This list of kings and reigning queens of the Kingdom of England begins with Alfred the Great, who initially ruled Wessex, one of the heptarchy, seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms which later made up modern England. Alfred styled himself king of the Anglo-Saxons from about 886, and while he was not the first king to claim to rule all of the English people, English, his rule represents the start of the first unbroken line of kings to rule the whole of England, the House of Wessex. Arguments are made for a few different kings thought to have controlled enough Anglo-Saxon kingdoms to be deemed the first king of England. For example, Offa of Mercia and Egbert of Wessex are sometimes described as kings of England by popular writers, but it is no longer the majority view of historians that their wide dominions were part of a process leading to a unified England. The historian Simon Keynes states, for example, "Offa was driven by a lust for power, not a vision of English unity; and what he left was a reputation, not a legacy." That refers to a period in the late 8th century, when Offa achieved a dominance over many of the kingdoms of southern England, but it did not survive his death in 796. Likewise, in 829 Egbert of Wessex conquered Mercia, but he soon lost control of it. It was not until the late 9th century that one kingdom, Wessex, had become the dominant Anglo-Saxon kingdom. Its king, Alfred the Great, was the overlord of western Mercia and used the title ''King of the Angles and Saxons'' though he never ruled eastern and northern England, which was then known as the Danelaw and had been conquered by the Danes (Germanic tribe), Danes, from southern Scandinavia. Alfred's son Edward the Elder conquered the eastern Danelaw. Edward's son Æthelstan became the first king to rule the whole of England when he conquered Northumbria in 927. Æthelstan is regarded by some modern historians as the first true king of England. The title "King of the English" or in Latin, was first used to describe Æthelstan in Æthelstan A, one of his charters in 928. The standard title for monarchs from Æthelstan until John, King of England, John was "King of the English". In 1016, Cnut the Great, a Dane, was the first to call himself "King of England". In the Norman period, "King of the English" remained standard, with occasional use of "King of England" or . From John's reign onwards, all other titles were eschewed in favour of "King" or "Queen of England". The Principality of Wales was incorporated into the Kingdom of England under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284, and in 1301, King Edward I invested his eldest son, the future King Edward II, as Prince of Wales. Since that time, the eldest sons of all English monarchs, except for King Edward III, have borne this title. After the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, her cousin King James VI of Scotland inherited the English crown as James I of England, joining the crowns of England and Scotland in personal union. By royal proclamation, James styled himself "King of Great Britain", but no such kingdom was created until 1707, when England and Scotland Acts of Union 1707, united during the reign of Anne, Queen of Great Britain, Queen Anne to form the new Kingdom of Great Britain, with a single Parliament of Great Britain, British parliament sitting at Westminster. That marked the end of the Kingdom of England as a sovereign state.

House of Wessex (886–1013)

, - , Alfred the Great, Alfred
Alfred the Great

–
26 October 899
''(13 years)'' , Alfred - MS Royal 14 B VI

, 849

Son of Æthelwulf, Æthelwulf of Wessex
and Osburh , Ealhswith, Ealhswith of Gainsborough
868
5 children , 26 October 899
Aged about 50 , Son of Æthelwulf, Æthelwulf of Wessex

Treaty of Wedmore , - , Edward the Elder
26 October 899
–
17 July 924
''()'' , Edward the Elder - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Alfred the Great, Alfred
and Ealhswith , Ecgwynn

2 children

Ælfflæd (wife of Edward the Elder), Ælfflæd

8 children

Eadgifu of Kent

4 children , 17 July 924
Aged about 50 , Son of Alfred the Great, Alfred

Disputed claimant

There is some evidence that Ælfweard of Wessex may have been king in 924, between his father Edward the Elder and his half-brother Æthelstan, although he was not crowned. A 12th-century list of kings gives him a reign length of four weeks, though one manuscript of the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' says he died only 16 days after his father. However, the claim that he ruled is not accepted by all historians. Also, it is unclear whether—if Ælfweard was declared king—it was over the whole kingdom or of Wessex only. One interpretation of the ambiguous evidence is that when Edward died, Ælfweard was declared king in Wessex and Æthelstan in Mercia. , - , Ælfweard of Wessex, Ælfweard cited by Yorke.;

–
2 August 924
''()'' , No image

Son of Edward the Elder
and Ælfflæd (wife of Edward the Elder), Ælfflæd ,
No children , 2 August 924
Aged about 23 , Son of Edward the Elder , - , Æthelstan
924

–
27 October 939
''(14–15 years)'' , Aethelstan1 of England

, 894

Son of Edward the Elder
and Ecgwynn , Unmarried , 27 October 939
Aged about 45 , Son of Edward the Elder , - , Edmund I
Edmund the Magnificent
27 October 939
–
26 May 946
''()'' , Edmund I - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Edward the Elder
and Eadgifu of Kent , Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury
2 sons

Æthelflæd of Damerham
944
No children , 26 May 946
Pucklechurch
Killed in a brawl aged about 25 , Son of Edward the Elder , - , Eadred
26 May 946
–
23 November 955
''()'' , Eadred - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Edward the Elder
and Eadgifu of Kent , Unmarried , 23 November 955
Frome
Aged about 32 , Son of Edward the Elder , - , Eadwig
Eadwig All-Fair
23 November 955
–
1 October 959
''()'' , Eadwig - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Edmund I
and Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury , Ælfgifu, wife of Eadwig, Ælfgifu
No verified children , 1 October 959
Aged about 19 , Son of Edmund I , - , Edgar the Peaceful
1 October 959
–
8 July 975
''()'' , Edgar - MS Royal 14 B VI

