King George II Diplomatic Passport 1741 | Passport History

Tom Topol © Passport-collector.com Hours

A 1741 Royal Passport Signed by King George II: British Diplomatic History Preserved in Ink

George II (1683 to 1760) was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover), and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. He reigned from 11 June 1727 until his death and holds a unique place in British royal history as the last British monarch born outside Great Britain, having grown up in northern Germany.

Handwritten signature of King George II of Great Britain, circa 18th century

This document is not merely a passport. It is a signed artefact of 18th-century British statecraft, issued in London on 14 October 1741, granting safe passage across British-controlled German territories to a senior Spanish diplomat.

What Is This Diplomatic Passport?

A diplomatic passport issued by a reigning monarch granting free and safe passage to a foreign minister through British-controlled territories. This 1741 document bears King George II’s personal signature and was written in French, the diplomatic language of the era.

The Passport Document: Full Translation and Historical Context

The original text, composed in French, reads (approximately translated):

“George the second, by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg, Arch-Treasurer of the Holy Empire, hereby orders all chiefs, commanders and Lieutenant-Generals of our Army, guardians of our bridges and passages, and generally all our officers and other persons subject to our authority to let securely and freely pass through all places under their power and jurisdiction the Marquis Del Puerto, travelling as Minister Plenipotentiary of His (or Her) Catholic Majesty to Stockholm, having granted him this Passport for Himself as well as his servants, accompanying staff, (personal) papers, clothes and baggage’s, and ordering that during his passage through our States in Germany, no trouble or impeachments be done to him, but on the contrary, all aid, favor and assistance that he may stand in need (be granted to him)”

Two details in this text reward close reading.

“His Catholic Majesty” and the King of Spain

The title “His Catholic Majesty” was the formal designation for the King (or Queen) of Spain, a style granted by the papacy and used in official diplomatic correspondence throughout the early modern period. The Marquis Del Puerto was therefore a senior envoy of the Spanish Crown, travelling to Stockholm on a diplomatic mission.

“King of France”: A Title in Name Only

George II’s document styles him as “King of France,” a claim English and then British monarchs had maintained since Edward III but which was entirely theoretical by 1741. England had lost its last French territorial foothold, Calais, in 1558, nearly two centuries before this passport was issued. The title was finally dropped by George III in 1801.

Why This Document Matters to Passport History

For anyone researching the history of travel documents and diplomatic passports, this piece is exceptional for several reasons:

  • It bears the personal signature of a British monarch, a feature that distinguishes it from bureaucratically issued passes of the same era.
  • The language and structure mirror modern British passports remarkably closely. The classic formula requesting safe passage for the bearer is still echoed in contemporary UK passport wording.
  • It provides direct evidence of how diplomatic immunity was communicated and enforced across borders in 18th-century Europe.
  • It connects Britain’s Hanoverian Crown to its continental German territories, a dimension of British royal history that is often underrepresented in popular accounts.
1741 diplomatic passport issued by King George II granting safe passage to Marquis Del Puerto, front
1741 diplomatic passport King George II, interior text in French, London issue date


This document is held and researched by Tom Topol, passport historian and author, whose work has been featured by CNN, BBC, and Newsweek, and who has been formally recognised by the U.S. Department of State. Tom specialises in rare, antique, and diplomatically significant travel documents from across the world and across the centuries.

Follow the research on Instagram: @passporthistory
Explore more documents from this period in the passport history archive at passport-collector.com.

 

Tom Topol, passport history expert

Tom Topol | Passport Historian & Author
Featured in media incl. CNN, BBC, Newsweek. Awarded by the U.S. Dept. of State
Ask Me | Recognition List | My Book List 

More fascinating articles...