1771 dated Court Document - George III - Early Massachusetts Document - Americana

Handwritten court document related to damages paid, etc. Measures 7 3/4" x 7".

George III, the King of Great Britain and Ireland, ruled for nearly 60 years, presiding over a period of significant transformations, including the loss of the American colonies and the successful resistance against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. He was the first Hanoverian monarch to be born in England and use English as his primary language, which initially contributed to his popularity. Contrary to the portrayal in the American Declaration of Independence as a tyrant, many historians now view him as a conscientious and cultured monarch who diligently fulfilled his duties. Known affectionately as “Farmer George” for his deep interest in agriculture, he also established the Royal Academy of Arts and amassed a vast library, the foundation of the future British Museum Library.

However, the later part of George III’s life was marked by intermittent and eventually permanent bouts of mental illness. The cause of these illnesses remains a subject of debate, with porphyria or possibly bipolar disorder often cited as potential explanations. After a final relapse in 1810, he was declared unfit to rule, and his eldest son, the future George IV, became Prince Regent in 1811, ushering in the “Regency Era.” During his final decade, the King spent his time in isolation, blind, deaf, and delusional. He passed away in 1820 at Windsor Castle, becoming Britain’s longest-reigning male monarch in history.