,
Wessex

Son of Edmund I
and Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury , Æthelflæd Eneda, Æthelflæd

1 son

Ælfthryth, wife of Edgar, Ælfthryth

2 sons , 8 July 975
Winchester
Aged 31 , Son of Edmund I , - , Edward the Martyr
8 July 975
–
18 March 978
''()'' , Edward the Martyr - MS Royal 14 B V

Son of Edgar the Peaceful
and Æthelflæd , Unmarried , 18 March 978
Corfe Castle
Murdered aged about 16 , Son of Edgar the Peaceful , - , ''(1st reign)''
Æthelred the Unready
18 March 978
–
1013
''(34–35 years)'' , EthelUn

Son of Edgar the Peaceful
and Ælfthryth, wife of Edgar, Ælfthryth , Ælfgifu of York
991
9 children

Emma of Normandy
1002
3 children , 23 April 1016
London
Aged about 48 , Son of Edgar the Peaceful

House of Denmark (1013–1014)

England came under the control of Sweyn Forkbeard, a List of Danish monarchs, Danish king, after an invasion in 1013, during which Æthelred the Unready, Æthelred abandoned the throne and went into exile in Normandy. , - , Sweyn Forkbeard, Sweyn
Sweyn Forkbeard
Autumn/winter 1013
–
3 February 1014 ,

, 17 April 963
History of Denmark, Denmark

Son of Harald Bluetooth
and either Tove of the Obotrites, Tove or Gunhild , Gunhild of Wenden

7 children

Sigrid the Haughty

1 daughter , 3 February 1014
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, Gainsborough
Aged 50 , Right of conquest

House of Wessex (restored, first time) (1014–1016)

Following the death of Sweyn Forkbeard, Æthelred the Unready returned from exile and was again proclaimed king. His son succeeded him after being chosen king by the citizens of London and a part of the Witenagemot, Witan, despite ongoing Danish efforts to wrest the crown from the Anglo-Saxons, West Saxons. , - , ''(2nd reign)''
Æthelred the Unready
early 1014
–
23 April 1016 , EthelUn

Son of Edgar the Peaceful
and Ælfthryth, wife of Edgar, Ælfthryth , Ælfgifu of York
991
9 children

Emma of Normandy
1002
3 children , 23 April 1016
London
Aged about 50 , Son of Edgar the Peaceful , - , Edmund Ironside
after 23 April 1016
–
30 November 1016 , Edmund Ironside - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Æthelred the Unready, Æthelred
and Ælfgifu of York , Ealdgyth (floruit 1015–1016), Edith of East Anglia
2 children , 30 November 1016
Glastonbury
Aged 26 , Son of Æthelred the Unready, Æthelred

House of Denmark (restored) (1016–1042)

Following the decisive Battle of Assandun on 18 October 1016, Edmund Ironside, King Edmund signed a treaty with Cnut (Canute) under which all of England except for Wessex would be controlled by Cnut. Upon Edmund's death just over a month later on 30 November, Cnut ruled the whole kingdom as its sole king for nineteen years. , Cnut the Great, Cnut
Cnut the Great
after 23 Apr 1016
–
12 November 1035 , Cnut the Great - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Sweyn Forkbeard
and Sigrid the Haughty, Gunhilda of Poland , Ælfgifu of Northampton
2 sons

Emma of Normandy
1017
2 children , 12 November 1035
Shaftesbury
Aged about 40 , Son of Sweyn Forkbeard, Sweyn

Treaty of Deerhurst , - , Harold Harefoot
after 12 November 1035
–
17 March 1040 , Harold Harefoot - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Cnut the Great
and Ælfgifu of Northampton , , 17 March 1040
Oxford
Aged about 24 , Son of Cnut the Great , - , Harthacnut
after 17 March 1040
–
8 June 1042 , Harthacnut - MS Royal 14 B VI

, 1018

Son of Cnut the Great
and Emma of Normandy , Unmarried , 8 June 1042
Lambeth
Aged about 24 , Son of Cnut the Great

House of Wessex (restored, second time) (1042–1066)

After Harthacnut, there was a Saxon Restoration between 1042 and 1066. , - , Edward the Confessor
8 June 1042
–
5 January 1066
''()'' , Edward the Confessor - MS Royal 14 B VI

,
Islip, Oxfordshire, Islip

Son of Æthelred the Unready, Æthelred
and Emma of Normandy , Edith of Wessex
23 January 1045
No children , 5 January 1066
Palace of Westminster, Westminster Palace
Aged about 63 , Son of Æthelred the Unready, Æthelred

Step-son of Cnut the Great

Half-brother of Harthacnut

House of Godwin (1066)

, - , Harold Godwinson, Harold II
Harold Godwinson
6 January 1066
–
14 October 1066
''()'' , Harold Godwinson - MS Royal 14 B VI

Son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex, Godwin of Wessex
and Gytha Thorkelsdóttir , Edith the Fair, Edith Swannesha
5 children

Ealdgyth, daughter of Earl Ælfgar, Ealdgyth

2 sons , 14 October 1066
Hastings
Died in the Battle of Hastings aged 44 , Named heir by Edward the Confessor

Brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor

Elected by the Witenagemot

Disputed claimant (House of Wessex)

