Viceroy of GG

Does anyone know why the term Governor-general was chosen for the
Monarch's representativefor the Dominions and not Viceroy?

Don Aitken...

Probably for the same reason that "dominion" was chosen in preference
to "kingdom" - a wish not to upset the Americans. Canada was the
first, and, for more than 30 years to only, case.

Stan Brown...

But Canada was not the first to have a governor general -- I think
that was India (Hastings, 1774-1785). The title was changed to
viceroy in 1858 when the UK assumed direct rule.

CJ Buyers...

I think he meant that Canada was the first dominion.

In any case, Hastings was made GG of Bengal by the Regulation Act 1773,
13 Geo III, cap 63. The office of GG of India did not come into being
until 1833 ( 3&4 William IV, cap. 85). The office of Viceroy did not
replace that of GG, it was an additional office created in 1858 (21&22
Victoria, cap. 106).

The office of GG of the North American Provinces (most of modern
Canada) dates from 1838. The official title of the Irish Viceroy had
been "Her Majesty's Lieutenant and General Governor" from at least the
reign of Elizabeth I.

atsarisborn...

Viceroy implies actual control of the place, by the monarch or the
monarch's government. (The Viceroy -- at least in the Spanish
possessions where it was used -- was understood to represent the
monarch and to exercise monarchical powers; by the time the British
used it, the monarch was not the power in the land, but the Viceroy too
served the bidding of the government.)

Governor-general has far slighter authority or presence than a monarch
in situ or a viceroy would probably have. The position was not created
to entertain monarchists in the dominion, but to maintain the link with
the government of the mother country.

CJ Buyers...

Except that the opposite was the case. Presence perhaps, authority no.

Jim McQuiggin...

This quote from Wikipedia, from the article "Governor General of New
France":
"Governor General of New France was the vice-regal post in New France
from 1663 until 1763. It replaced the title of Governor of New
France."
The term for use in Canada predates the Treaty of Paris (1763).

The Governor-General was the administrative head and supreme resident
authority in British India, i.e. that part of the Indian Empire
directly administered by the crown.

Jean Coeur de Lapin