Who was the last English king whose first language was French? See what "King of England" is in other dictionaries Who was the first English king

Kings and Queens of England. Middle Ages

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Britain is the general name of the territory

England, Scotland and Wales (British Isles, Western Europe).
407 Britain ceased to be a Roman province.
449 Anglo-Saxon conquest of Britain begins.
End of the 5th-7th centuries The conquest of almost all of England by the Anglo-Saxons, the formation of several independent kingdoms.
829 Unification of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms into a single kingdom of England with its capital in London.

871–900 Reign of Alfred the Great

King of Wessex, the most powerful of the British kingdoms, located in the southwest of England. He defended the country from the Danish invasion, founded the first English fleet, compiled the first common English code of laws, contributed to education by initiating the translation of many works from Latin (he made several translations himself).

1040-1057 Reign of Scottish King Macbeth

Who came to power by killing his predecessor Duncan I. He died in the fight against Duncan's son Malcolm. King of Scotland, character in Shakespeare's tragedy
? - 15 August 1057
Macbeth, a Scottish king from the Moray dynasty Mac Bethad mac Findleich, gained fame thanks to Shakespeare's tragedy of the same name. He was born in 1005 and took the throne in 1040.
The life and reign of the historical Macbeth is in direct contrast to the reign of the hero of Shakespeare's play. Scientists, having studied in detail the circumstances of the life of the Scottish king, proved that he was completely unfair, solely at the will of the playwright, became a symbol of misfortune. And the role of the king's wife, "Lady Macbeth", in history was not at all so sinister.
The real Macbeth peacefully ruled a prosperous country, spread Christianity, and the years of his reign were called by the descendants of the "fertile period"

1042-1066 Reign of Edward the Confessor

King of England. He relied on the Norman feudal lords, which caused an uprising of the Anglo-Saxon nobility, supported by the peasants (1051). From 1053, he was actually removed from control.

Edward the Confessor (eng. Edward the Confessor); OK. 1003 - January 5, 1066) - the penultimate Anglo-Saxon king of England (since 1042) and the last representative of the Wessex dynasty on the English throne. His reign was marked by the weakening of the royal power in the country and the omnipotence of the magnates, as well as the disintegration of Anglo-Saxon society and the weakening of the state's defense capability. These factors, associated with the king's orientation towards Normandy, made it easier for William the Conqueror to subjugate England soon after Edward's death in 1066. Edward the Confessor paid great attention to the promotion of Christian virtues and asceticism, for which he was later canonized and is currently revered as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church , and also as a locally venerated saint - by the Sourozh diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

1066–1087 Reign of William I

Conqueror. From 1035 - Duke of Normandy. In 1066 he landed in England and, having defeated the army of the Anglo-Saxon king Harold II at Hastings, became the ruler of the state. Established direct vassalage of all feudal lords from the king. In 1086 he conducted a land census.
William I the Conqueror (William of Normandy or William the Illegitimate; English William I the Conqueror, William the Bastard, French Guillaume le Conquérant, Guillaume le Bâtard; about 1027/1028 - September 9, 1087) - Duke of Normandy (as William II; from 1035 year) and the king of England (since 1066), the organizer and leader of the Norman conquest of England, one of the largest political figures in Europe in the 11th century.

1100–1135 Reign of Henry I

Strengthening the public administration system in England; a significant role began to play a permanent royal council.

Henry I, nicknamed Beauclerc (Eng. Henry I Beauclerc; September 1068, Selby, Yorkshire, England - December 1, 1135, Lyon-la-Foret, Normandy) - the youngest son of William the Conqueror, King of England (1100-1135) and Duke of Normandy (1106-1135). According to legend, Henry I was distinguished by learning, for which he received his nickname (fr. Beauclerc - well educated). The reign of Henry I was marked by the restoration of the unity of the Anglo-Norman monarchy after the victory over Robert Curthose in 1106, as well as a whole series of administrative and financial reforms that formed the basis of the state system of England of the High Middle Ages. In particular, the Chamber of the Chessboard was created, the tradition of approving the Magna Cartas by the English monarchs arose, the local administration and the judicial system were streamlined. English nation. Henry I left no legitimate male heirs, and after his death, a long civil war broke out in England between his daughter Matilda and his nephew Stephen.

