British and Irish History

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. World Encyclopedia Further reading

Rulers of England and Great Britain

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Rulers of England and Great Britain

Rulers of England and Great Britain
( including dates of reign )

Saxons and Danes

Egbert, 802–39

Æthelwulf, son of Egbert, 839–58

Æthelbald, son of Æthelwulf, 858–60

Æthelbert, 2d son of Æthelwulf, 860–65

Æthelred, 3d son of Æthelwulf, 865–71

Alfred, 4th son of Æthelwulf, 871–99

Edward (the Elder), son of Alfred, 899–924

Athelstan, son of Edward, 924–39

Edmund, 3d son of Edward, 939–46

Edred, 4th son of Edward, 946–55

Edwy, son of Edmund, 955–59

Edgar, younger son of Edmund, 959–75

Edward (the Martyr), son of Edgar, 975–78

Æthelred (the Unready), younger son of Edgar, 978–1016

Edmund (Ironside), son of Æthelred, 1016

Canute, by conquest, 1016–35

Harold I (Harefoot), illegitimate son of Canute, 1037–40

Harthacanute, son of Canute, 1040–42

Edward (the Confessor), younger son of Æthelred, 1042–66

Harold II, brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor, 1066

House of Normandy

William I (the Conqueror), by conquest, 1066–87

William II (Rufus), 3d son of William I, 1087–1100

Henry I, youngest son of William I, 1100–1135

House of Blois

Stephen, grandson of William I, 1135–54

House of Plantagenet

Henry II, grandson of Henry I, 1154–89

Richard I (Cœur de Lion), 3d son of Henry II, 1189–99

John, youngest son of Henry II, 1199–1216

Henry III, son of John, 1216–72

Edward I, son of Henry III, 1272–1307

Edward II, son of Edward I, 1307–27

Edward III, son of Edward II, 1327–77

Richard II, grandson of Edward III, 1377–99

House of Lancaster

Henry IV, grandson of Edward III, 1399–1413

Henry V, son of Henry IV, 1413–22

Henry VI, son of Henry V, 1422–61, 1470–71

House of York

Edward IV, great-grandson of Edward III, 1461–70, 1471–83

Edward V, son of Edward IV, 1483

Richard III, brother of Edward IV, 1483–85

House of Tudor

Henry VII, descendant of Edward III, 1485–1509

Henry VIII, son of Henry VII, 1509–47

Edward VI, son of Henry VIII, 1547–53

Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII, 1553–58

Elizabeth I, younger daughter of Henry VIII, 1558–1603

House of Stuart

James I (James VI of Scotland), descendant of Henry VII, 1603–25

Charles I, son of James I, 1625–49

Commonwealth and Protectorate

Council of State, 1649–53

Oliver Cromwell, lord protector, 1653–58

Richard Cromwell, lord protector, 1658–59

House of Stuart
(restored)

Charles II, son of Charles I, 1660–85

James II, younger son of Charles I, 1685–88

William III, grandson of Charles I; ruled jointly with Mary II, 1689–94; ruled alone, 1694–1702

Mary II, daughter of James II; ruled jointly with William III, 1689–94

Anne, younger daughter of James II, 1702–14

House of Hanover

George I, great-grandson of James I, 1714–27

George II, son of George I, 1727–60

George III, grandson of George II, 1760–1820

George IV, son of George III, 1820–30

William IV, 3d son of George III, 1830–37

Victoria, granddaughter of George III, 1837–1901

House of Saxe Coburg

Edward VII, son of Victoria, 1901–10

House of Windsor
(family name changed during World War I)

George V, son of Edward VII, 1910–36

Edward VIII, son of George V, 1936

George VI, 2d son of George V, 1936–52

Elizabeth II, daughter of George VI, 1952–

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Kings and Queens of England and Britain

