1820 — 1830 .]

ORDER OF THE GUELPHS.

13

KING GEORGE THE SECOND,

of Hanover, and Fourth of England, and became the Second Sovereign andGrand Master of the Order. His Majesty manifested considerable regard forthe Order of the Guelphs, and frequently wore its Ensigns.

In 1820, the Grand Cross was conferred upon Lieutenant Generals SirJohn Hope, Sir Charles Asgill, and Sir John Macleod : in 1822, upon SirBrook Taylor, then Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Bavaria; and in1823, on the Earls of Fife and Mount Charles (now Marquess Conyngham).In July 1825, the same Dignity was bestowed upon Viscount Strangford, “ inconsideration of the very kind and liberal assistance which, during his Embassyat Constantinople, he gave to a multitude of His Majesty’s Hanoverian subjectsreturning from Greece in the greatest distress, and most particularly of thesignal and permanent service rendered by him to His Majesty’s Hanoveriansubjects, by procuring to the Hanoverian Flag the free passage of the Darda-nelles into the Black Sea.” 1 During His Majesty’s reign, the appointment ofNatives of Great Britain were comparatively few; and the Order was givenonly to the same description of persons as had received it in the Regency.Among those who obtained the Grand Cross were the Earl of Clanwilliam;Sir William Fremantle, Treasurer of the Household; and Sir Robert Gordon,Ambassador at Constantinople; Lieutenant Generals Sir John Byng (now LordStrafford), Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin, Sir James Willoughby Gordon, Sir'Her-bert Taylor, and a few other Generals; and several Officers of inferior rankwere made Knights Commanders, or Knights.

His Majesty died on the 26th of June 1830, when his Royal Brother, theDuke of Clarence, succeeded as

1 Official Letter from the Chancellor of the Order.