1154–1189 Reign of Henry II

(Henry of Anjou), the first of the Plantagenet dynasty. He also owned vast estates in France. He carried out civil and military reforms that strengthened the royal power in England. Jury trial was introduced under his rule. Henry II defeated the Irish clan leaders and began the conquest of Ireland (1169-1171).

Henry II Plantagenet (Henry of Anjou) (1133-1189), English king from 1154, the first of the Plantagenet dynasty. He also owned vast estates in France. He carried out reforms that strengthened the royal power.
Henry II Plantagenet (Henry II) (Henry of Anjou, Henry of Anjou; Henry Short Robe, Henry Curtmantle) (1133, Le Mans, Normandy - July 6, 1189, near Tours, France), King of England (1154-1189), Duke of Normandy from 1150, Count of Anjou from 1151, Duke of Aquitaine from 1152; significantly expanded the possessions of England in France, strengthened the royal administration in England.
Son of Matilda, daughter of Henry I, and Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Henry II was well educated, partly in England, partly on the Continent. In addition to Normandy, received from his grandfather, and Anjou - from his father, he also began to own Aquitaine, marrying in 1152 Eleanor (Eleanor) of Aquitaine (six weeks earlier divorced from the French king Louis VII). Through the efforts of his mother, Henry regained his legal right to the English throne after the death of the usurper Stephen in 1154 and thus became the ruler of one of the largest European powers. Of the 34 years of his reign, he spent only 14 in England, like other English kings before John the Landless, who regarded the island possessions as secondary. During the reign of Henry II, English possessions on the island itself increased - Wales and Ireland actually became part of the kingdom, and Scotland was dependent on it.

1189–1199 Reign of Richard I the Lionheart

He spent most of his life outside of England, fighting against the French king and against the Muslims. Returning from the Third Crusade, he was captured by the German Emperor Henry VI. You are bought by higher taxes (1194).

1199-1216 Reign of John the Landless

In 1202-1204 he lost a significant part of the English possessions in France. Under pressure from the barons, supported by chivalry and cities, he signed the Magna Carta in 1215.

John (John) Landless (born John Lackland; December 24, 1167, Oxford - October 19, 1216, Newark) - King of England (since 1199) and Duke of Aquitaine from the Plantagenet dynasty, the youngest (fifth) son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Madame Tussauds gallery
His reign is considered one of the most disastrous in the history of England - it began with the conquest of Normandy by the French king Philip II Augustus and ended with a civil war that almost toppled him from the throne (for his defeats he received another nickname "Soft Sword", Softsword). In 1213, he recognized England as a vassal of the pope in order to end the strife with the Catholic Church, and in 1215 the rebellious barons forced him to sign the Magna Carta, for which John became most famous.

Some historians believe that John's reign was no better or worse than the reigns of Richard I and Henry III. However, John's reputation is such that since then no English monarch has called his heirs by this name (it later became considered unlucky also in the ruling dynasties of Scotland and France)

1216-1272 Reign of Henry III

Reliance on foreign feudal lords and an alliance with the Roman curia caused discontent among the barons, who were supported by the townspeople and the elite of the peasantry (the civil war of 1263–1267). In 1265 the first English parliament was created.

Son of John Landless; ascended the throne at the age of 9. His father's death stopped the civil war; the barons, who sought to overthrow John, who had just violated the Magna Carta and were ready to call the French prince to the throne as soon as John died, willingly swore allegiance to his young son.
However, having matured and become an autocratic sovereign, Henry tended to an authoritarian style of government; he appointed the French, the courtiers of his wife, Eleanor of Provence, to high positions in the state, was not responsible to parliament, and distributed a large amount of state property to temporary workers.
To his time belongs the growth of the cult of the holy King Edward the Confessor; Henry founded a number of churches and monasteries in his memory. He was known for his stinginess.
After a conflict with the barons and Pope Alexander IV in the 1250s, Henry, like his father, was forced to swear an agreement with the barons on the regular convocation of parliaments (Oxford Provisions, 1258), and also reaffirm the Magna Carta. However, the Pope resolved him from this oath (bull of April 13, 1261]), and a civil war began. The troops of the barons, under the command of Simon de Montfort, defeated the army of Henry and his son at Lewis; father and son were taken prisoner, kept under house arrest, while Montfort ruled England as a dictator and sent his representatives to all the cities.
In 1269 the sumptuous tomb of Edward the Confessor was completed in Westminster Abbey; the body of Henry himself, who died in 1272, temporarily rested in the same tomb while his own was being built nearby.

