Born – 1st March 1683Died – 20th November 1737
Father – John Frederick Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1654 – 1686)
Mother – Eleanore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach (1662 – 1696)
Spouse – King George II (1683 – 1760)
Children – Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707 – 1751), Anne (1709 – 1759), Amelia (1711 – 1786), Caroline (1713 – 1757), George (1717 – 1718), William, Duke of Cumberland (1721 – 1765), Mary (1723 – 1772), Louisa Queen of Denmark and Norway (1724 – 1751)
Consort of Great Britain – 1727 – 1737
Preceded by – Prince George of Denmark 1702 – 1708
Succeeded by – Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
1683 (1st March)
Caroline of Ansbach was born Wilhelmina Charlotte Caroline to John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach at Ansbach, Germany. She was known as Caroline.
1685 (3rd January)
Caroline’s brother, Margrave Frederick Augustus, was born to John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach at Ansbach, Germany.
1685 (30th January)
Caroline’s brother, Margrave Frederick Augustus, died.
1686 (8th January)
Caroline’s brother, William Frederick, was born to John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach at Ansbach, Germany.
1686 (22nd March)
Caroline’s father died of smallpox.
1687 (during)
Caroline, her mother and younger brother, William Frederick, left Ansbach and moved to her mother’s home town of Eisenach.
1692 (17th April)
Caroline’s mother reluctantly married John George IV Elector of Saxony. It was an unhappy marriage as John George continued an affair with Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz and lived openly with her while Caroline, her mother and younger brother lived alone in a separate palace.
1694 (4th April)
Caroline’s step-father’s mistress, Magdalene Sybille, died of smallpox.
1694 (27th April)
Caroline’s stepfather, John George of Saxony, died of smallpox leaving her mother a widow for the second time.
1696 (9th September)
Caroline’s mother died. Caroline and her brother William Frederick were sent to Ansbach where they were placed in the care of their half-brother George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
1697 (during)
George Frederick had no interest in looking after a girl and Caroline was placed in the care of Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife Sophie Charlotte. Frederick and Sophie believed in the education of girls and Caroline was, for the first time, given a formal education.
1701 (18th January)
Caroline’s guardians, Frederick and Sophie Charlotte, became King and Queen of Prussia.
1703 (during)
Archduke Charles of Austria made a proposed a marriage between himself and Caroline but she refused as she did not want to convert to Catholicism.
1705 (1st February)
Sophie Charlotte of Prussia died. Caroline was devastated by her death as they had been very close.
1705 (June)
Prince George Augustus of Hanover, who was also third in line to the British throne, paid a visit to the court of the Ansbach family to see if he liked Caroline. He made the visit in disguise so that she did not know who he really was. George liked Caroline and negotiations for their marriage began. Caroline was happy with the match.
1705 (22nd August)
Caroline married George Augustus heir to the Electorate of Hanover at Herrenhausen, Hanover, Germany.
1707 (1st February)
A son, Frederick Louis, was born to Caroline and George at Hanover, Germany.
1707 (July)
Caroline was taken ill with smallpox. George refused to leave her side and also caught the disease. They both recovered.
1709 (2nd November)
A daughter, Anne, was born to George and Caroline at Hanover, Germany.
1711 (10th June)
A daughter, Amelia Sophia Eleanor, was born to George and Caroline at Hanover, Germany. She was known as Emily.
1713 (10th June)
A daughter, Caroline Elizabeth, was born to George and Caroline at Hanover, Germany.
1714 (28th May)
Caroline was at the bedside of George’s grandmother, Sophia, when she died. Sophia’s death meant that George was now second in line to the throne of Britain.
1714 (1st August)
Caroline’s father-in-law became King of Great Britain after Queen Anne, died without issue. Caroline’s husband, George, became heir to the throne and was created Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay.
1714 (18th September)
Caroline’s husband, George sailed to England with his father.
1714 (27th September)
Caroline’s husband George was invested as Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester.
