William IV Sovereign Guide

Wiliam IV sovereign

WilliamIVSovereign Review William IV minted not only sovereigns but also half-sovereigns and a 2 pound piece.

King William IVth
King William was quite a character. He was born in 1765 and was the 3rd son of King George III..
Unlike most Kings he actually lived in sin with actress Mrs Dorothea Jordan and they had 10 children.

When Young he was a sailor in the Navy and was present at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1780
but saw little actual fighting during his service in North America and the Caribbean.
His nickname was The Sailor King.
He was arrested while in the Navy after a drunken brawl in Gibraltar and released when they realised who he was !
George Washingon organised a plot to kidnap William while he was in New York but this was
foiled by British Soldiers.
He was a lieutenant under Horatio Nelson and gave away the bride at Nelsons Wedding.

King George III made William Duke of Clarence and St Andrews to prevent becoming a member of the House of Commons

During his reign was the abolition of Slavery throughout almost all of the British Empire (Although he had spoken against abolition in the House of Lords)
and he also oversaw the restriction of child labour and reformed the English Electoral system.

Although William and Dorothea had 10 children.The children were known as the FitzClarences.
Mrs Jordan (as she was known) and WIlliam parted after she took up the stage again to repay
the debts of her son-in-law from a previous marriage.
Regrettably her acting career failed and she fled to France and died in poverty near Paris.
William tried to find and marry a wealthy heiress but most of his choices either turned him down or were rejected by the Prince Regent.

William eventually found a Princess who was not only friedly but willing to take on Williams large family
and he married Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen in 1818.
Adelaide was half Williams age and they lived happily together in Germany
William became Lord High Admiral when he was 60.
He abolished the cat of nine tails as a punishment and advocated many naval reforms.
His two brothers died without having children and he did not succeed them until he was 64.
William became King and was the oldest person to have ascended the throne.
His Coronation was a modest affair and cost only £30,000
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In 1831 he had minted a Proof £ 2 Coin. and although proofs were struck of a Double sovereign none of those were issued for currency.
Gold Sovereigns and gold half-sovereigns were also struck.
The Gold sovereigns were dated 1831,1832,1833 and 1835
Half sovereigns were a fair bit smaller than earlier half sovereigns and were minted in:
1834,1835,1836 and 837.
1834 half sovereigns are of smaller diameter than earlier and later ones but are of the same weight.
NO half Sovereigns were minted between 1828 and 1834.
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King Wiiliam IV proved himself a capable and concientous worker and was popular until the Reform Bill and the matter of the Rotten Boroughs.
Williams Descendants include David Cameron (leader of the Conservative Party) ,
Author and Statesman Duff Cooper and TV Presenter Adam Hart-Davis

King William died in 1837 of heart failure