1272–1307 Reign of Edward I

Under him, the practice of convening parliament was finally established, Wales was annexed (1277-1284), unsuccessful wars were waged against Scotland.

Edward I Longshanks (eng. Edward I "Longshanks", June 17, 1239 - July 7, 1307) - King of England in 1272-1307 from the Plantagenet dynasty. He was the fourth king of England with that name (moreover, he was named after the previous one, Edward the Confessor), later he was given the number I, considering the accession to the throne of William the Conqueror (1066) to be the beginning of the modern English monarchy.

Thus, three Anglo-Saxon Edwards remained in history without numbers, but with nicknames (the Elder, the Martyr and the Confessor)

Edward's reign11

I think those who have read the novel by Maurice Druon "The French Wolf" are familiar with this story. We are talking about the unfortunate Edward II (1284-1327), King of England from 1307. His reign fell on an era glorious for the English kingdom. Edward's father, Edward I, the conqueror of Wales and Scotland, paved the way for future victories in the Hundred Years' War, which lifted England to an unprecedented height either before or since. These victories, however, were already realized under the successors of Edward II, but our hero is one of the most famous losers not only of his homeland, but of all medieval Europe. The most offensive defeat in the history of England falls on his reign - in the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, inflicted by the Scots of Robert the Bruce. And he almost buried the Plantagenet dynasty, whose rights were encroached upon by one very lively adventurer.

What is the reason for Edward's weakness? Historians unanimously claim: in his homosexuality. Alas, here they seem to be to be trusted, although more often than not, such assumptions are completely unfounded (some unscrupulous authors even accused Richard the Lionheart of this vice!). The first favorite of Edward was the Gascon Piers Gaveston, married to the king's niece. In 1312, the antics of the young tyrant and his endless arbitrariness exhausted the patience of the wayward English barons, led by Earl Thomas of Lancaster. Gaveston was executed, and the weak Edward the following year granted forgiveness to his executioners.
After being defeated by the Scots, Edward found solace in the company of Hugo Despenser, who came from a noble English family and was distinguished by charming manners. The king made him Lord Chamberlain and consulted with him constantly. Unfortunately for the barons, Hugo had a very smart father, who quickly took the initiative into his own hands. After a series of scandals and troubles, the newly rebelled Lancaster was captured and executed in 1322.

1306-1329 Reign of Scottish King Robert the Bruce

In 1314 he defeated the English army at Bannockburn. In 1328 he obtained from England the recognition of the independence of Scotland.
Robert the Bruce (Eng. Robert the Bruce, Gaelic Roibert a Briuis, July 11, 1274 - June 7, 1329) - King of Scotland (1306-1329), one of the greatest Scottish monarchs, organizer of the country's defense in the initial period of the war for independence against England , founder of the Bruce royal dynasty. Paternal ancestors are of Scottish-Norman origin (Brieux (fr. Brieux), Normandy), maternally - Franco-Gaelic ..

1327–1377 Reign of Edward III

Started the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) with France. Published the first statutes (legislative acts) on workers. Limited the influence of the papacy in England.

Edward III, Edward III (eng. Edward III) (November 13, 1312 - June 21, 1377) - King of England from 1327 from the Plantagenet dynasty, son of King Edward II and Isabella of France, daughter of King Philip IV of France the Handsome.

Coronation of Edward
Born in Windsor, for which he was nicknamed Windsor. He ascended the throne at the age of 15 as a result of a rebellion of the barons, led by his mother and Lord Roger Mortimer. After the execution of the main supporters of the former king, the Despensers, and the imprisonment of the king himself, Parliament chose the younger of the two Edwards.

At the instigation of the French defector Robert d'Artois, Edward III began the Hundred Years' War for the French throne, the rights to which he received through his mother Isabella.

