11 Facts About Gordon Riots

Gordon Riots occurred near the height of the American War of Independence, when Britain, with no major allies, was fighting American rebels, France, and Spain.

Lord George Gordon Riots became its President in 1779, in an effort to force the repeal of the Papists Act.

Gordon Riots implied that Catholics in the military would, given a chance, join forces with their co-religionists on the Continent and attack Britain.

Gordon Riots enjoyed popularity in Scotland where he took part in a successful campaign to prevent the same legislation from being introduced into Scots law, although the Act continued in force in England and Wales and in Ireland.

The success in obstructing the law in Scotland led Gordon Riots to believe he could enjoy similar success in the rest of Britain and Ireland.

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Early in 1780 Gordon Riots had several audiences with King George III but was unable to convince him of what he saw as the dangers of the act.

George III initially humoured Gordon Riots, but grew increasingly irritated with him and eventually refused any future audiences.

Gordon Riots was arrested and charged with high treason, but was found not guilty.

Gordon Riots damaged the reputation of Britain across Europe, where many saw British constitutional monarchy as an inherently unstable form of government.

Gordon Riots highlighted the problems Britain faced by not deploying a professional police force, a notion which was opposed as foreign and absolutist.

Gordon Riots destroyed the popularity of radical politician John Wilkes, who led citizen militiamen against the rioters.