After King Harold was killed at the Battle of Hastings, the Witan elected Edgar Ætheling as king, but by then the Normans controlled the country and Edgar never ruled. He submitted to King William the Conqueror. , - , ''(Title disputed)''
''Edgar Ætheling''
15 October 1066
–
17 December 1066
''()'' , ,

Son of Edward the Exile
and Agatha, wife of Edward the Exile, Agatha , No known marriage , 1125 or 1126
Aged about 75 , Grandson of Edmund Ironside

Elected by the Witenagemot

House of Normandy (1066–1135)

In 1066, several rival claimants to the English throne emerged. Among them were Harold Godwinson (recognised as king by the Witenagemot after the death of Edward the Confessor), Harald Hardrada (King of Norway who claimed to be the rightful heir of Harthacnut) and William the Conqueror, Duke William II of Normandy (vassal to the King of France, and first cousin once-removed of Edward the Confessor). Harald Hardrada and William both invaded separately in 1066. Godwinson successfully repelled the invasion by Harald Hardrada, but ultimately lost the throne of England in the Norman conquest of England. After the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, William the Conqueror made permanent the recent removal of the capital from Winchester to London. Following the death of Harold Godwinson at Hastings, the Anglo-Saxon Witenagemot elected as king Edgar Ætheling, the son of Edward the Exile and grandson of Edmund Ironside. The young monarch was unable to resist the invaders and was never crowned. William was crowned King William I of England on Christmas Day 1066, in Westminster Abbey, and is today known as William the Conqueror, William the Bastard or William I. , - , William the Conqueror, William I
William the Conqueror
25 December 1066
–
9 September 1087
''()'' , William the Conqueror in the Brief Abridgement of the Chronicles of England

William the Conqueror in the Brief Abridgement of the Chronicles of England

,
Château de Falaise, Falaise Castle

Son of Robert I, Duke of Normandy, Robert the Magnificent
and Herleva , Matilda of Flanders
Normandy
1053
9 children , 9 September 1087
Rouen
Aged about 59 , Supposedly named heir in 1052 by Edward the Confessor

First cousin once removed of Edward the Confessor

Right of conquest , - , William II of England, William II
William Rufus
26 September 1087
–
2 August 1100
''()'' ,

,
Normandy

Son of William the Conqueror
and Matilda of Flanders , Unmarried , 2 August 1100
New Forest
Shot with an arrow aged 44 , Son of William the Conqueror, William I

Granted the Kingdom of England over elder brother Robert Curthose (who remained the Duke of Normandy) , - , Henry I of England, Henry I
Henry Beauclerc
5 August 1100
–
1 December 1135
''()'' , Henry1

, September 1068
Selby

Son of William the Conqueror
and Matilda of Flanders , Matilda of Scotland
Westminster Abbey
11 November 1100
2 children

Adeliza of Louvain
Windsor Castle
29 January 1121
No children , 1 December 1135
Lyons-la-Forêt, Saint-Denis-en-Lyons
Aged 67 , Son of William I

Seizure of the Crown (from Robert Curthose)

House of Blois (1135–1154)

Henry I of England, Henry I left no legitimate male heirs, his son William Adelin having died in the ''White Ship'' disaster of 1120. This ended the direct Norman line of kings in England. Henry named his eldest daughter, Empress Matilda, Matilda (Countess of Anjou by her second marriage to Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, as well as widow of her first husband, Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor), as his heir. Before naming Matilda as heir, he had been in negotiations to name his nephew Stephen of Blois as his heir. When Henry died, Stephen travelled to England, and in a coup d'etat had himself crowned instead of Matilda. The period which followed is known as The Anarchy, as parties supporting each side fought in open warfare both in Britain and on the continent for the better part of two decades. , - , Stephen, King of England, Stephen
Stephen of Blois
22 December 1135
–
25 October 1154
''()'' , Stepan Blois

,
Blois

Son of Stephen, Count of Blois, Stephen II of Blois
and Adela of Normandy , Matilda of Boulogne
Westminster
1125
6 children , 25 October 1154
Dover Castle
Aged about 58 , Grandson of William the Conqueror, William I

Appointmentusurpation

Disputed claimants

Empress Matilda, Matilda was declared heir presumptive by her father, Henry I, after the death of her brother on the ''White Ship'', and acknowledged as such by the barons. Upon Henry I's death, the throne was seized by Matilda's cousin, Stephen of England, Stephen of Blois. During the The Anarchy, ensuing Anarchy, Matilda controlled England for a few months in 1141. She was the first woman to do so, but was never crowned and is rarely listed as a monarch of England. , - , ''Empress Matilda, Matilda''
Empress Matilda
7 April 1141
–
1 November 1141
''()'' , Empress Mathilda

, 7 February 1102
Manor House (Sutton Courtenay), Sutton Courtenay Manor House

Daughter of Henry I of England, Henry I
and Matilda of Scotland, Edith of Scotland , Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V of the Holy Roman Empire
Mainz
6 January 1114
No children

Geoffrey V of Anjou
Le Mans Cathedral
22 May 1128
3 sons , 10 September 1167
Rouen
Aged 65 , Daughter of Henry I of England, Henry I

The Anarchy, Seizure of the Crown Count Eustace IV of Boulogne (c. 1130 – 17 August 1153) was Stephen, King of England#Argument with the church (1145–1152), appointed co-king of England by his father, Stephen, King of England, King Stephen, on 6 April 1152, in order to guarantee his succession to the throne (as was the custom in France, but not in England). The Pope and the Church would not agree to this, and Eustace was not crowned. Eustace died the next year aged 23, during his father's lifetime, and so never became king in his own right.

