IST 605: The Ruling Class of Britain

This book details the beginning of the Hanoverian Dynasty, starting with George I. It goes over how George dealt with the Barrier Treaty and England's relations with foreign nations. Its strength is that it sets up George as a strong ruler. However, it fails to create a narrative outside of established facts.

Andrew C. Thompson paints a richly detailed portrait of the many-faceted monarch in his public as well as his private life. With George's story at its heart, the book reconstructs his thoughts and actions through a careful reading of the letters and papers of those around him. Its strength is that it takes a good look at George’s life and personality, using his words to construct a narrative of who he was. However, at times, it can be a bit speculative, as there are only so many details one can get from letters and writings.

In George III: A Personal History, British historian Christopher Hibbert reassesses the royal monarch George III (1738-1820). Rather than reaffirm George III’s reputation as "Mad King George,” Hibbert portrays him as not only a competent ruler during most of his reign, but also as a patron of the arts and sciences, as a man of wit and intelligence, indeed, as a man who "greatly enhanced the reputation of the British monarchy” until he was finally stricken by a rare hereditary disease. Its strength is that it avoids the usual mental illness pitfalls, seriously discussing the treatments George received with severity.

This book describes the reign of George IV, king of England during his reign. From his relation to his father, to his political accomplishments, this book goes over the basic details of his life. It's strength is that it is a good basic read to understand the type of king George was. It's failing is that it can be very basic, and lacks details or personality.

This biography discusses King William IV, describing how he handled reforms, foreign threats, and created a new constitution for Hanover. The book's strength is that it doesn’t shy away from the faults of the king. It discusses the illegitimate children he sired and his failed marriage attempts. However, it can fail to catch readers' attention with only basic facts.

John Plunkett's book is the first to study the role of the media in Queen Victoria's reign. He argues that the development of popular print and visual media in the nineteenth century helped to reinvent the position of the monarchy in national life. His main strength is the number of primary source examples that show how Queen Victoria became so known. His main weakness is that his views of the media can obscure the people behind Victoria, who helped support her reign.