1714 (October)
Caroline and two of her daughters arrived in England. Her son, Frederick, remained in Hanover to represent the family.
1714 (20th October)
George’s father was crowned King George I of Great Britain at Westminster Abbey.
1716 (20th November)
Caroline was delivered of a stillborn son at St James’s Palace, London.
1717 (10th January)
Caroline’s son, Frederick Louis was created Duke of Gloucester.
1717 (13th November)
A son, George William, was born to Caroline and George at St James’s Palace, London.
1717 (late)
Caroline and George had to leave their home at St James’s Palace after George quarrelled with his father over the choice of godparent for George William. They moved to Leicester House but were forbidden to take their children.
1718 (during)
Caroline suffered a miscarriage.
1718 (January)
King George allowed Caroline to visit her children but they remained in his care.
1718 (January)
Caroline’s son, George William, became ill. King George allowed Caroline and George to visit their son whenever they chose.
1718 (17th February)
George’s son George William, died at Kensington Palace London.
1720 (during)
With the help of Robert Walpole, Caroline helped effect a reconciliation between her husband and his father, King George I. She hoped that the return of her children would follow but the King kept them in his care.
1722 (around)
Caroline entertained many artists, authors and poets at Leicester House including Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels.
1721 (26th April)
A son, William Augustus, was born to Caroline and George at St James’s Palace, London.
1723 (5th March)
A daughter, Mary, was born to George and Caroline at Leicester House, London.
1724 (18th December)
A daughter, Louisa, was born to George and Caroline at Leicester House, London. Caroline suffered an umbilical hernia following the birth.
1725 (around)
Caroline convinced the king to allow six prisoners to be inoculated against smallpox. When they survived she allowed her own children to be inoculated popularising the practice.
1727 (28th May)
George became King George II after his father died in Hanover following a stroke. Caroline was named Queen Consort.
1727 (11th June)
George’s son, Frederick Louis, was created Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay.
1727 (11th October)
George was crowned King George II and Caroline Queen at Westminster Abbey. The music ‘Zadok the Priest’ composed by George Frederic Handel was played at the coronation. It has been used at all coronations since.
1728 (during)
Caroline’s son, Frederick Louis arrived in England. Caroline and George were dismayed by his penchant for women, gambling and practical jokes. He was also full of resentment against his parents for leaving him in Germany. His attitude led to a rift between him and his father.
1729 (8th January)
George’s son, Frederick Louis, was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester.
1729 (May)
Caroline was made regent of Britain while her husband, George was in Hanover. Her son Frederick was not happy with the decision believing that he, as heir. should have been named regent.
1729 (9th November)
Treaty of Seville
While regent, Caroline’s government successfully concluded this treaty that brought the war with Spain to an end.
While regent, Caroline’s government successfully concluded this treaty that brought the war with Spain to an end.
1732 (May)
Caroline was again made regent of Britain while her husband, George was in Hanover.
1734 (25th March)
Caroline’s daughter, Anne, married William IV of Orange at the Chapel Royal St James’s Palace, London.
1735 (Summer)
Caroline was again made regent of Britain while her husband, George was in Hanover. Her son Frederick continued to be disruptive.
1736 (27th April)
Caroline’s son, Frederick Louis married Augusta, daughter of Frederick II, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg at the Chapel Royal St James’s Palace, London. Caroline and her husband had arranged the marriage.
1737 (9th November)
The umbilical hernia that Caroline had suffered in 1724 ruptured leaving her in a lot of pain.
1737 (after 9th November)
Caroline’s physicians bled her and operated on the ruptured hernia but her condition continued to worsen.
1737 (20th November)
Caroline died at St James’s Palace.
Published Jan 05, 2019 @ 10:10 am – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page::
Heather Y Wheeler. (2019 – 2021). Caroline of Ansbach 1683 – 1737. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/caroline-of-ansbach-1683-1737. Last accessed [date]