House of Plantagenet (1154–1485)

The House of Plantagenet takes its name from Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, husband of Empress Matilda and father of Henry II. The name Plantagenet itself was unknown as a family name ''per se'' until Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York, Richard of York adopted it as his family name in the 15th century. It has since been retroactively applied to English monarchs from Henry II onward. It is common among modern historians to refer to Henry II and his sons as the "Angevins" due to their vast continental empire, and most of the Angevin kings before John spent more time in their continental possessions than in England.

Angevin kings of England

King Stephen came to an agreement with Matilda in November 1153 with the signing of the Treaty of Wallingford, in which Stephen recognised Henry II of England, Henry, son of Matilda and her second husband Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, as the designated heir. The royal house descended from Matilda and Geoffrey is widely known by two names, the Angevin kings of England, House of Anjou (after Geoffrey's title as Count of Anjou) or the House of Plantagenet, after his sobriquet. Some historians prefer to group the subsequent kings into two groups, before and after the loss of the bulk of their French possessions, although they are not different royal houses. The Angevins (from the French term meaning "from Anjou") ruled over the Angevin Empire during the 12th and 13th centuries, an area stretching from the Pyrenees to Ireland. They did not regard England as their primary home until most of their continental domains were lost by John, King of England, King John. The direct, eldest male line from Henry II includes monarchs commonly grouped together as the House of Plantagenet, which was the name given to the dynasty after the loss of most of their continental possessions, while cadet branches of this line became known as the House of Lancaster and the House of York during the Wars of the Roses. The Angevins formulated coat of arms of England, England's royal coat of arms, which usually showed other kingdoms held or claimed by them or their successors, although without Lordship of Ireland, representation of Ireland for quite some time. ''Dieu et mon droit'' was first used as a battle cry by Richard I of England, Richard I in 1198 at the Battle of Gisors, when he defeated the forces of Philip II of France. It has generally been used as the motto of English monarchs since being adopted by Edward III. , - , Henry II of England, Henry II
Henry Curtmantle
19 December 1154
–
6 July 1189
''()'' , Henry II Illumination

, , 5 March 1133
Le Mans

Son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Geoffrey V of Anjou
and Empress Matilda, Matilda , Eleanor of Aquitaine
Bordeaux Cathedral
18 May 1152
8 children , 6 July 1189
Chinon
Aged 56 , Grandson of Henry I of England, Henry I

Treaty of Wallingford

Great-great-great-grandson of Edmund Ironside , -, , colspan=99 , Henry II named his son, Henry the Young King (1155–1183), as co-ruler with him but this was a Norman custom of designating an heir, and the younger Henry did not outlive his father and rule in his own right, so he is not counted as a monarch on lists of kings. , - , Richard I of England, Richard I
Richard the Lionheart
3 September 1189
–
6 April 1199
''()'' , Richard I of England in the Brief Abridgement of the Chronicles of England

Richard I of England in the Brief Abridgement of the Chronicles of England

, rowspan=2 , , 8 September 1157
Beaumont Palace

Son of Henry II of England, Henry II
and Eleanor of Aquitaine , Berengaria of Navarre
Limassol
12 May 1191
No children , 6 April 1199
Château de Châlus-Chabrol, Châlus
Shot by a crossbow bolt, quarrel aged 41 , Son of Henry II of England, Henry II

Primogeniture , - , John, King of England, John
John Lackland
27 May 1199
–
19 October 1216
''()'' , , 24 December 1166
Beaumont Palace

Son of Henry II
and Eleanor of Aquitaine , Isabella, Countess of Gloucester, Isabel of Gloucester
Marlborough Castle
29 August 1189
No children

Isabella of Angoulême
Bordeaux Cathedral
24 August 1200
5 children , 19 October 1216
Newark-on-Trent
Aged 49 , Son of Henry II

Nomination

Proximity of blood

Disputed claimant (House of Capet)

The future Louis VIII of France briefly won two-thirds of England over to his side from May 1216 to September 1217 at the conclusion of the First Barons' War against John, King of England, King John. The then-Prince Louis landed on the Isle of Thanet, off the north Kent coast, on 21 May 1216, and marched more or less unopposed to London, where the streets were lined with cheering crowds. At a grand ceremony in St. Paul's Cathedral, on 2 June 1216, in the presence of numerous English clergy and nobles, the Mayor of London and Alexander II of Scotland, Prince Louis was proclaimed King Louis of England (though not crowned). In less than a month, "King Louis" controlled more than half of the country and enjoyed the support of two-thirds of the barons. However, he suffered military defeat at the hands of the English fleet. By signing the Treaty of Lambeth in September 1217, Louis gained 10,000 marks and agreed he had never been the legitimate king of England. "King Louis" remains one of the least known kings to have ruled over a substantial part of England. , - , ''Louis VIII of France, Louis''
''Louis the Lion''
2 June 1216
–
20 September 1217
''(1 year, 111 days)'' , Louis8

, , 5 September 1187
Paris

Son of Philip II of France
and Isabella of Hainault , Blanche of Castile
Port-Mort
23 May 1200
13 children , 8 November 1226
Duchy of Montpensier, Montpensier
Aged 39 , Offered by the Barons

Maternal grandson-in-law of Henry II of England, Henry II

Right of conquest

Main line of Plantagenets

It is from the time of Henry III, after the loss of most of the family's continental possessions, that the Plantagenet kings became more English in nature. The Houses of House of Lancaster, Lancaster and House of York, York are cadet branches of the House of Plantagenet. , - , Henry III of England, Henry III
Henry of Winchester
28 October 1216
–
16 November 1272
''()'' , HenryIII

