On the 1st of January 1801, a Proclamation was issued by the King regarding the Legislative Union with Ireland, and certain armorial changes are noted. The first is that in future the title of the King is to be "of Great Britain and Ireland King," instead of as heretofore, "King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland." Next the arms "shall be Quarterly: first and fourth England; second Scotland; third Ireland; and it is our Will and Pleasure that there shall be borne therewith on an escutcheon of pretence, the arms of Our Dominions in Germany, ensigned with the electoral Bonnet." So that now the fourth quarter, as used by George I. and George II., is moved up, and shown on the escutcheon of pretence in the centre of the shield. It will be noticed that the Fleurs-de-lys of France are now left out of the English coat-of-arms, as well as the title of King of France. The arms of France had been used in the English coat-of-arms since their adoption, with the motto "DIEU ET MON DROIT," by Edward III. in 1341, when he claimed the throne of France by right of his mother Isabella, only surviving child of Philippe IV. From that time until 6th March 1706, when Queen Anne changed the first quarter of the English coat, the French Fleurs-de-lys had held the place of honour. Although the French coat was discarded in 1801, the motto which alluded to the same claim to the French throne has been retained and is still used. The Fleurs-de-lys of France were at first semées, but Charles VI. of France reduced them to three, and a corresponding change was presently made in the English coat. In 1816 the electorate of Hanover was given the rank of a kingdom, so that the electoral bonnet no longer properly represented the dignity. On 8th June 1816, a notice was given in the London _Gazette_ that his Majesty was in future "King of Hanover," and that a corresponding alteration is to be made in the Royal arms, and it is ordered that, "instead of the arms of His Majesty's Dominions in Germany, ensigned with the electoral bonnet, as directed by His Majesty's Proclamation above mentioned, there shall henceforth be used and borne with the arms or ensigns armorial of His Majesty's said United Kingdom, on an escutcheon of pretence, the arms of His Majesty's Dominions in Germany, ensigned with the Hanoverian Royal Crown." The Royal title _Britanniarum Rex_, "King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland," without the Ducal titles of the Royal Dominions in Germany, which had been used by George I. and George II., first appears on the Fifth Great Seal of George III., used from 1st August 1815 to 17th September 1821. [Illustration] GEORGE IV., KING OF THE BRITAINS