All Thrones in England – Social History of Britain

Saxon Kings

1. Egbert (827 – 839)
2. Aethelwulf – (839 -858)
3. Aethelbald (858 – 860 )
4. Aethelbert (860 – 866)
5. Athelred I (866 -871)
6. Alfred the Great (871-899)
   1. Anglo – Saxon King of Wessex
   2. Resisted Danish attacks
7. Edward (the Elder) (899 – 924)
8. Athelstan (924 – 939)
9. Edmund (939 – 946)
10. Eadred (946 – 955)
11. Eadwig (955 – 959)
12. Edgar (959 – 975)
13. Edward the Martyr (975 -978)
14. Athelred II the Unready (978 – 1016)
15. Edmund II Ironside (1016 – 1016)
16. Canute (CNUT The Great) The Dane (1016 – 1035)
17. Harold I (1035 -1040)
18. Harthacanute (1040 -1042)
19. Edward the Confessor (1042 -1066
    )
    1. Last great Saxon King
20. Harold II (1066 )

Norman/France Kings

1. William I (The Conqueror)/ William The Bastard (1066 – 1087
   )
   1. Norman invaded England
   2. Battle of Hestings
   3. Feudalism introduced in England
2. William II (Rufus) 1087 – 1100
3. Henry I (1100 – 1135)
4. Stephen (1135 – 1154)

Plantagenet Kings

1. Henry II (1154 – 1189)
   1. Brought order among the rebellious barons and strengthened kingship.
   2. He claimed to rule Scotland, Wales, and a part of Ireland
   3. Next wanted to control the Roman Catholic church in England, which let to a bitter conflict with Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.
   4. Favored Anglo – Saxon Common law over the Roman law.
   5. Introduced trial by jury and Circuit courts.
2. Richard I (The Lionheart) (1189 – 1199
   )
   1. Henry II’s Successor, spent his life in the Holy Land fighting in the Third Crusade (* Crusade = A series of wars fought between Christian & Muslims over the issue of control over the land of Jerusalem), Crusades took place between 1095 to 1291.
3. John (1199 – 1216)
   1. Brother of Richard I, a poor ruler with several enemies.
   2. Fought with barons and Pope Innocent III
   3. To reduce John’s power, Barons along with leaders of the Church, drew up a document known as Magna Carta (The Great Charter) of 1215, and forced him to sign it. And it changed history as it said King is not above law, first attempt by English people to limit the power of the King.
4. Henry III (1216 – 1272)
   1. John’s elder son, during his reign the Dominican and Frenciscan Friars began to arrive in England, these monks followed St Dominic of Spain and St. Francis of Assisi, respectively. The Dominicans wore black coats and were called Black Friars, the Franciscans wore grey coats and were called Grey Friars. They significantly contributed to the social life of the age. Roger Bacon, a great scientist, was a well known Franciscan friar of 13th C.  another was great philosopher , John Duns Scotus.
   2. He constructed the Westminister Abbey.

Monarchs of England and Wales

1. Edward I (1272 – 1307)
   1. Parliament began to develop. He used to call meetings of nobles, churchmen, knights.
   2. During his reign Wales was brought under English Control.
   3. He gave the title ‘Price of Wales’ to his son who was born in Wales
   4. He made several attempt to become the king of Scotland but defeated by Robert Bruce.
2. Edward II (1307 – deposed 1327)
   1. Also tried to conquer Scotland but defeated in the famous Battle of Bannockburn
   2. Roburt Bruce was recognized as king of Scotland by England
3. Edward III (1327 – 1377)
   1. Son of Edward II and Isabella ( Daughter of the French King Philip IV), claimed the throne of France.
   2. His claim of France led to the Hundred Years’ War, when Edward III landed an army in Normandy.
   3. Geoffrey Chaucer lived during his reign. Canturbury Tales reflects the lives of people of his days.
   4. Other poets: John Gower, William Langland, Langland’s Piers Plowman also gives us a fascinating picture of 14th C. England.
   5. *Guilds: Some societies & Institutions were formed in 1300s for common feasting and drinking, they also produced high standard goods.
   6. Black Death: Pandemic of bubonic plague.
   7. People began to question the authority of the Church. John Wycliffe voiced them, his followers translated the Bible in English  in 1382. His followers were called Lollards.
   8. He created an Order of Garter around 1348. It was an exclusive honour given to just 26 knights including the king.
4. Richard II (1377 – deposed 1399)
   1. Hundred Years war with France continued
   2. Peasants’ Revolt 1381:
      1. People grew restless and opposed the high taxes for war. Uprising of farm labourers led by Wat Tyler.
      2. Parliament also refused to approve high taxes to support the war. The kind was abandoned by his royal advisors, and was forced to concede to their demand.
      3. Peasants continued to make more demands, this led to the murder of Wat Tyler. The King suppressed the rebellion by troop. Revoked all his promises.
      4. Richard II tried to rule without the parliament, for this became unpopular, the country went against him.
      5. He was forced to abdicate, and the Duke of Lancaster was crowned as Henry IV

House of Lancaster

1. Henry IV (1399 – 1413)
   1. Was busy with some small rebellion with English noble.
2. Henry V (1413 – 1422)
   1. Revived Hundred Years War, and got victory at Agincourt in 1415, forcing the French king to accept him as regent and heir to the French Throne.
   2. After his death France refused the claim of England on the French throne.The Hundred Years war started again. A french force led by a peasant girl, Joan of Arc, defeated England at Oreans. French success continued,
   3. The War ended in 1453, with English holding only the city of Calais.
3. Henry VI (1422 – Deposed 1461)
   1. The Duke of York, a descendant of Edward III, claimed the English throne.
   2. Beginning of The War of Roses (1455 – 1485): A civil war between two houses: Lancaster & York, name derived from their symbols: White Rose =Yorkists, Red Rose = Lancasterians
   3. 1461, Edward IV of York defeated Henry VI.

