George III vs Joseph II

George III's reign saw the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War after colonial protests against British taxation. Britain lost the war after the French intervention. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 recognized American independence, ending British control of the Thirteen Colonies.

George III gave royal assent to the Acts of Union, which united Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This created a single parliament in London and ended the Irish Parliament. The union took effect on January 1, 1801.

George III's reign included the Napoleonic Wars against France under Napoleon Bonaparte. Britain fought coalitions across Europe and at sea. The wars ended with Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815, establishing British naval supremacy and colonial expansion.

George III suffered a final relapse of mental illness, likely due to porphyria. He became permanently incapacitated, leading to the Regency Act of 1811. His son George IV became Prince Regent, ruling in his stead until George III's death in 1820.

George III died at Windsor Castle at age 81, blind and deaf. He was buried in St George's Chapel. His 60-year reign was the longest of any British monarch at that time. His death ended the Regency era and passed the throne to George IV.

Joseph II attempted to exchange the Austrian Netherlands for Bavaria, triggering the War of the Bavarian Succession against Prussia. The conflict, known as the 'Potato War,' ended with the Treaty of Teschen in 1779, which prevented the exchange and left Joseph's ambitions unfulfilled.

Joseph II issued the Serfdom Patent, abolishing serfdom in the Habsburg hereditary lands. Peasants were granted personal freedom, the right to marry without seigneurial permission, and the ability to move freely, though they still owed labor obligations to landlords.

Joseph II issued the Edict of Toleration, granting religious freedom to non-Catholic Christians, including Protestants and Orthodox, in the Habsburg monarchy. Jews also received limited civil rights. This was a major step toward religious pluralism in a Catholic state.

Joseph II dissolved over 700 monasteries that were deemed non-contributory to society, using their wealth to fund education, hospitals, and other state institutions. This secularization policy provoked strong opposition from the Catholic Church and conservative nobles.