, rowspan=3 , , 1 October 1207
Winchester Castle

Son of John, King of England, John
and Isabella of Angoulême , Eleanor of Provence
Canterbury Cathedral
14 January 1236
5 children , 16 November 1272
Palace of Westminster, Westminster Palace
Aged 65 , Son of John, King of England, John

Primogeniture , - , Edward I of England, Edward I
Edward Longshanks
20 November 1272
–
7 July 1307
''()'' , Edward I - Westminster Abbey Sedilia

, 17 June 1239
Palace of Westminster

Son of Henry III of England, Henry III
and Eleanor of Provence , Eleanor of Castile
Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas
18 October 1254
16 children

Margaret of France, Queen of England, Margaret of France
Canterbury Cathedral
10 September 1299
3 children , 7 July 1307
Burgh by Sands
Aged 68 , Son of Henry III of England, Henry III

Primogeniture , - , Edward II of England, Edward II
Edward of Caernarfon
8 July 1307
–
Parliament of 1327, Abdicated 20 January 1327
''()'' , , 25 April 1284
Caernarfon Castle

Son of Edward I of England, Edward I
and Eleanor of Castile , Isabella of France
Basilica of Notre-Dame de Boulogne, Boulogne Cathedral
24 January 1308
4 children , 21 September 1327
Berkeley Castle
Murdered aged 43 , Son of Edward I of England, Edward I

Primogeniture , - , Edward III of England, Edward III
Edward of Windsor
25 January 1327
–
21 June 1377
''()'' , ,

, 13 November 1312
Windsor Castle

Son of Edward II of England, Edward II
and Isabella of France , Philippa of Hainault
York Minster
25 January 1328
14 children , 21 June 1377
Sheen Palace
Aged 64 , Son of Edward II of England, Edward II

Primogeniture , - , Richard II of England, Richard II
Richard of Bordeaux
22 June 1377
–
29 September 1399
''()'' , , , 6 January 1367
Archbishop's Palace of Bordeaux

Son of Edward the Black Prince
and Joan of Kent , Anne of Bohemia
14 January 1382
Westminster Abbey
No children

Isabella of Valois
Citadel of Calais, Church of St. Nicholas, Calais
4 November 1396
No children , 14 February 1400
Pontefract Castle
Aged 33 , Grandson of Edward III of England, Edward III

Primogeniture

House of Lancaster

This house descended from Edward III's third surviving son, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt. Henry IV seized power from Richard II (and also displaced the next in line to the throne, Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, Edmund Mortimer (then aged 7), a descendant of Edward III's second son, Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, Lionel of Antwerp). , - , Henry IV of England, Henry IV
Henry of Bolingbroke
30 September 1399
–
20 March 1413
''()'' , ,

, April 1367
Bolingbroke Castle

Son of John of Gaunt
and Blanche of Lancaster , Mary de Bohun
Arundel Castle
27 July 1380
6 children

Joan of Navarre, Queen of England, Joanna of Navarre
Winchester Cathedral
7 February 1403
Stillborn twins , 20 March 1413
Westminster Abbey
Aged 45 , Grandsonheir male of Edward III of England, Edward III

Usurper, Usurpation , - , Henry V of England, Henry V
Henry of Monmouth
21 March 1413
–
31 August 1422
''()'' , Henry V Miniature

, , 16 September 1386
Monmouth Castle

Son of Henry IV of England, Henry IV
and Mary de Bohun , Catherine of Valois
Troyes Cathedral
2 June 1420
1 son , 31 August 1422
Château de Vincennes
Aged 35 , Son of Henry IV of England, Henry IV

Primogeniture#Agnatic_primogeniture, Agnatic primogeniture , - , ''(1st reign)''
Henry VI of England, Henry VI
1 September 1422
–
4 March 1461
''()'' , , , 6 December 1421
Windsor Castle

Son of Henry V of England, Henry V
and Catherine of Valois , Margaret of Anjou
Titchfield Abbey
22 April 1445
1 son , 21 May 1471
Tower of London
Allegedly murdered aged 49 , Son of Henry V of England, Henry V

Agnatic primogeniture

House of York

The House of York claimed the right to the throne through Edward III's second surviving son, Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, Lionel of Antwerp, but it inherited its name from Edward's fourth surviving son, Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, Edmund of Langley, first Duke of York. The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) saw the throne pass back and forth between the rival houses of Lancaster and York. , - , ''(1st reign)''
Edward IV of England, Edward IV
4 March 1461
–
3 October 1470
''()'' , King Edward IV

, , 28 April 1442
Rouen Castle

Son of Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York, Richard of York
and Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, Cecily Neville , Elizabeth Woodville
Grafton Regis
1 May 1464
10 children , 9 April 1483
Palace of Westminster, Westminster Palace
Aged 40 , Great-great-grandsonheir general of Edward III of England, Edward III

Wars of the Roses, Seizure of the Crown

Act of Accord

House of Lancaster (restored)

, - , ''(Readeption of Henry VI, 2nd reign)''
Henry VI of England, Henry VI
3 October 1470
–
11 April 1471
''()'' , , , 6 December 1421
Windsor Castle

Wars of the Roses, Seizure of the Crown

House of York (restored)

, - , ''(2nd reign)''
Edward IV of England, Edward IV
11 April 1471
–
9 April 1483
''()'' , King Edward IV

