George IV (1762-1830) of the United Kingdom became king in 1820. He had served as regent for his father, George III, from 1811 to 1820. George IV lacked his father’s ambition to govern and, with his brothers, lowered the prestige of the royal family. His private life was disgraceful, and he had no share in the important reforms of his reign. Among these were the reform of criminal law and of the police, the freeing of trade, and the grant of increased toleration to Roman Catholics and Protestant dissenters from the Church of England. But George IV was a man of taste, and he commissioned many beautiful buildings. He also helped persuade the government to buy paintings that formed part of the original collection of the United Kingdom’s National Gallery. George was born in London, on Aug. 12, 1762. He died on June 26, 1830.
