<P> The Hanoverian succession came about as a result of the Act of Settlement 1701, passed by the Parliament of England, which excluded "Papists" (i.e. Roman Catholics) from the succession . In return for access to the English plantations in North America and the West Indies, the Hanoverian succession and the Union were ratified by the Parliament of Scotland in 1707 . </P> <P> After the death of Anne with no living children, George Louis, the son of Sophia of Hanover--granddaughter of James I through his daughter Elizabeth--was the closest heir to the throne who was not Catholic . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Arms </Th> <Th> Birth </Th> <Th> Marriages </Th> <Th> Death </Th> <Th> Claim </Th> <Th> Ref . </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> George I George Louis 1 August 1714--11 June 1727 (12 years, 315 days) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 28 May 1660 Leineschloss Son of Ernest Augustus of Brunswick - Lüneburg and Sophia of Hanover </Td> <Td> Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick - Lüneburg - Celle 21 November 1682 2 children </Td> <Td> 11 June 1727 Osnabrück Aged 67 </Td> <Td> Great - grandson of James VI and I Act of Settlement Eldest son of Sophia of Hanover </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> George II George Augustus 11 June 1727--25 October 1760 (33 years, 137 days) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 30 October 1683 Herrenhausen Son of George I and Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick - Lüneburg - Celle </Td> <Td> Caroline of Brandenburg - Ansbach 22 August 1705 Herrenhausen 8 children </Td> <Td> 25 October 1760 Kensington Palace Aged 76 </Td> <Td> Son of George I </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> George III George William Frederick 25 October 1760--29 January 1820 (59 years, 97 days) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 4 June 1738 Norfolk House Son of Prince Frederick and Augusta of Saxe - Gotha </Td> <Td> Charlotte of Mecklenburg - Strelitz St James's Palace 8 September 1761 15 children </Td> <Td> 29 January 1820 Windsor Castle Aged 81 </Td> <Td> Grandson of George II </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> George IV George Augustus Frederick 29 January 1820--26 June 1830 (10 years, 149 days) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 12 August 1762 St James's Palace Son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg - Strelitz </Td> <Td> (1) Maria Fitzherbert Park Lane 15 September 1785 No verified children (2) Caroline of Brunswick - Wolfenbüttel St James's Palace 8 April 1795 1 daughter </Td> <Td> 26 June 1830 Windsor Castle Aged 67 </Td> <Td> Son of George III </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> William IV William Henry 26 June 1830--20 June 1837 (6 years, 360 days) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 21 August 1765 Buckingham Palace Son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg - Strelitz </Td> <Td> Adelaide of Saxe - Meiningen Kew Palace 13 July 1818 2 daughters </Td> <Td> 20 June 1837 Windsor Castle Aged 71 </Td> <Td> Son of George III </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Victoria Alexandrina Victoria 20 June 1837--22 January 1901 (63 years, 217 days) </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 24 May 1819 Kensington Palace Daughter of the Duke of Kent and Strathearn and Victoria of Saxe - Coburg - Saalfeld </Td> <Td> Albert of Saxe - Coburg and Gotha St James's Palace 10 February 1840 9 children </Td> <Td> 22 January 1901 Osborne House Aged 81 </Td> <Td> Granddaughter of George III </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Portrait </Th> <Th> Arms </Th> <Th> Birth </Th> <Th> Marriages </Th> <Th> Death </Th> <Th> Claim </Th> <Th> Ref . </Th> </Tr>

Who was reigning monarch of the uk in 1900