king of america:the misunderstood reign of george iii welcome. thank you. tell me first, why do you think we have this impression of george iii? it s not just hamilton. there was a movie i m talking popular culture, the madness of king george. this is kind of a popular conception? very much, yes. exactly. and there isn t a day that goes by in america that some newspaper or website doesn t call him a dictator or tyrannical ruler. i think it comes primarily, of course, from the declaration of independence in which it said he was unfit to be the ruler of the free people. which i see very much as a brilliant and beautifully written shakespearean sublime two-thirds and the next third contains charges against the king, only two of which he was guilty of. you re right.