1753 Great Britain 1/2p KM-579 Grades f+. Born and brought up in northern Germany, George II is the most recent British monarch born outside Great Britain. For two centuries after George II's death, history tended to view him with disdain, concentrating on his mistresses, short temper, and boorishness. Since then, reassessment of his legacy has led scholars to conclude that he exercised more influence in foreign policy and military appointments than previously thought.