Kings and Queens of England and Britain

Years	Monarch	Age¹	Reign²
¹ On death
² Duration of reign in years (m = months, d = days)
³ Became ruler by conquest
⁴ Son of William's daughter Adele and Stephen, Count of Blois; sometimes given as the monarch of the House of Blois
⁵ Deposed March 1461, restored October 1470, deposed April 1471, and killed in Tower of London May 1471
⁶ Acceded March 1461, deposed October 1470, restored April 1471
⁷ Edward was forced to name Lady Jane as his successor and a Council of State proclaimed her Queen; Mary, proclaimed Queen by the Council, had Jane beheaded in 1554
⁸ 1649–53 Council of State; 1653–58 Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector; 1658–60 Richard Cromwell (son), Lord Protector
⁹ Name changed from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha on July 17, 1917 (during World War 1)
¹⁰ Abdicated at the age of 42
Kings and Queens of England
West Saxon Kings (House of Cerdic)
802–839	Egbert³	――	37
839–858	Ethelwulf	――	19
858–860	Ethelbald	――	2
860–866	Ethelbert	――	6
866–871	Ethelred I	――	5
871–899	Alfred (the Great)	52	28
899–924	Edward (the Elder)	55	25
924–939	Athelstan (the Glorious)	45	15
939–946	Edmund I	25	6
946–955	Edred	32	9
955–959	Edwy (the Fair)	18	3
959–975	Edgar (the Peaceful)	32	16
975–978	Edward I (the Martyr)	17	3
978–1016	Ethelred II (the Unready)	47	38
1016	Edmund II (Ironside)	2	7 m
Danish Kings (House of Denmark)
1016–35	Canute ( Cnut)³	40	19
1035–40	Harold I ( Harefoot)	23	4
1040–42	Hardecanute ( Harthacnut)	24	2
West Saxon Kings (restored)
1042–66	Edward II (the Confessor)	61	23
1066	Harold II ( Godwinesson)	45	10 m
House of Normandy
1066–87	William I (the Conqueror)³	60	20
1087– ⁷00	William II ( Rufus)	41	12
⁷00–35	Henry I ( Beauclerc)	67	35
⁷35-54	Stephen⁴	53	18
House of Anjou (Plantagenets)
⁷54-89	Henry II ( Curtmantle)	56	34
⁷89-99	Richard I (the Lionheart)	42	9
⁷99-1216	John ( Lackland)	48	17
1216–72	Henry III	65	56
1272–1307	Edward I ( Longshanks)	68	34
1307–27	Edward II	43	19
1327–77	Edward III	64	50
1377–99	Richard II	33	22
House of Lancaster
1399–1413	Henry IV	47	13
1413– ⁸	Henry V	34	9
14⁸-61	Henry VI⁵	49	39
House of York
1461–83	Edward IV⁶	40	21
1483	Edward V	12	2 m
1483–85	Richard III	32	2
House of Tudor
1485–1509	Henry VII	52	23
1509–47	Henry VIII	55	37
1547–53	Edward VI	15	6
1553	Jane ( Lady Jane Grey)⁷	16	9 d
1553–58	Mary I ( Mary Tudor)	42	5
1558–1603	Elizabeth I	69	44
Kings and Queens of Britain
House of Stuart
1603–25	James I (VI of Scotland)	58	22
1625–49	Charles I	48	23
1649–60	Commonwealth⁸
1660–85	Charles II	54	24
1685–88	James II	67	3
Interregnum December⁷, 1688 to February 12, 1689
1689–1702	William III	51	13
(and to 1694	Mary II	32	5)
1702–14	Anne	49	12
House of Hanover
1714–27	George I (Elector of Hanover)	67	13
1727–60	George II	76	33
1760–1820	George III	81	59
1820–30	George IV	67	10
1830–37	William IV	71	7
1837–1901	Victoria	81	63
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
1901–1910	Edward VII	68	9
House of Windsor
1910–36	George V	70	25
1936	Edward VIII¹⁰	77	10 m
1936–52	George VI	56	15
1952–	Elizabeth II	――	――

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"Kings and Queens of England and Britain." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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