He issued the first statutes on workers and legalized the practice of convening parliament. Actively promoted the use of English in the work of Parliament and the courts. Edward III married in 1328 Philippa de Aven (c. 1314-1369), daughter of William I the Good, Comte de Hainaut, and Jeanne of Valois, sister of the French King Philip VI. Edward had 12 children from this marriage. He died at Sheen Palace, Richmond and was buried at Westminster Abbey, London. Since his eldest son, Edward the Black Prince, died during his father's lifetime, Edward III was succeeded by his 10-year-old grandson, the son of the Black Prince, Richard II.
Edward the Third established the Order of the Garter.

Reign of Edward IV (r. 1461-1483)

Although Edward claimed the throne as Edward III's rightful heir, calling the previous 60 years of rule a usurpation of the throne, it was de facto a coup approved by the nobility, Parliament and London, who were tired of bad government and were suspicious of the methods of attracting allies, to which Margarita resorted to: she gave the fortress of Berwick to the Scots, sold the islands in the English Channel to the French, was ready to lay Calais and robbed her own country.

A few years later, resistance on the Scottish border was crushed, and Edward IV concluded a peace treaty with the Scots, which meant that Henry, Margaret and their son could no longer hide there. Marguerite and her son fled to France, while Henry roamed the Lake District and Lancashire until he was caught and imprisoned in the Tower in 1466.

King of England who reigned from 1066 to 1087 The ancestor of the Norman dynasty Zh.: d 1056 Matilda, daughter of Count Baldwin of Flanders (d. 1083). Genus. 1027, d. 10 Sept. 1087 William's father, Duke Robert of Normandy, was nicknamed for ... ... All the monarchs of the world

HENRY VIII, King of England- King of England from the Tudor family, who ruled in 1509 1547. Son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Zh.: 1) from 1509 Catherine, daughter of Ferdinand V, King of Spain (b. 1485, d. 1536); 2) from 1533 Anna Boleyn (b. 1501, d. 1536); 3) with ... ... All the monarchs of the world

JOHN LANDLESS, King of England- King of England from the Plantagenet family, who ruled in 1199 1216. Son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Zh .: 1) from 1189 Isabella, daughter of Count William of Gloucester (d. 1217); 2) from 1200 Isabella Taillefer, daughter of Count Eymar of Angouleme (d. All the monarchs of the world

HENRY II, King of England- King of England from the Plaitagenet family, who ruled in 1174 1189. Woman: from 1152 Eleanor, daughter of William VIII, Duke of Aquitaine (b. 1122, d. 1204). Genus. 1133, d. July 6, 1189 Henry was born in Mance; he was the son of an English ... ... All the monarchs of the world

HENRY III, King of England- King of England from the Plantagenet family. who ruled and 1216 1272. Son of John the Landless and Isabella of Angouleme. Woman: from 1236 Eleanor, daughter of Raymond Berengaria V, Duke of Provence (born 1222 (?), died 1291). Genus. 1207, d. 20 November … All the monarchs of the world

WILHELM III, King of England- King of England and Scotland in 1689 1702. Woman: from 1677 Mary, daughter of King James II of England (b. 1662, d. 1694). Genus. 1650, d. On March 8, 1702, William belonged to the glorious and famous House of Orange in Holland. Holland was... All the monarchs of the world

Edward II Plantagenet, King of England- King of England from the Plantagenet family, who ruled in 1307-1327. Son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. Woman: from 1308 Isabella, daughter of King Philip IV of France (b. 1292, d. 1358). Genus. 1284, d. 27 sept. 1327 Edward ascended the throne ... ... All the monarchs of the world

James II, King of England and Scotland- King of England and Scotland from the Stuart dynasty, who ruled in 1685 1688. Son of Charles I and Henrietta of France. J.: 1) since 1659 Anna Gade (b. 1638, d. 1705); 2) since 1673 Maria d Egta, daughter of the Duke of Modena Alphonse IV (born 1658, ... ... All the monarchs of the world

Edward I Plantagenet, King of England- King of England from the Plantagenet family, who ruled in 1272-1307. Son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. Zh.: 1) since 1254 Eleanor, daughter of King Ferdinand III of Castile (b. 1244, d. 1290); 2) since 1299 Margarita, daughter of King Philip of France ... ... All the monarchs of the world

Edward IV Plantagenet, King of England- King of England from the Plantagenet family, who ruled in 1461-1470, 1471-1483. Woman: from 1464 Elizabeth Woodville (b. 1437, d. 1492). Genus. 1442, d. 9 Apr. 1483 Edward, Earl of March, of the Plantagenet line of York. He was still... ... All the monarchs of the world

Books

John, King of England. The most insidious monarch of Europe, Appleby John T.
John King of England The most insidious monarch of medieval Europe, Appleby J.. John T. Appleby, author of a number of biographies of English kings of the 11th-13th centuries, on the pages of his book recreates the era of the reign of John the Landless - the son of the great Henry II and brother Richard ...