House of York

1. Edward IV (1461 – 1483)
   1. A central figure in the War of Roses
2. Edward V (1483 – 1483)
   1. Son of Edward IV. Ruled only for two months.
   2. Deposed and murdered by King Richard III.
3. Richard III (1483 – 1485)
   1. After Edward IV died, Richard III imprisoned the minor sons of Edward and declared himself King.

The Tudors

1. Henry VII (1485 – 1509)
   1. A heir to the House of Lancaster.
   2. Defeated Richard.
   3. The War of Roses came to an end when Henry VII married Edward IV’s daughter Elizabeth. Through the marriage Houses of York and Lancaster united.
   4. Medieval to early modern era started, Renaissance and Reformation began
   5. A strong peaceful time

Monarchs of England, Wales, Ireland

2. Henry VIII (1509 – 1547)
   1. Son of Henry VII, married 6 times: Catherine of Aragon (the widow of Henry’s brother, Arthur), Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleaves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr.
   2. Reformation began: fight with pope over his divorce, Henry VIII declared himself supreme head of the church in England through Act of Supremacy, Monasteries were sold.
   3. Though he rejected the authority of Pope, but was Catholic by heart.
3. Edward VI (1547 – 1553)
   1. England became a protestant country for the first time.
   2. Guilds were closed, people went angry.
4. Mary I (Bloody Mary) – (1553 – 1558)
   1. Restored Catholic Church, reconnected with Rome.
   2. Repealed the Act of Supremacy and rest of the anti-papal laws of Henry VIII. Protestants were killed
5. Elizabeth I (1558 – 1603)
   1. Restored protestatism in England through diplomatic Church settlement. This Anglican settlement was opposed by both Catholics and the puritans.
   2. At the end of her reign, 3 religious parties were in England:
      1. Anglicans: who supported Elizabeth or protestants
      2. Catholics: Who rejected the act of Supremacy
      3. Puritans: who wished for further protestant reforms. And believed Bible the sole authority.

British Monarchs

The Stuarts

• James I of England (James VI of Scotland) (1566-1625): James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and was raised in Scotland. He became King of Scotland in 1567 and King of England and Ireland in 1603. James was a strong believer in the divine right of kings, and he ruled with an authoritarian style.
• Charles I of England and Scotland (1600-1649): Charles was the son of James I and Anne of Denmark. He became King of England and Scotland in 1625. Charles was also a strong believer in the divine right of kings, but he was not as popular as his father. He clashed with Parliament on a number of issues, including religious policy and taxation. This led to the English Civil War, which ended with Charles’ defeat and execution in 1649.
• Charles II of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1630-1685): Charles was the son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France. He was restored to the throne in 1660 after the end of the English Civil War. Charles II was a popular monarch, and he is known for his patronage of the arts and sciences.
• James II of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1633-1701): James was the son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France. He became King of England, Scotland, and Ireland in 1685. James was a Catholic, and his attempts to promote Catholicism led to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. James was overthrown and replaced by his daughter, Mary II, and her husband, William III.

The Stuart dynasty came to an end in 1701 with the death of James II’s daughter, Queen Anne. Anne had no children, and the throne passed to George I of the House of Hanover.

The House of Hanover

The House of Hanover was the British royal house that ruled Great Britain and Ireland from 1714 to 1901. The House of Hanover was founded by George I, who was invited to become king of Great Britain after the death of Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch. The House of Hanover ruled Great Britain and Ireland for over 180 years. During this time, Great Britain became a major world power, and the Industrial Revolution transformed the country. The House of Hanover also saw the expansion of the British Empire, and the abolition of slavery.

• George I (1714-1727): George was a German prince who was invited to become king of Great Britain after the death of Queen Anne. He was not a popular monarch, but he did help to stabilize the country after the Glorious Revolution.
• George II (1727-1760): George was the son of George I. He was a more popular monarch than his father, and he oversaw a period of great prosperity and expansion for Great Britain.
• George III (1760-1820): George was the son of George II. He was a controversial monarch, and he reigned during a time of great upheaval, including the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.
• George IV (1820-1830): George was the son of George III. He was a popular monarch, but he was also known for his extravagant lifestyle.
• William IV (1830-1837): William was the son of George III. He was the last Hanoverian monarch.
• Victoria (1837-1901): Queen Victoria was the last monarch of the House of Hanover. Her son, Edward VII, was the first monarch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha/The House of Windsor

The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ruled after the House of Hanover. The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was renamed the House of Windsor in 1917. The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was renamed the House of Windsor in 1917, due to anti-German sentiment during World War I.

There were four rulers of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha:

• Edward VII (1901-1910): Edward VII was the son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He reigned for only nine years, but he is known for his role in promoting British diplomacy and for his patronage of the arts.
• George V (1910-1936): George V was the son of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of Denmark. He reigned for 26 years, and he oversaw a period of great change for Great Britain, including World War I and the rise of the Labour Party.
• Edward VIII (1936): Edward VIII was the son of George V and Queen Mary of Teck. He reigned for only 11 months before abdicating the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.
• George VI (1936-1952): George VI was the son of George V and Queen Mary of Teck. He reigned for 16 years, and he led Great Britain through World War II.

The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha/Windsor came to an end in 1952 with the death of King George VI. His daughter, Queen Elizabeth II, is the current monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.