Kings and Queens

William IV

"The Sailor King" 
Born in 1765 
Ascended in 1830
Died in 1837, aged 71 
Reigned for 7 years 
Married to Adelaide (of Saxe-Coburg and Meiningen), bearing 2 daughters.
 
William IV was the second son of George III's to come to the throne. He was crowned after his brother George IV died, in 1830, after spending 10 years as King. William was already quite an old man and only spent seven years as King before dying, at the age of 64, in 1837. He left no heirs and the throne went to the daughter of George III's fourth child - Queen Victoria.

William was known as the sailor king because, as the Duke of Clarence, he had been Lord High Admiral for some time. He had actually been forced out of this post shortly before his coronation due to arguments with his brother, the king. 

During William's reign the Reform Bill was passed through parliament, giving the House of Commons increased powers. William thought it was right to back this because the people wanted it, although he did not fully support it. He even asked Lord Grey to form a Whig government to replace the Tory one and to introduce these reforms. William was friendly and approachable, but often this did not earn him much respect because he acquired the name Silly Billy.

Charles Dickens wrote Oliver Twist in the year of his death.