Today, the Queen of Great Britain is the most famous and authoritative monarch in the world. Although she does not have such huge wealth as the Arab monarchs, who have huge deposits of oil in their domains, the status of the Queen of Great Britain is much higher. During its existence, the post of king of Great Britain was occupied by representatives of various dynasties, and it was also the case that the monarchy in England was completely abolished.

Despite everything, the monarchy in the UK has always played a significant role, and even today, most native Englishmen are proud to have a queen and crown princes.

Features of the royal power in the UK

All laws relating to the transfer of royal power in England are based on the legal articles of the Act of Succession, which was passed by Parliament back in 1701. This piece of legislation remained unchanged until 2011. Only in 2011, some changes were made to the document, which was the result of the reforms of the English royal power.

The current Queen of Great Britain is Elizabeth II. After her death, the throne should pass to the heirs:

In order of first priority, the throne should be inherited by Prince Charles;
The heir of the second line is Prince William;
Prince George is the third line heir.

An interesting fact is that the eldest man in the family should be the monarch, but in fact the country is ruled by a woman. Many do not understand how this could happen, with such a large number of crown princes as now. In fact, everything is quite simple. The law provides that in the absence of male heirs, a woman can receive royal power. Since King George VI had only two daughters, the eldest of them became queen after the death of her father. Other persons of the royal family could not claim the throne, since only a representative of the Windsor dynasty can be a monarch.

The election of a new monarch takes place in Westminster Abbey, and it must be conducted by the Bishop of Canterbury, who is the highest rank of the Anglican Church. During the coronation, the following persons are most often present:

Representatives of the noble families of England;
High-ranking officials;
Governors;
Heads of member states of the Commonwealth;
Diplomats from different countries.

Of course, the English monarch does not have real power in the country, but the queen's orders are always heeded, and the tasks and decrees that she brings to the government are never left without attention.

England before William the Conqueror

Before the Roman legions conquered Britain, Britons and Picts lived there. After the conquest of Britain, which was given to Rome so hard that they even forbade their chroniclers to mention real battles with wild Britons, Roman culture flourished on the islands for three centuries.

After 300 years, when the British became a real stronghold of Rome in the north, they had to face an unpleasant situation. Rome began to attack wild barbarians from all sides. In this regard, the legions began to return to Italy. In the 5th century AD, the last legions left Britain. Former barbarians, and now real Romans, the Britons could not resist the barbarians who began to plunder the borders of Britain.

The first king of the Britons, Vortigern, and in the annals he is called the king, decided to seek military help from the Germanic tribes. He chose the Saxons, who were famous in those days as the most fierce and skilled warriors. Vortigern knew about the customs of these warriors, since the first small settlements of the Saxons appeared in Britain as early as the 4th century. The Saxons were promised land for perpetual use in exchange for military service.

Since the Britons fought the Picts in those years, the Saxons were able to achieve in a few battles what the Britons could not do for several years. The Picts were defeated, and the Britons wondered if they needed such strong allies. They were in no hurry to give the promised lands, and delayed the supply of food to the Saxon army. The discontented Saxons quickly gained a foothold in Britain, and began to seize more and more new lands.

Although many believed that the Saxons completely exterminated the Britons, modern archaeologists have proven that this was not the case. Many British settlements have been found that existed after the capture of British lands by the Saxons. The Britons also managed to preserve their Christian religion, although the Angles and Saxons destroyed many churches in the first years of their conquests. Moreover, the pagan Saxons, who established kingdoms in the south of the country, soon became Christians themselves. But the Angles and Jutes remained pagans for a long time. Only by the beginning of the tenth century, all the inhabitants of Britain merged into one ethnic group called the Anglo-Saxons, who were all Christians.

English kings after the arrival of William the Conqueror

William the Conqueror was able to unite under his rule all the independent kingdoms in England. From that moment on, the duties of the king became more extensive. Now the goal of the monarch was not only conquest, but also the welfare of the entire English people.

