Brunswick Triumphant, or The Battle of the Bloods. . .

This is the first of three crudely satiric prints—all published by James Aitken and all related to a somewhat confusing but very public dispute between the Prince of Wales's brother, the Duke of York, and Lt. Colonel Charles Lennox, a member of the Duke's regiment in the Cold Stream Guards. (The other two prints are A Prince and a Poltron and The Coward Comforted.) This one portrays York and Lennox as pugilists, stripped to the waist in mid-match. Behind them are their "Seconds," York's brother, the Prince of Wales and Lennox's uncle, the Duke of Richmond. There is no doubt about the outcome, however, as the cowardly Lennox is apparently down on one knee before a blow has been struck, and both Lennox and his uncle declare their unworthiness to appear in the same ring with the Prince.

For heavens sake, forbear! we are nothing but a brood of Bastards! Bastards begot – Bastards instructed – Bastards in Mind – Bastards in Valour – in every thing illegitimate – we are neither of Blood, or of Honor, to cope with your Hi—h—ss!!

The first thing to note about Brunswick Triumphant, however, is that the scene portrayed there never happened. There never was a boxing match between Prince Frederick and Charles Lennox. And the duel between the two using pistols (which DID happen) was still several days away (May 26).

So why did a supposedly personal insult become a "Battle of the Bloods" even before the real contest took place? Because as the title and subtitle suggests, this was never really personal at all, but instead reflected a much deeper nervousness brought on by the Regency crisis about the future and stability of the Brunswick-Hanover line.**

In the wake of the madness of King George, the Whigs wished to immediately install their favorite, the Prince of Wales, as Regent and all but King, which would have in effect led to a complete change of government. Pitt and the Tories (naturally) resisted, arguing that the King could soon recover from his ailment (as, ultimately, he did) and that consitutional precedents ought to be examined before making wholesale changes.

This resistance, however, was almost immediately interpreted by partisans of the Prince as a virtual coup and spawned a number of prints in reaction, including recent ones attributed to Gillray (preceding the supposed insult) such as Prince Pitt and King Pitt. In those prints, the heir apparent Prince of Wales is pinned down by (significantly) the Duke of Lennox while Pitt (described as "this new Pretender") reaches for the crown. And, as in Brunswick Triumphant, the origination of the Lennox line in a bastard branch of the Stuarts is emphasized.

Brunswick Triumphant is, then, best seen as carrying on the argument in Prince Pitt of the inherent nobility and superiority of the Prince of Wales over the Lennox/Stuart line whose representatives were supporters of Pitt. It is unusully crude and unambiguous for Gillray, however, so I suspect it reflects Aitken's views more than Gillray's.

The verbal sparring alone between the Brunswick and Lennox camps might have suggested the boxing metaphor used in the print, but it couldn't have hurt that Gillray and the country had just been caught up in the excitement of the long-awaited battle between Mendoza and Humphrey. One can see the influence of the earlier print in the disposition of figures.

** The caption too puts the print into a larger frame. It is from Henry VI Part II Act V, Scene 1, one of three plays about the dynastic battles between the Yorkists and Lancastrians.

Henry VI	Brunswick Triumphant
Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur, Run back and bite, because he was withheld; Who being suffered with the bear's fell paw, Hath clapped his tail between his legs and cried. . .	Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening Cur, Run back & bark – because he was with-held, Who being suffer'd in the Bear's fell paw Hath clap'd his Tail between his Legs & cry'd

Sources and Reading

• Commentary from the British Museum on Brunswick Triumphant, or The Battle of the Bloods. . .
• "Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany," Wikipedia
• "George IV," Wikipedia
• "Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond," Wikipedia
• "Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond," Wikipedia