British Monarchs
This is a list of British monarchs, that is, the monarchs on the thrones of the various kingdoms that have existed on, or incorporated, the island of Great Britain, namely:
Complications over Title and Style
Royal titles are also complicated because in some cases, names of kingdoms are used that did not officially come into existence until later, or came into existence earlier without immediate adoption of the royal title.
- For example, in October 1604, one year after James VI of Scotland had become king of England, he decreed that the Royal Title would use the term 'Great Britain' to refer to the "one Imperiall Crowne" made up of England and Scotland. However using that title is problematic because the 'state' of Great Britain was only created in the 1707 Act of Union. Nor was the united crown generally referred to as 'imperial'. Furthermore, monarchs continued to use ordinals attached to the two previous kingdoms, for instance James VII/II. To avoid confusion, historians in general thus refer to all monarchs up to 1707 as monarchs of 'England' and 'Scotland' (so explaining their two ordinals where they existed), with the monarch's title at all times accurately following the 'official' name or names of the state or states they reigned over, where it differed from the official royal title. (Hence though many English and British monarchs claimed 'France' as part of their official title, as that had no reality in substance it isn't used.) After the Union, the ordinal has either been the English number, or the greater of the two numbers - the results have been the same and there is no formal rule.
- In different documents, the terms 'Kingdom of Great Britain' and 'United Kingdom of Great Britain' feature, even documents as official as the 1707 Act of Union. Most historians presume the 'United' was meant to be descriptive (indicating a union as a form of unity by marriage rather than coercion). For clarity and because the 'United' is far more strongly associated with the later name United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland produced in the 1801 Act of Union, the 1707 kingdom is generally referred to as the Kingdom of Great Britain.
- Similarly, though the Irish Free State ceased to be part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1922, neither the full name of the United Kingdom nor the royal title was changed until the Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act, 1927. In this instance historians generally retrospectively date the coming into being of the modern United Kingdom to December 1922, even though in this case the formal change did not occur for another five years.
The list of monarchs below cannot be exhaustive. For succession to the many thrones often did not pass smoothly from parent to child; lack of heirs, civil wars, murders and invasions affected the inheritance in ways that a simple list does not show.
The relationships that formed the basis for claims to throne are noted where we know them, and the dates of reign indicated.
Monarchs
| Monarchs of England
| Monarchs of Scotland
| |
|
|
Monarchs of England and of Scotland
In 1603, James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne upon the death of Elizabeth I. From then until 1707, England and Scotland had shared monarchs. |
|
|
| Name |
Reign |
Notes |
James I (England)
James VI (Scotland) |
1603-1625 |
Henry VII of England's great-great-grandson
Mary of Scotland's son |
| Charles I |
1625-1649 |
James I's son |
Mnemonics
A useful rhyme for memorising the names of the English and UK monarchs since the Norman Conquest in chronological order:
Willy Willy Harry Steve,
Henry Dick John Henry three;
Then three Edwards Richard two,
Henry Four, Five Six then who?
Edward four five, Dick the bad,
Two more Henries, Ned the lad;
Bloody Mary she came next,
Then we have our Good Queen Bess.
From Scotland we got James the Vain;
Charlie one, two, James again.
William and Mary, Anna Gloria,
Four Georges, William, and Victoria.
Edward, George, the same again,
Now Elizabeth - and the end.
(Compare with Chinese history mnemonics.)
See also
Referenced By
1087 | 1630s | 1640s | Charles I of England | Edward VI | Edward VI of England | Elizabeth I | Elizabeth I of England | Elizabeth I of Great Britain | English history | Famous military commanders | Henry VIII | Henry VIII of England | Henry the Eighth | History of England | ISO 3166-1:GB | James II of England | James I of England | James VII of Scotland | James VI of Scotland | James VI of Scotland and I of England | John Adams | John Adams/Inaugural Speech | John Adams/Inaugural Speeech | John Adams Inaugural Speech | King Henry VIII | King William II of England | List of famous military commanders | List of military commanders | List of youngsters in history | Mary II of England | Mary II of Scotland | Mary II of the United Kingdom | North Carolina | Queen Elizabeth I | Queen Victoria | RhodeIsland | Rhode Island | Rhode Island and Providence Plantations | Richard Coeur de Lion | Richard I | Richard I of England | Richard the Lionheart | U.K. | UKia | United Kindom | United Kingdom | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Victoria, Queen of England | Victoria I of the United Kingdom | Victoria of England | Victoria of the United Kingdom | William II | William II of England | William I of England | William Rufus | William of Normandy | William the Conquerer | William the Conqueror
Start a Discussion, Reply, or Add Information
Consider sharing your essay or research on this topic. Others will benefit from your knowledge.
|
|
