Who Would Be King of the United States If George Washington Had Become a Monarch?
A UsefulCharts video by Matt Baker explores hypothetical succession scenarios if George Washington had become king instead of president. Washington had no biological descendants, so the line could trace through his adopted son, his nephew, or the senior-most heir of his father. The video presents four candidates: King Robert III (Robert E. Lee V), Queen Brynda (Brynda Hansen), King Richard (Richard Washington), and King Larry II (Lawrence Shaffner, descendant of Washington's nephew Bushrod). Baker considers Shaffner the most convincing candidate. The video is part of a series on alternate history, previously covering a similar scenario for the Roman Empire.
Key facts
- George Washington refused a third term as president, setting a two-term precedent.
- Washington had no biological descendants.
- Possible successors include his adopted son, nephew, or father's senior heir.
- Candidates: Robert E. Lee V, Brynda Hansen, Richard Washington, Lawrence Shaffner.
- Lawrence Shaffner is considered the most convincing candidate.
- The video is by UsefulCharts, hosted by Matt Baker.
- A similar video explored who would be Roman emperor if the empire still existed.
- The article is published on Open Culture.
Entities
Artists
- George Washington
- Martha Washington
- Robert E. Lee V
- Brynda Hansen
- Richard Washington
- Lawrence Shaffner
- Bushrod Washington
- Matt Baker
- Colin Marshall
Institutions
- UsefulCharts
- Open Culture
- Washington Post
Locations
- United States
- Seoul
- South Korea