, rowspan=3 , , 28 April 1442
Rouen Castle

Wars of the Roses, Seizure of the Crown

Act of Accord , - , Edward V of England, Edward V
9 April 1483
–
25 June 1483
''()'' , King-edward-v

, 2 November 1470
Cheyneygates, Westminster Abbey

Son of Edward IV of England, Edward IV
and Elizabeth Woodville , Unmarried , Disappeared mid-1483
Tower of London
Princes in the Tower, Allegedly murdered aged 12 , Son of Edward IV of England, Edward IV

Primogeniture , - , Richard III of England, Richard III
26 June 1483
–
22 August 1485
''()'' , Richard III portrait

, 2 October 1452
Fotheringhay Castle

Son of Richard of York
and Cecily Neville , Anne Neville
Westminster Abbey
12 July 1472
1 son , 22 August 1485
Bosworth Field
Killed in battle aged 32 , Great-great-grandson of Edward III

''Titulus Regius''

House of Tudor (1485–1603)

The Tudors descended in the female line from John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, John Beaufort, one of the illegitimate children of John of Gaunt (third surviving son of Edward III), by Gaunt's long-term mistress Katherine Swynford. Those descended from English monarchs only through an illegitimate child would normally have no claim on the throne, but the situation was complicated when Gaunt and Swynford eventually married in 1396 (25 years after John Beaufort's birth). In view of the marriage, the church retroactively declared the Beauforts legitimate via a papal bull the same year.Michael K. Jones and Malcolm G. Underwood, ''The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby'', (Cambridge University Press, 1995), 19–20. Parliament did the same in an Act in 1397. A subsequent proclamation by John of Gaunt's legitimate son, Henry IV of England, King Henry IV, also recognised the Beauforts' legitimacy, but declared them ineligible ever to inherit the throne. Nevertheless, the Beauforts remained closely allied with Gaunt's other descendants, the Royal House of Lancaster. John Beaufort's granddaughter Lady Margaret Beaufort was married to Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, Edmund Tudor. Tudor was the son of Welsh courtier Owain Tudur (anglicised to Owen Tudor) and Catherine of Valois, the widow of the Lancastrian Henry V of England, King Henry V. Edmund Tudor and his siblings were either illegitimate, or the product of a secret marriage, and owed their fortunes to the goodwill of their legitimate half-brother Henry VI of England, King Henry VI. When the House of Lancaster fell from power, the Tudors followed. By the late 15th century, the Tudors were the last hope for the Lancaster supporters. Edmund Tudor's son became king as Henry VII of England, Henry VII after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, winning the Wars of the Roses. King Henry VII married Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, thereby uniting the Lancastrian and York lineages. (See House of Tudor#Royal lineage, family tree.) , - , Henry VII of England, Henry VII
22 August 1485
–
21 April 1509
''()'' , , rowspan=3 , , 28 January 1457
Pembroke Castle

Son of Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, Edmund Tudor
and Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby, Margaret Beaufort , Elizabeth of York
Westminster Abbey
18 January 1486
8 children , 21 April 1509
Richmond Palace
Aged 52 , Great-great-great-grandson of Edward III of England, Edward III

Right of conquest

Marriage to Elizabeth of York , - , Henry VIII
22 April 1509
–
28 January 1547
''()'' , After Hans Holbein the Younger - Portrait of Henry VIII - Google Art Project

, 28 June 1491
Palace of Placentia, Greenwich Palace

Son of Henry VII of England, Henry VII
and Elizabeth of York , Catherine of Aragon
Church of the Observant Friars, Greenwich
11 June 1509
Mary I of England, 1 daughter

Anne Boleyn
Palace of Westminster, Westminster Palace
25 January 1533
Elizabeth I, 1 daughter

Jane Seymour
Palace of Whitehall, Whitehall Palace
30 May 1536
Edward VI, 1 son

Wives of Henry VIII, ''3 further marriages''
''No more children'' , 28 January 1547
Palace of Whitehall, Whitehall Palace
Aged 55 , Son of Henry VII of England, Henry VII

Primogeniture , - , Edward VI of England, Edward VI
28 January 1547
–
6 July 1553
''()'' , Circle of William Scrots Edward VI of England

, 12 October 1537
Hampton Court Palace

Son of Henry VIII
and Jane Seymour , Unmarried , 6 July 1553
Palace of Placentia, Greenwich Palace
Aged 15 , Son of Henry VIII

Primogeniture

Disputed claimant

Edward VI named Lady Jane Grey as his heir in his will, overruling the order of succession laid down by Parliament in the Third Succession Act. Four days after his death on 6 July 1553, Jane was proclaimed queen—the first of three Tudor women to be proclaimed queen regnant. Nine days after the proclamation, on 19 July, the Privy Council switched allegiance and proclaimed Edward VI's Catholic half-sister Mary I of England, Mary queen. Jane was later executed for treason. , - , ''Lady Jane Grey, Jane''
''Lady Jane Grey''
10 July 1553
–
19 July 1553
''()'' , Streathamladyjayne

, 1536 or 1537
Bradgate Park

Daughter of the Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Duke of Suffolk
and Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk, Frances Brandon , Lord Guildford Dudley, Guildford Dudley
Durham House, London, Durham House
21 May 1553
No children , 12 February 1554
Tower Green
Executed aged about 17 , Great-granddaughter of Henry VII of England, Henry VII

Devise for the Succession , - , Mary I of England, Mary I
19 July 1553
–
17 November 1558
''()'' , Anthonis Mor 001