The heirs of William the Conqueror in 1154 elevated Henry to the English throne, who became the first monarch from the Plantagenet dynasty. This dynasty was able to hold on to power for about 300 years. Monarchs from this dynasty turned the country into a strong centralized state. The following individuals played a special role among the English monarchs of the Plantagenet dynasty:

Richard the Lionheart. Years of reign 1189-1199. This monarch in just 10 years of reign managed to prove himself a legendary commander of all times and peoples. Richard himself participated in the battles, demonstrating courage and courage by personal example. He died rather absurdly - he was struck by the arrow of one of the knights of his vassal, who refused to give his king part of the treasure found on his territory;
The next ruler of England was John the Landless, also known as Prince John. He is considered such a bad monarch that after his death, none of the kings of England called their sons by this name. The most significant contribution of this king to the history of Great Britain is considered to be the signing of the Magna Carta, which granted many privileges to the English nobility. John was forced to sign the charter under the pressure of the barons, who rebelled against him because of the huge extortions. The king collected these requisitions from his English vassals who did not participate in his military campaign against France;
The third known monarch of that time was Edward III. It was he who unleashed the Hundred Years War.

After that, England plunged into the abyss of civil war for a long time between the York and Lancaster dynasties. The most famous king of the Lancaster family was Henry V. He became famous as the most prominent commander of the Hundred Years War.

The most famous York monarch was Edward IV. This king became famous as a lover of women. Although many representatives of the nobility sinned with this, Edward was especially suspicious, and most of his wives and children ended their days in prison or on the chopping block.

Tudor and Stuart dynasty

In 1485, the Tudor dynasty came to the English throne. The most famous monarch of the dynasty was Henry VIII, who became famous as the founder of the Anglican Church. This happened due to the fact that the appetites of the pope seemed exorbitant to the king. This not only freed England from the influence of the Catholic Church, but also allowed the king to have complete influence over his church.

In addition to Henry VIII, the Tudor dynasty became famous for the fact that for the first time in history there were women on the throne. The first queen was Jane Dudley, who retained her status for only nine days. Then she was accused of treason and executed.

Another queen who became famous for her cruelty was Mary I Tudor. During her reign, there were mass executions for religious reasons. No Protestant could feel safe during the Bloody Mary's reign.

But her sister Elizabeth was not so cruel. During her long reign, England reached the peak of its power, becoming the largest maritime power. During her reign, which lasted from 1558 to 1603, the queen proved herself to be an excellent politician and monarch. Unfortunately for the people of England, Elizabeth never chose a husband for herself until the end of her life, even on her deathbed claiming that she remained a virgin.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth, the Tudor dynasty ended. The next king was James I, who represented the Stuart dynasty. This dynasty ruled England for about a hundred years. The most famous and unfortunate monarch of the Stuart dynasty was Charles I. During his reign, he brought the country's economy to a complete collapse. As a result, popular unrest arose, which resulted in a full-fledged revolution. The king was executed, and royal power was abolished. The country was ruled by military dictator Oliver Cromwell.

The revival of the royal dynasty in England

After the death of Cromwell, the monarchy was restored in England. Charles II, the son of the executed monarch, became king. This happened in 1660, and in 1707 a new union state appeared in the British Isles. This was due to the conclusion of the union between England and Scotland. This is how the Kingdom of Great Britain was born.

Throughout the centuries of the development of the English monarchy, there was such an authority as the royal council. The king could not completely control it, but was only a part of it. Gradually, the royal council was transformed into a parliament, which appeared during the reign of King John the Landless. In 1707, the English Parliament was dissolved and replaced by the Parliament of the Kingdom of Great Britain.

No royal decree or law could pass without the approval of Parliament. The supreme power in the country was exercised according to the principle of "the power of the monarch through parliament." At the same time, the constitution began to take shape, which was originally a collection of laws and norms, which were based on ancient customs.

The weakening of the power of the English monarchs

From the beginning of the 18th century, the English Parliament increased its influence on the monarchy. The king was left with less and less power. A new era of the English monarchy began with the coming to power of the Hanoverian dynasty. For the first time in history, representatives of the German dynasty received power in the country. Prior to this, all English kings considered France and Scotland their homeland, as they had Scottish or French roots.

