King George III, at Lincoln Castle, Lincoln, England
King George was the ruler of Great Britain during the American Revolution. He was beloved by his people for being a good and patriotic ruler, however he managed to lose the greatest colonies of the empire, the American colonies. Later in life he suffered bouts of what seemed like mental illness at the time, which modern science has diagnosed as a hereditary disease named porphyria. By 1810, had become known as “Mad King George” and was often restrained with straight jackets because of increased insanity. He died on 28 January 1820, at the age of 82.
This Bust of King George III at Lincoln Castle was once part of a complete statue of the monarch. In 1810, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of George the III’s reign, the Earl of Buckingham ordered the placement of a statue of his monarch on the top of the famous 18th century Dunstan Pillar. Tragically, the mason performing the installation fell to his death while erecting it. Then in 1940, the entire statue was removed as a danger to low flying aircraft. The now damaged statue is stored at Lincoln Castle, however the bust of King George III is publicly displayed on the Lincoln Castle grounds.
Learn More: The American Revolution
The image, Bust of King George III, Lincoln Castle, Lincoln, is subject to copyright by Lincolnian. It is posted here with permission via the Flickr API by barneykin, administrator of “The Revolution ed” pool. (0184)