At the birth of his first child the prince left Hampton court and took up his residence at Norfolk house.

The queen died in 1737, recommending her husband to Walpole with her last breath. In 1738 a son (afterward George III.) was born to the prince of Wales; and about this time the king gave notice that no visitor of the prince should be admitted to the court of St. James's. The opposition gathered more and more about the prince, and William Pitt became one of the gentlemen of his bedchamber. The opposition endeavored to have the army reduced in 1738, but failed. They then assailed the ministry because of its indifference to the outrages perpetrated by the Spaniards in America on Englishmen there trading. An arrangement made with Spain was unpopular. Pitt's fame may be dated from his speech against it. The ministerial majority was greatly reduced, but the minister was saved by the folly of his enemies, a number of whom seceded. The troubles with Spain went on, and war was declared against that country, Oct. 19, 1739. The ministerial strength now diminished, and the hopes of the Jacobites revived. The war was by no means brilliantly conducted.

Anson's cruise in the Pacific and Indian seas revived the recollections of the Elizabethan age, and Vernon took Portobello; but the English failed at Cartagena, and also at Santiago de Cuba. The war of the Austrian succession began soon after, and England was drawn into it. Parliament was dissolved, and the new elections took place under circumstances unfavorable to Walpole. When parliament assembled, the opposition found themselves in a majority, and after a hard battle Walpole gave way, much to the grief of the king, who continued to take his advice to the last days of his life. Sir Robert was created earl of Orford, and the attempts made to prosecute him fell through. Lord Wilmington became premier, and Carteret secretary of state. Success was ruinous to the opposition, which showed it could not administer affairs, though so eloquent in fault-finding. The public was greatly disappointed, and the refusal of the victors to repeal the septennial act, which had been the object of their especial indignation when out of office, caused much disgust.

England had now become actively engaged in the Austrian war, supporting the settlement called the pragmatic sanction, by which the Austrian succession devolved upon the late emperor's eldest daughter, Maria Theresa of Hungary, while France and Spain maintained the claims of Charles Albert, elector of Bavaria. A large force was sent to Flanders, which did nothing. Some success was achieved by the navy, and a British squadron compelled Naples to observe neutrality. The king, brave and fond of military life, was desirous of placing himself at the head of an army, and a large German force was taken into English pay. This added to the hatred of Hanover already felt in England. The king joined the allied army in June, 1743, and a few days later was fought the battle of Det-tingen, in which the French were beaten, the monarch showing much courage. The death of Lord Wilmington led to Henry Pelham's elevation to the premiership, the king acting under the advice of Walpole. Carteret continued to manage foreign affairs, and was much liked by the king.

The Hanoverian policy was still vigorously opposed, but the resolute conduct of France, the fear of invasion, and the revival of the Jacobite party, caused some remission of party feeling, and the adoption of strong measures by government, the whigs of all views uniting in their support. The French, government called Charles Edward Stuart to France, and extensive preparations were made to invade England, which failed through the occurrence of a storm, the fleet being destroyed or dispersed, February, 1744. War was declared against France a few weeks later, but little success attended it, and Carteret, now Earl Granville, was compelled to leave the ministry. Pel-ham forced the king to admit Chesterfield and some others of the old opposition to office, and Pitt gave his support to the government. The Hanoverian policy was kept up despite these changes, and England entered on an extensive system of German subsidies. Great preparations for the campaign of 1745 were made, but with no gain to England. The allies, commanded by the earl of Cumberland, were beaten by the French at Fontenoy. Charles Edward landed in Scotland, was joined by many high-landers and others, and, after occupying much of the ancient kingdom of his race, marched into England as far as Derby, when his leading supporters compelled him to retrace his steps.

He was proclaimed at Perth and at Edinburgh. He won the battle of Gladsmuir or Preston Pans, and if he had pressed forward to London the capital would probably have fallen into his hands. George II., though very brave, and prepared to place himself at the head of his guards for a last fight, made preparations to fly. The rebels defeated the royal troops at Falkirk, but three months later their army was annihilated at Culloden (April 16, 1746). From that time dates the extinction of the Stuart party. The rest of the war was inglorious, and it was terminated by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. For some years there was but little political discussion, and the opposition dwindled into a small faction, headed by the prince of Wales, which became extinct soon after his death in 1751. Private bills excited more interest in parliament than public ones. An increase in the stringency of the mutiny bill, and the passage of a regency bill, caused some discussion. The reformation of the calendar was effected by statute in 1751, providing that the year should commence on January 1 instead of March 25, and 11 days be dropped out of the month of September, 1752, thus bringing the year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar.

The bill for the naturalization of the Jews, passed in 1753, though one of the most creditable acts of English legislation, caused so much popular excitement that it was immediately repealed. In the same year was passed the marriage act, requiring the publication of the banns and a proper license, which was exceedingly unpopular, but is thought to have been a great blessing to the nation. The premier died March 6, 1754, and was succeeded by his brother, the duke of Newcastle, who found himself compelled to share power with others. His first ally was Henry Fox, afterward Lord Holland, and at a later day William Pitt. In 1754 the French aggressions in America became troublesome, and in July, 1755, occurred Braddock's defeat at Fort Duquesne. The seven years' war began in 1756, and England was involved in a contest of the severest character with France, while at the same time she was the ally of Prussia, which was at war with the empire, France, Russia, and lesser powers. The contest extended over the world, and was marked by great actions in Europe, in North America, and in the East Indies. The early part of the war was inglorious to England. In June Calcutta was taken by Sura-jah Dowlah, and his prisoners were confined in the Black Hole. But shortly after the formation of the Pitt and Newcastle ministry in 1757, the genius of Pitt changed the fortune of the contest, and the English were triumphant in every quarter.

Ample subsidies were furnished to Frederick of Prussia, so that he was enabled to make head against the coalition formed for his overthrow. An army of English and Germans defeated the French in Germany, at Crefeld, Minden, and elsewhere. North America was the scene of great operations, which ended in the expulsion of the French. An expedition to France, twice renewed, inflicted considerable damage on that country, destroying, among other things, the works at Cherbourg. The success of Clive laid the foundation of the British Indian empire; Senegal and Goree were conquered; and the victory of Admiral Hawke over Conflans, in the naval battle of Quiberon, established English supremacy on the ocean. Never had England stood so high as she stood in 1760. In the midst of these successes, forming so striking a contrast to most of his reign, George II. suddenly died at the age of 77. He was a man of ordinary character, and never had been popular with his English subjects; but he had governed constitutionally, and in his reign the liberal polity was established, and the industrial system of England began to display itself.