The new era no longer concerned only the interests of Great Britain, since the sphere of interests of the crown extended to the whole of Europe, because the kings of England were connected by kinship nodes with the royal lines of Prussia and Russia. This trend was approved by the English Parliament in 1701, by passing the Act of Succession to the Throne. It clearly stipulated that the monarch of Great Britain should not be a Catholic. Modern historians consider this decision an eye on future marriages with European royal houses, but most likely, the House of Lords simply wanted to make the great-grandson of Charles I king.

George I, great-grandson of Charles I, ascended the throne in 1714. Behind him, the British throne was received by George II, who became the last English monarch born outside the kingdom. It was during the reign of this monarch that Parliament received enormous powers. It must be said that although Parliament consisted of two chambers, the House of Commons was practically deprived of rights, since the Lords often outbid or intimidated deputies, dictating their demands.

The last representative of the Hanoverian dynasty was Victoria I. The era of her reign was called the "Victorian era". Under this queen, England became the most powerful power in the world, with huge colonies. The British Commonwealth included the following countries:

Canada;
South Africa;
Australia;
India.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, England had more land than any state. The huge fleet of the empire brought wealth from all over the world.

Saxe-Coburg Goth dynasty on the throne of Great Britain

Queen Victoria died in 1901, ending the Hanoverian dynasty. It was replaced by another German royal family called the Saxe-Coburg Goth dynasty. Its peculiarity was that the representatives of this family were the monarchs of the three largest European powers of that time. The new English monarch, George V, was a cousin of the German Emperor Wilhelm II. In addition, the Russian Emperor Nicholas II was also his cousin. Despite their blood relationship, the monarchs nevertheless dragged Europe into the bloody First World War.

The result of the First World War was the fall of the monarchy in Russia and Germany. If the revolution in Germany forced Wilhelm II to abdicate and flee to the Netherlands, the Russian emperor was soon shot by the Soviet government. The English dynasty of monarchs decided to change its name to Windsor, so that its name would not be associated among Europeans with the First World War.

Windsor dynasty on the throne of Great Britain

The Windsor dynasty received the royal crown in 1917. Since then and to this day, this dynasty has been in power:

The first king of this dynasty was George V;
He was followed by Edward VIII in 1936. This monarch was never crowned, as he preferred to choose love instead of the royal throne. Parliament did not want to recognize his marriage to Wallis Simpson;
In the same year, the second son of George V, George VI, received the crown. This monarch stayed in power for 16 years. During this time, England managed to go through the Second World War. After the end of World War II, Great Britain lost its status as an empire. King George VI did not take any part in the government of the country. The monarch only performed various representative functions. All power in the country belonged to the Cabinet of Ministers, the Parliament and the Prime Minister;
Since 1952, and to this day, the royal throne of Great Britain has been occupied by Queen Elizabeth II. She is the daughter of King George VI. The residence of the Queen of England is located at Windsor Castle, where the Queen's reception is also located.

Like all English monarchs of the 20th century, the queen does not participate in the government of the country, and all her orders are more related to the life of the royal court. Nevertheless, the status of the queen is quite high, and her opinion is listened to.

List of duties and powers of the English queen

Since the modern constitutional monarchy severely limits the rights of the queen, her role is reduced to representative functions and is a tribute to tradition. The Queen of Great Britain is responsible to the House of Commons. All decisions of the Queen are discussed by the Cabinet and the Prime Minister.

In turn, all laws that are adopted by Parliament, the Government and the Prime Minister are passed on behalf of the Queen. All this is formal, but traditions and customs play a huge role in conservative Britain. The Queen of England has the right:

Appoint foreign ambassadors;
May issue or revoke British passports. All passports in the country are formally issued in the Queen's name;
Conclude various treaties, agreements and conventions;
The Queen can convene and dissolve Parliament, as well as prolong its powers;
The Queen can grant pardons to offenders.

As for the duties of the English queen, they are as follows:

Decide whether to declare or end the war;
Lead the armed forces of Great Britain, although this title is a pure formality;
All laws passed by Parliament must be approved by the Queen. In turn, Parliament approves the decisions of the Queen. In fact, the Queen approves all decisions of Parliament, while Parliament approves only those decisions of the Queen that are in its interests;
The Queen appoints the judges. Remarkably, all court decisions are made in the name of the Queen.

