English and British monarchs (w/ significant events and dates)

Alfred the Great

"King of the Anglo-Saxons". Defeated the Vikings in England and passed laws which united the English people. (861-886)

Aethelred

Distrusted by his nobles and defeated by the Vikings.

Cnut

Danish king who ruled after his brother, Sweyn. Gave more power to English nobles.

Edward the Confessor

Saintly king who improved administration. His death led to the Norman invasion. Replaced briefly by King Harold who was chosen by the Witan. (1042-1066)

William I (the Conqueror)

From Normandy, Defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings (1066), gave land to barons, built castles to defend his land, and introduced the feudal system into England. (1066-1087)

William II

Defeated invasions from Scotland. King during the First Crusade. (1087-1100)

Henry I

Signed Charter of Liberties, limiting bad treatment of nobles and church officials. (1100-1135)

Stephen

Struggle for power and breakdown in law and order known as 'the Anarchy". (1135-1154)

Henry II

Plantagenet family/line, Constitution of Clarendon placed limitations on Church's power. Four of his knights killed Thomas Becket in 1170. (1154-1189)

Richard I (the Lionheart)

Spent much of his reign outside of England fighting in the Crusades. Known as 'Richard the Lionheart' because of his reputation as a courageous military leader and warrior. (1189-1199)

John

Oversaw unrest in England. Forced to sign Magna Carta by Barons in 1215- limiting the power of the monarch.(1199-1216)

Henry III

Signed Provisions of Oxford- further limiting the monarch's power. (1216-1272)

Edward I (Longshanks)

Defeated Scots and Welsh and set up first 'Model Parliament'. (1272-1307)

Edward II

Fell out with barons and is formally deposed by Parliament for his son. (1307-1327)

Edward III

Parliament divided into the Commons and the Lords. King needed to give power to local representatives in order to fund the Hundred Year's War with France (1327-1377)

Richard II

Poll tax leads to Peasants' Revolt in 1381, led by Watt Tyler. (1377-1399)

Henry IV

Faces repeat rebellions by wealthy noblemen and the Welsh. (1399-1413)

Henry V

Leads a famous victory at Agincourt- thwarts plot by nobles to replace him. (1413-1422)

Henry VI

Becomes king at 8 months old, very religious, suffered repeated bouts of madness. This led to instability and the 'Wars of the Roses'. (1422-1461, 1470-1471)

Edward IV

Declared king for the House of York after victory over Lancaster at Towton. (1461-1470, 1471-1483)

Edward V

Deposed and disappears. Believed to have been murdered along with his brother. (1483)

Richard III

During his reign parliamentary statutes written down in English for first time. Defeated and killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Remains found in 2012. (1483-1485)

Henry VII

Begins the Tudor line/family reign. Unites houses of Lancaster and York, establishes efficient tax collection system to raise funds. Disciplined disloyal nobles in Star Chamber. (1485-1509)

Henry VIII

Splits England from Rome and turns England into a Protestant country and gives religious power to the monarch. Relied on Parliament for funds. (1509-1547)

Edward VI

Accelerated Protestant reforms. Crowned at nine years old, died at fifteen. (1547-1553)

Lady Jane Grey

Queen for 9 days. Part of an unsuccessful bid to prevent the accession of the Catholic Mary Tudor. Executed for high treason (1553)

Mary

Staunch Catholic- burnt Protestants at the stake for heresy. "Bloody Mary" (1553-1558)

Elizabeth I

Returned England to Protestantism and worked well with Parliament. Refused to marry. Oversaw the 'Age of Exploration' and the defeat of the Spanish Armada. (1558-1603)

James I

1st from the Stuart family, Scottish believer in 'Divine Right of Kings'. Along with Parliament was target of 1605 'Gunpowder Plot'. (1603-1625)

Charles I

Reluctance to share power with Parliament led to 'Personal Rule' followed by a bloody civil war. (1625-1649)

Commonwealth

England is a republic ruled by Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector) and his son Richard. (1653-1659)

Charles II

Stuart king, Restores the monarchy. The Great Plague and the Great Fire of London occur during his reign. Plots to return to parliamentary rule uncovered and stopped. (1660-1685)

James II

Belief in Divine Right of Kings and attempts to restore Catholicism lead to 'Glorious Revolution'- forced by Parliament to abdicate and flee. (1685-1688)

William III (and Mary II)

"William of Orange", 1689 Bill of Rights limits royal power. Monarchs could no longer withhold laws passed by Parliament or levy taxes without Parliament's consent. (1689-1702)

Anne

Act of Union 1707 unites Scotland and England to form Great Britain. (1702-1714)

George I

1st king of the Hanover line. Whig Party, led by Robert Walpole, increase in size and influence. (1714-1727)

George II

Withstood final Jacobite Rebellion. Last king to lead troops into battle. Seven Years' War begins. (1727-1760)

George III

During the American Revolution, British victories at Trafalgar and Waterloo. Parliament passes important laws including Corn Laws and Slave Trade Act. Peterloo Massacre of political reform campaigners. (1760-1820)

George IV

Duke of Wellington becomes powerful Prime Minister. (1820-1830)

William IV

The Great Reform Act is passed, extending votes and redistributing Parliamentary seats. Slavery is abolished and the Poor Law Amendment Act is passed. 1830-1837)

Victoria

Britain's industry and empire increase dramatically. Married German Prince Albert. Crimean War, Boer War, Indian Rebellion, Anglo-Zulu Wars. Worked with great Prime Ministers including Peel, William Gladstone, and Benjamin Disraeli. All adult males given the vote in 1884. (1837-1901)

Edward VII

Family line was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Women's suffrage movement becomes more active. Tension between House of Commons and House of Lords. 'People's Budget' passed by Parliament. (1901-1910)

George V

Beginning of Windsor line. Parliament Act of 1911 ensures Parliamentary sovereignty. First World War rages from 1914-1918. Vote given to women. Partition of Ireland in 1921. (1910-1936)

Edward VIII

Abdicated in order to marry a divorced woman. (1936)

George VI

Second World War from 1939-1945. National Health System is established. India gains independence. (1936-1952)

Elizabeth II

England's longest reigning sovereign. Rules as a constitutional monarch and acts as a source of stability and continuity in a rapidly changing world. (1952-2022)

Charles III

Married and divorced Princess Diana. Wife Camilla [the Queen Consort]. (2022 - present)