GEORGE IV. ( GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK) (1762-1830). King of Great Britain and Ire land, 1820-30. The eldest son of George III., he was born in Saint James's Palace, August 12, 1762, and was created Prince of \Vales five days afterwards. He received a careful and complete education, with strict discipline, but displayed an ungovernable temper, and on attaining his majority became notorious for his profligacy and extravagance. He contracted a marriage with Mrs. Fitzherbert, December 21, 1785; but in 1787, to obtain Parliamentary assistance for his debts, he allowed Fox to deny the marriage in Parliament. On April 8, 1795, again to liqui date his debts, he married his cousin, Caroline Amelia Elizabeth of Brunswick (q.v.). They had one daughter, the Princess Charlotte Au gusta, born January 7, 1796, who married Prince Leopold, afterwards King of Belgium, but died in childbed, November 6, 1817. George delib erately deserted his wife shortly after his daugh ter's birth, and his conduct toward her, his attempts to procure a divorce, his numerous mis tresses, and general behavior, made him extreme ly unpopular, notwithstanding his cleverness, versatility, and gracious manner, which among a certain class of associates earned him the title of 'the first gentleman in Europe.' From a spirit
of antagonism he supported the Whig opposition, and his father's insanity was partly due to his misconduct. He became Prince Regent in 1811, and King at his father's death, on January 29, 1820. The Napoleonic wars; the War of 1812-15 with the United States; the aid rendered to the Greeks by the British fleet in the battle of Nava rino (1827), which secured the independence of Greece; and the passing of the Roman Catholic Emancipation Bill (1829), are the notable events of his reign. He died at Windsor, June 26, 1830. Consult: McCarthy, History of the Four Georges and of William IV. (4 vols., London, 1884-1901) ; Thackeray, Four Georges (London, 1861) ; Lady Bury, Diary of the Times of George IV. (London, 1838) ; Croly, Life of George IV. (London, 1830) ; Huish, Memoirs of George IV. (London, 1830) ; Langdale, Memoirs of Mrs. Fitzgerald (London, 1856) ; Holland, Memoirs of the Whig Party (London, 1854) ; Fitzgerald, Life of George IV. (London, 1881).