George I marked a turning point in the British monarchy, being the first "German king" of England. George I was born in Hanover, a province in what is now called Germany, on March 28, 1660. He was the son of Ernest, Elector of Hanover, and Sophia, granddaughter of James I. He was raised in the royal court of Hanover and married Sophia, Princess of Zelle, in 1682. The marriage produced one son (the future George II) and one daughter (Sophia Dorothea, who married her cousin, Frederick William I, King of Prussia).

George ascended the throne upon the death of Queen Anne in 1714, under the terms of the 1701 Act of Settlement. His mother, the Electress Sophia of Hanover, was the granddaughter of James I, making George the next Protestant in line to the throne. His mother had recently died, and he meticulously settled his affairs in Hanover before coming to England. The new King of England arrived in the country with two mistresses and no wife as Sophia was imprisoned for adultery. His character and mannerisms were strictly German; he never troubled himself to learn the English language, and he spent at least half of his time in Hanover. His rule was unpopular among his British subjects. After ruling England for thirteen years, George I died of a stroke while on a journey to his beloved Hanover on October 11, 1727.

King George I may have been unpopular with his subjects, but his descendants have ruled England ever since. Mr. Willis chronicles the births and marriages of George’s two children, the future George II and Princess Sophia Dorothea, and his grandchildren. The bulk of the volume is arranged, chapter by chapter, according to the descendants of the following grandchildren who had significant issue: Frederick, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess of Orange; Mary, Landgravine of Hesse-Cassel; Louisa, Queen of Denmark; Charlotte, Duchess of Brunswick; Sophie, Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt; Ulrike, Queen of Sweden; and August, Prince of Prussia.

The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain, concludes with a chapter establishing the connections of George's descendants to other European royal families and another outlining the current line of succession to the British throne. The book also has a name index at the back.

This 819-page hardcover book identifies approximately 5,000 royal and noble connections. These people had enormous impact on European royalty, politics, and history. This encyclopedic work is destined to become one of the standard reference works of our time.

The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain, by Daniel A. Willis sells for $65.00 (U.S. funds). You can purchase it through most bookstores if you specify ISBN#: 0806351721. You can also safely order it online at the publisher’s secure Web server. For more information about The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain, or to order it online, look at: www.genealogical.com/item_detail.cfm?ID=9762

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