, rowspan=2 , , 18 February 1516
Palace of Placentia, Greenwich Palace

Daughter of Henry VIII
and Catherine of Aragon , Philip II of Spain
Winchester Cathedral
25 July 1554
No children , 17 November 1558
St James's Palace
Aged 42 , Daughter of Henry VIII

Third Succession Act , - , ''(Jure uxoris)''
Philip II of Spain, Philip
25 July 1554
–
17 November 1558
''()'' , , 21 May 1527
Palacio de Pimentel

Son of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire
and Isabella of Portugal , Mary I of England
Winchester Cathedral
25 July 1554
No children

''3 other marriages
7 children'' , 13 September 1598
El Escorial
Aged 71 , Husband of Mary I of England, Mary I

Act for the Marriage of Queen Mary to Philip of Spain , - , colspan=99 align=left , Under the terms of the marriage treaty between Philip II of Spain, Philip I of Naples (later Philip II of Spain from 15 January 1556) and Queen Mary I, Philip was to enjoy Mary's titles and honours for as long as their marriage should last. All official documents, including Act of Parliament, Acts of Parliament, were to be dated with both their names, and Parliament was to be called under the joint authority of the couple. An Act of Parliament gave him the title of king and stated that he "shall aid her Highness ... in the happy administration of her Grace's realms and dominions" (although elsewhere the Act stated that Mary was to be "sole queen"). Nonetheless, Philip was to Coregency, co-reign with his wife. , - , Elizabeth I
17 November 1558
–
24 March 1603
''()''
, , , 7 September 1533
Palace of Placentia, Greenwich Palace

Daughter of Henry VIII
and Anne Boleyn , Unmarried , 24 March 1603
Richmond Palace
Aged 69 , Daughter of Henry VIII

Third Succession Act

House of Stuart (1603–1649)

Elizabeth's cousin, King James VI of Scotland, succeeded to the English throne as James I in the Union of the Crowns. James was descended from the Tudors through his great-grandmother, Margaret Tudor, the eldest daughter of Henry VII and wife of James IV of Scotland. In 1604, he adopted the title ''King of Great Britain''. However, the two parliaments remained separate until the Acts of Union 1707. , - , James VI and I, James I
24 March 1603
–
27 March 1625
''()'' , JamesIEngland

, rowspan=2 , , 19 June 1566
Edinburgh Castle

Son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley , Anne of Denmark
Old Bishop's Palace in Oslo, Old Bishop's Palace, Oslo
23 November 1589
7 children , 27 March 1625
De Vere Theobalds Estate, Theobalds House
Aged 58 , Great-great-grandsonheir general of Henry VII of England, Henry VII , - , Charles I of England, Charles I
27 March 1625
–
30 January 1649
''()'' , King Charles I after original by van Dyck

King Charles I after original by van Dyck

, 19 November 1600
Dunfermline Palace

Son of James VI and I, James I
and Anne of Denmark , Henrietta Maria of France
St Augustine's Abbey
13 June 1625
9 children , 30 January 1649
Palace of Whitehall, Whitehall Palace
Executed aged 48 , Son of James VI and I, James I

Cognatic primogeniture

First Interregnum (1649–1660)

No monarch reigned after the 1649 execution of Charles I. Between 1649 and 1653, there was no single English head of state, as England was ruled directly by the Rump Parliament with the English Council of State acting as executive power during a period known as the Commonwealth of England. After a coup d'etat in 1653, Oliver Cromwell forcibly took control of England from Parliament. He dissolved the Rump Parliament at the head of a military force and England entered The Protectorate period, under Cromwell's direct control with the title Lord Protector. It was within the power of the Lord Protector to choose his heir and Oliver Cromwell chose his eldest son, Richard Cromwell, to succeed him. , - , Oliver Cromwell
16 December 1653
–
3 September 1658
''()'' , Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper

, rowspan=2 , , 25 April 1599
Huntingdon

Son of Robert Cromwell
and Elizabeth Steward , Elizabeth Cromwell, Elizabeth Bourchier
St Giles-without-Cripplegate, St Giles
22 August 1620
9 children , 3 September 1658
Whitehall
Aged 59 , - , Richard Cromwell
3 September 1658
–
7 May 1659
''()'' , , 4 October 1626
Huntingdon

Son of Oliver Cromwell
and Elizabeth Cromwell, Elizabeth Bourchier , Dorothy Maijor
May 1649
9 children , 12 July 1712
Cheshunt
Aged 85 Richard Cromwell was forcibly removed by the English Committee of Safety in May 1659. England again lacked any single head of state. After almost a year of anarchy, the monarchy was Restoration (England), formally restored when Charles II of England, Charles II returned from France to accept the throne.

House of Stuart (restored) (1660–1707)

The Monarchy was restored under the rule of Charles II of England, Charles II. , - , Charles II of England, Charles II
29 May 1660
–
6 February 1685
''()'' , King Charles II by John Michael Wright or studio

King Charles II by John Michael Wright or studio

, rowspan=2 , , 29 May 1630
St James's Palace

Son of Charles I of England, Charles I
and Henrietta Maria of France , Catherine of Braganza
Domus Dei, Royal Garrison Church
21 May 1662
No children , 6 February 1685
Palace of Whitehall, Whitehall Palace
Aged 54 , Son of Charles I of England, Charles I

Cognatic primogeniture

English Restoration , - , James II of England, James II
6 February 1685
–
23 December 1688
''(Glorious Revolution, Overthrown after )'' , James II by Peter Lely

, 14 October 1633
St James's Palace

Son of Charles I
and Henrietta Maria of France , Anne Hyde
Worchester House, Strand, London, The Strand
3 September 1660
8 children

Mary of Modena
Dover Castle
21 November 1673
7 children , 16 September 1701
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Aged 67 , Son of Charles I

Cognatic primogeniture

Second Interregnum 1688–1689

James II was ousted by Parliament less than four years after ascending to the throne, beginning the century's second interregnum. To settle the question of who should replace the deposed monarch, a Convention Parliament (1689), Convention Parliament elected James' daughter Mary II and her husband (also his nephew) William III of England, William III Coregency, co-regents, in the Glorious Revolution.

