Normans
William I, the Conqueror (1066-1087)-
conquered England for the last time in history during the Norman Conquest
Plantagenet, Angevin Line
Henry II, Curtmantle, “Anjou” (1154-1189)-
created the Common Law, husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine
Richard I the Lionheart (1189-1199)-
son of Eleanor, participated in the Third Crusade
John, Lackland (119-1216)
Henry III (1216-72)
Edward I, Longshanks (1272-1307)
Edward II (1307-1327)
Edward III (1327-1377)-
claimed the French throne and began the Hundred Years’ War
Richard II (1377-1399)
Plantagenet, Lancastrian Line
Henry IV, Bolingbroke (1399-1413)-
was excommunicated by Pope Gregory VII and walked in the snow to ask for forgiveness
Henry V (1413-1422)
Henry IV (1422-1461, 1470-1471)
Plantagenet, Yorkist Line
Edward IV (1461-1470, 1471-1483)-
got the crown for the Yorks during the War of the Roses
Edward V (1483)-
was killed by his uncle Richard III (see below) in the Tower of London
Richard III, Crookback (1483-1485)-
killed Edward V (see above) so he could become king, was killed by Henry VII
House of Tudor
Henry VII, Tudor (1485-1509)-
a Lancastrian who ended the War of the Roses by killing Richard III (see above) and creating the Tudor Line
Henry VIII (1509-1547)-
had six wives including Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, and Jane Seymour; “preferred the chopping block to the treaty”; taxed every penny; confiscated enormous wealth of the church; one of the three main fighters of the Italian Wars; started the Anglican church; got the title “Defender of the Faith” for attacking Lutherans; suppressed the Pilgrimage of Grace [Remember: The Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion was the most serious threat to England since the War of the Roses.]
Edward VI (1547-1553)-
had church services done in English; had the first two prayer books in English created
Lady Jane Grey (1553)-
didn’t really rule and not recorded as a monarch by some
Mary I, Tudor, Bloody Mary (1553-1558)-
converted England to Catholicism and killed many Protestants (Bloody Mary); married Philip II
Elizabeth I (1558-1603)-
brought England back to Anglicanism (Good Queen Bess); never married (Virgin Queen), defeated the Spanish Armada
House of Stuart
James I (James VI of Scotland) (1603-1625)-
ends war with England, wrote The True Law of Free Monarchies defining divine right of kings, came from Scotland and gave away new peerages
Charles I (1625-1649)-
created the Petition of Right; had duke of Buckingham as a “favorite”; experienced the English Civil War and Revolution [Remember: The Petition of Right gave freedom from arbitrary arrest or imprisonment.]
The Commonwealth
Oliver Cromwell (1649-1658)-
crushed Royalists with Thomas Fairfax, dissolved the Rump Parliament, created the Instrument of Government [Remember: The English Civil War was closely followed by the English Revolution when the army took things into its own hands. The Rump Parliament consisted of the remaining members of the Long Parliament who would agree to the execution of Charles I. The Instrument of Government was the new constitution that made Oliver Cromwell the “Lord Protector” and created an administrative body called the “Council of State”.]
Richard Cromwell (1658-1659)-
inexperienced
House of Stuart, Restored
Charles II (1660-1685)-
known as the “Merry Monarch” for restoring theater and fun to England
James II (1685-1688)-
was Catholic and put Catholics into office; government negotiated with William and Mary to have him removed
House of Orange and Stuart
William III (“Prince of Orange”), Mary II (“Stuart”) (1689-1702)-
replaced James II after the Glorious Revolution; enacted the Declaration of Rights and the Toleration Act [Remember: The Declaration of Rights created a limited monarchy in England while the Toleration Act gave religious freedom to nearly all Protestants.]
Anne (1702-1714)
House of Brunswick, Hanover Line
George I (1714-1727)-
a Protestant who was favored by the Whigs while the Tories wanted a James III instead
George II (1727-1760)-
created the British Museum
George III (1760-1820)-
wanted to shift tax burden to North American colonies, created the Sugar Act and Stamp Act, enacted the Declaratory Act stating that Parliament holds jurisdiction over the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”; experienced the American Revolution
George IV (1820-1830)
William IV (1830-1837)
Victoria (1837-1901)
House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Edward VII (1901-1910)
House of Windsor
George V (1910-1936)
Edward VIII (1936)
George VI (1936-1952)
Elizabeth II (1952-present)
