chancery at St. James's Palace in London, staffed by eight advisors, while delegating authority to the Privy Council in Hanover. He relied on an efficient postal system to manage communications between the two realms. However, tensions arose over funding and influence, with suspicions that each side was interfering in the other's affairs. George I eventually considered dissolving the personal union due to these complexities.

What role did Caroline of Ansbach play in securing the Hanoverian succession?

Caroline of Ansbach, wife of George II, played a crucial role in securing the Hanoverian succession by ensuring a stable line of heirs. She had multiple children, including a son who became the future George III, which provided continuity. Caroline also acted as a mediator between George I and George II, helping to reconcile their strained relationship. Her influence extended to cultural and political patronage, further solidifying the Hanoverian dynasty.

What was the cultural impact of the Hanoverian succession in Britain?

The Hanoverian succession had a significant cultural impact, particularly through figures like Handel, who became a quintessential English composer. The period saw a flourishing of arts, literature, and garden design, with Queen Caroline popularizing English-style gardens. Italian opera was introduced, and Handel's music became central to British culture. The succession also spurred the growth of newspapers and public discourse, shaping a vibrant cultural and intellectual landscape.

How did the press influence public opinion about the Hanoverian succession?

The press played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion about the Hanoverian succession. Newspapers like the Daily Courant, the Tatler, and the Spectator disseminated information and propaganda, often aligning with Whig or Tory perspectives. The lapse of formal censorship in 1695 allowed for vigorous public debate, though the government still exerted control through libel laws and prosecutions. The press helped popularize the Hanoverians and countered Jacobite opposition.

What were the key factors behind the failure of the 1715 Jacobite rebellion?

The 1715 Jacobite rebellion failed due to a lack of French support, insufficient arms, and poor organization. The British army remained loyal to the Hanoverians, and the Jacobites lacked a cohesive strategy. Despite initial successes in capturing cities like Aberdeen and Dundee, the rebellion was quickly suppressed. The government's effective spy network also preempted major uprisings, leading to widespread arrests and the eventual collapse of the rebellion.

How did the Hanoverian succession affect Scotland and Ireland?

In Scotland, the Hanoverian succession led to the 1715 Jacobite rebellion, fueled by resentment over increased taxes and the Act of Union. The rebellion was ultimately defeated due to lack of support and organization. In Ireland, the Protestant elite maintained control, and the country remained quiet. The succession reinforced Protestant dominance in both regions, though it exacerbated tensions in Scotland.

Chapters
Queen Anne's lack of a Protestant heir necessitated the 1701 Act of Settlement. This act aimed to prevent a succession crisis and potential European war by establishing a Protestant line of succession, leading to the selection of the Hanoverian line.
  • Act of Settlement (1701) secured Protestant succession
  • Succession crises for 25 years prior
  • Whigs favored Hanoverian succession due to Protestant beliefs and expansionist foreign policy
  • Tories were divided, some uncomfortable with breaking from Stuart line

Shownotes Transcript

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the intense political activity at the turn of the 18th Century, when many politicians in London went to great lengths to find a Protestant successor to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland and others went to equal lengths to oppose them. Queen Anne had no surviving children and, following the old rules, there were at least 50 Catholic candidates ahead of any Protestant ones and among those by far the most obvious candidate was James, the only son of James II. Yet with the passing of the Act of Settlement in 1701 ahead of Anne's own succession, focus turned to Europe and to Princess Sophia, an Electress of the Holy Roman Empire in Hanover who, as a granddaughter of James I, thus became next in line to be crowned at Westminster Abbey. It was not clear that Hanover would want this role, given its own ambitions and the risks, in Europe, of siding with Protestants, and soon George I was minded to break the rules of succession so that he would be the last Hanoverian monarch as well as the first.

With

Andreas Gestrich Professor Emeritus at Trier University and Former Director of the German Historical Institute in London

Elaine Chalus Professor of British History at the University of Liverpool

And

Mark Knights Professor of History at the University of Warwick

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Reading list:

J.M. Beattie, The English Court in the Reign of George I (Cambridge University Press, 1967)

Jeremy Black, The Hanoverians: The History of a Dynasty (Hambledon Continuum, 2006)

Justin Champion, Republican Learning: John Toland and the Crisis of Christian Culture 1696-1722 (Manchester University Press, 2003), especially his chapter ‘Anglia libera: Protestant liberties and the Hanoverian succession, 1700–14’

Linda Colley, Britons: Forging the Nation 1707 – 1837 (Yale University Press, 2009)

Andreas Gestrich and Michael Schaich (eds), The Hanoverian Succession: Dynastic Politics and Monarchical Culture (‎Ashgate, 2015)

Ragnhild Hatton, George I: Elector and King (Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1979)

Mark Knights, Representation and Misrepresentation in Later Stuart Britain: Partisanship and Political Culture (Oxford University Press, 2005)

Mark Knights, Faction Displayed: Reconsidering the Impeachment of Dr Henry Sacheverell (Blackwell, 2012)

Joanna Marschner, Queen Caroline: Cultural Politics at the Early Eighteenth-Century Court (Yale University Press, 2014)

Ashley Marshall, ‘Radical Steele: Popular Politics and the Limits of Authority’ (Journal of British Studies 58, 2019)

Paul Monod, Jacobitism and the English People, 1688-1788 (Cambridge University Press, 1989)

Hannah Smith, Georgian Monarchy: Politics and Culture 1714-1760 (Cambridge University Press, 2006)

Daniel Szechi, 1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion (Yale University Press, 2006)

A.C. Thompson, George II : King and Elector (Yale University Press, 2011)

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