“An accessible scholarly biography of a politician whom [Thomspon] rightly suggests has been largely neglected.” —The English Historical Review Earl Bathurst arguably exerted greater influence on the establishment and consolidation of the British Empire than any other single individual. In writing this highly authoritative work, Professor Thompson had access to the previously untapped Bathurst family archives. These private papers clearly established what Bathurst’s contemporaries well knew, that he was a very effective administrator of the Colonial Office and a figure of first rank in the war against Napoleon, in diplomacy and in domestic politics. This biography also throws fresh light on other leading figures of the period notably The Duke of Wellington and The Prince Regent.

This biography of King George IV provides a reassessment of the monarch's character, reputation and achievement. It examines his important contributions to the cultural enhancement of his capital and his encouragement of artistic, literary and scholarly figures.