Washington Was Offered the Role of King — and Refused

After the Revolutionary War, some American officers and civilians genuinely wanted to make George Washington the king of the new nation. In 1782, Colonel Lewis Nicola wrote Washington a letter suggesting a monarchy with Washington as king. Washington firmly rejected the idea, writing back that no letter had 'given me more painful sensations' and that the proposal was 'big with the greatest mischiefs that can befall my Country.'

Source

https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-08501

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Published: April 8, 2026
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George Washington History Politics

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