Houses of Stuart and Orange

, - , Mary II
13 February 1689
–
28 December 1694
''()'' , Mary II - Kneller 1690

, , 30 April 1662
St James's Palace

Daughter of James II of England, James II
and Anne Hyde , William III of England
St James's Palace
4 November 1677
No children , 28 December 1694
Kensington Palace
Aged 32 , Daughter of James II of England, James II

Bill of Rights 1689, Offered the Crown by Parliament , - , William III of England, William III
William of Orange
13 February 1689
–
8 March 1702
''()'' , King William III of England

, , 4 November 1650
The Binnenhof

Son of William II of Orange
and Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, Mary, Princess Royal of England , Mary II of England
St James's Palace
4 November 1677
No children , 8 March 1702
Kensington Palace
Aged 51 , Grandson of Charles I of England, Charles I

Bill of Rights 1689, Offered the Crown by Parliament , - , Anne, Queen of Great Britain, Anne
8 March 1702
–
1 May 1707
''()''

' , , , 6 February 1665
St James's Palace

Daughter of James II
and Anne Hyde , Prince George of Denmark, George of Denmark
St James's Palace
28 July 1683
3 children , 1 August 1714
Kensington Palace
Aged 49 , Daughter of James II

Cognatic primogeniture

Bill of Rights 1689 While Jacobitism, James and his descendants continued to claim the throne, all Catholics (such as James II's son and grandson, James Francis Edward Stuart, James Francis Edward and Bonnie Prince Charlie, Charles respectively) were barred from the throne by the Act of Settlement 1701, enacted by Anne, Queen of Great Britain, Anne, another of James's Protestant daughters. With the Acts of Union 1707, England as a sovereign state ceased to exist, replaced by the new Kingdom of Great Britain; see List of British monarchs.

Acts of Union

The Acts of Union 1707 were a pair of Act of Parliament, Parliamentary Acts passed during 1706 and 1707 by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to put into effect the Treaty of Union agreed on 22 July 1706. The acts joined the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland (previously separate sovereign states, with separate legislatures but Personal union, with the same monarch) into the Kingdom of Great Britain. England, Scotland, and Ireland had shared a monarch for more than a hundred years, since the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when King James VI of Scotland inherited the English and Irish thrones from his first cousin twice removed, Elizabeth I, Queen Elizabeth I.

Timeline

Titles

The standard title for all monarchs from Æthelstan until the time of John, King of England, King John was ("King of the English"). In addition, many of the pre-Norman kings assumed extra titles, as follows: * Æthelstan: ("King of All Britain") * Edmund I, Edmund the Magnificent: ("King of Britain") and ("King of the English and of other peoples governor and director") * Eadred: ("Reigning over the governments of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxons, Northumbrians, Pagans, and British") * Eadwig, Eadwig the Fair: ("King by the will of God, Emperor of the Anglo-Saxons and Northumbrians, governor of the pagans, commander of the British") * Edgar the Peaceful: ("King of all Albion and its neighbouring realms") * Cnut the Great: ("King of the English and of all the British sphere governor and ruler") and ("Monarch of all the English of Britain") In the Norman conquest of England, Norman period remained standard, with occasional use of ("King of England"). The Empress Matilda styled herself ("Lady of the English"). From the time of John, King of England, King John onwards all other titles were eschewed in favour of or . In 1604 James VI and I, James I, who had inherited the English throne the previous year, adopted the title (now usually rendered in English rather than Latin) ''King of Great Britain''. The English and Scottish parliaments, however, did not recognise this title until the Acts of Union of 1707 under Anne, Queen of Great Britain, Queen Anne (who was ''Queen of Great Britain'' rather than king).

Explanatory notes

Coronations

Burials

References

Citations

Works cited

External links

* {{Kingdom of England English monarchs, English monarchy, * 927 establishments Kingdom of England-related lists, Monarchs Lists of British monarchs, English

House of Wessex (886–1013)

Disputed claimant

House of Denmark (1013–1014)

House of Wessex (restored, first time) (1014–1016)

House of Denmark (restored) (1016–1042)

House of Wessex (restored, second time) (1042–1066)

House of Godwin (1066)

Disputed claimant (House of Wessex)

House of Normandy (1066–1135)

House of Blois (1135–1154)

Disputed claimants

House of Plantagenet (1154–1485)

Angevin kings of England

Disputed claimant (House of Capet)

Main line of Plantagenets

House of Lancaster

House of York

House of Lancaster (restored)

House of York (restored)

House of Tudor (1485–1603)

Disputed claimant

House of Stuart (1603–1649)

First Interregnum (1649–1660)

House of Stuart (restored) (1660–1707)

Second Interregnum 1688–1689

Houses of Stuart and Orange

Acts of Union

Timeline

Titles

See also

Explanatory notes

Coronations

Burials

References

Citations

Works cited

Further reading

External links