Golden Cavalry of St George
Encyclopedia
The Golden Cavalry of St George was the colloquial name of subsidies paid out by the British government to other Europe
an states in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, through particularly during the Napoleonic Wars
. The name comes from the image of Saint George
, the patron saint of England
, on the British golden guinea
coin.
During the War of the Austrian Succession
Britain kept Austria afloat by large subsidies owing to the Anglo-Austrian Alliance
. Eight years later in the Seven Years War they did the same for Prussia
, who were now their allies against the Austrians. The Anglo-Prussian Convention
signed in April 1757 guaranteed Prussia a payment of £670,000 a year.
a number of European states were allied with the British against France
who were attempting to achieve continental supremacy. Britain, which had a large navy
but a small army, was unable to deploy major forces on the European continent. As Britain was a wealthy commercial power, they were able to pay out millions of pounds to Allied nations, who could field much larger armies against the French. An example is the £1,500,000 paid to Austria
to commit troops to the campaign against the French
in the Netherlands
in 1793, an expedition to which the British could contribute only men.
Large sums were made available for the purpose, sometimes as formal subsidies and sometimes as bribes for European statesman. This was partly funded by the introduction of the Income Tax
by Prime Minister William Pitt
. Though the policy was extremely costly, it ultimately proved successful as a coalition of European nations eventually defeated France in 1814.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an states in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, through particularly during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. The name comes from the image of Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
, the patron saint of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on the British golden guinea
Guinea (British coin)
The guinea is a coin that was minted in the Kingdom of England and later in the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom between 1663 and 1813...
coin.
During the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
Britain kept Austria afloat by large subsidies owing to the Anglo-Austrian Alliance
Anglo-Austrian Alliance
The Anglo-Austrian Alliance connected the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Habsburg monarchy during the first half of the 18th century. It was largely the work of the British statesman Duke of Newcastle, who considered an alliance with Austria crucial to prevent the further expansion of French...
. Eight years later in the Seven Years War they did the same for Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, who were now their allies against the Austrians. The Anglo-Prussian Convention
Anglo-Prussian Convention
The Anglo-Prussian Convention was agreed on 11 April 1758 between Great Britain and the Kingdom of Prussia formalising the alliance between them that had effectively existed since the Convention of Westminster in 1756....
signed in April 1757 guaranteed Prussia a payment of £670,000 a year.
Napoleonic Wars
During the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
a number of European states were allied with the British against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
who were attempting to achieve continental supremacy. Britain, which had a large navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
but a small army, was unable to deploy major forces on the European continent. As Britain was a wealthy commercial power, they were able to pay out millions of pounds to Allied nations, who could field much larger armies against the French. An example is the £1,500,000 paid to Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
to commit troops to the campaign against the French
Flanders Campaign
This feature refers to the conflict that took place during the Wars of the French Revolution 1792–1801.For the Low Countries campaigns of the War of the Grand Alliance 1688–97 see Nine Years' War...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1793, an expedition to which the British could contribute only men.
Large sums were made available for the purpose, sometimes as formal subsidies and sometimes as bribes for European statesman. This was partly funded by the introduction of the Income Tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
by Prime Minister William Pitt
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
. Though the policy was extremely costly, it ultimately proved successful as a coalition of European nations eventually defeated France in 1814.