The queen or king is not a person who can be judged in the UK. Civil claims can only be filed against the Crown, which is a symbol of power in the state. The Queen of England cannot change the country's tax laws and cannot change internal laws.

The residence of the English monarchs is Buckingham Palace. In addition, Windsor Castle is considered the second most important residence. Each of the residences has a queen's reception room and living quarters.

The royal title was born on the shores of Foggy Albion in the 9th century. Since then, representatives of various English dynasties have occupied the highest throne of the state. However, the blood relationship of the kings and queens of England was continuous.

This was due to the fact that each new royal dynasty arose from the marriage of its founder with a representative of the previous one. England is a state where women became the head of the country six times in 12 centuries.

History carefully preserves the names of Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary II, Anna, Victoria and the now living Elizabeth II.

Normans

The first kings of England were representatives of the House of Normandy. Moreover, it is interesting that at first Normandy was just a special duchy, and only then - a French province. It began with Norman raids on this northern part of France, and the invaders found refuge between their predatory attacks at the mouth of the Seine River.

In the 9th century, the ranks of the invaders were led by the son of Rognvald - Rolf (Rollon), who had previously been expelled by the Norwegian king. After winning several major battles, Rollo took root in the lands that were called the Norman Country or Normandy.

Seeing that the enemy turned out to be worthy in order to hold power, King Charles of France met with the invader and offered him a coastal part of the state on his own terms: Rollo had to recognize himself as a royal vassal and be baptized. The ambitious exile from the Norwegian kingdom not only accepted the rite of baptism, but also took Gisella, the daughter of Karl, as his wife.

Thus, the beginning of the Dukes of Normandy was laid. Rollo's great-granddaughter became the wife of King Æthelred of England (House of Saxony) and thus the Norman dukes received the official right to claim the throne of Britain. Wilhelm II did an excellent job with this task, from which the royal roots of the Normans began.

This wise leader began his reign by distributing the lands of England to his friends in arms.

And since more and more Norman detachments continued to arrive from the north, there was no shortage of replenishment of the army of associates of William II. The new rulers of England adopted Christianity and began to speak English, retaining, however, traces of the Scandinavian beginning in the Norman dialect. The nature of the Normans was seen in their desire to travel and conquer new countries.

After the death of William "Long Sword", the young Richard became the heir to the Norman duchy. This served as the claims of the French king, which, despite numerous intrigues, ended in nothing, and after the accession to the throne of Richard II, Normandy began to draw closer to England.

This process, not without the help of King Henry, ended with the installation of the new King William on the English throne. Since then, the dynasties of British kings have made repeated attempts to connect England with Normandy, but each time the matter ends only with a new strengthening of family ties.

During the reign of the English king Henry I, new claims to the throne of England began. This time the initiative came from his daughter Matilda, who was then recognized as the legitimate heiress.

After the death of the English king Henry I, Stephen of Blois and Matilda entered into an open war. Matilda was then married for the second time, her husband was Gottfried Plantagenet of Anjou. The latter captures Normandy in 1141, and then King Louis VII recognizes his son Henry as the head of the Norman duchy.

Plantagenets

Since that time, the Plantagenet dynasty originated. They ruled England from 1154-1399. The ancestor of this royal family, Gottfried, got his nickname for the habit of attaching to his military helmet a branch of gorse, the yellow flowers of which were pronounced like planta genista.

He became the husband of Matilda, from their marriage Henry was born (1133), who became, after the death of Stephen of Blois, the founder of the dynasty, that is, the man who ascended the throne of England.

This dynasty lasted for the reign of eight kings. These were Henry II, Richard I, John Landless, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III and Richard II. Edward III became the ancestor of the next dynasty - the Lancasters.

Lancasters

This branch comes from the same house as the Plantagenets.

The first representative of the Lancastrian branch to officially ascend the royal throne was Henry IV.

And his father - John of Ghent - was the son of King Edward III. However, the genealogy introduced its reading into this alignment: John of Ghent was the third son of King Edward III, and his second son was Lionel of Clarensky, whose descendant in the person of Edmond Mortimer had more preferable chances for the royal crown.

From the same very prolific King Edward III, another royal branch of England, the York dynasty, also originates. She comes from Edmund, the fourth son of King Edward III.

Lancasters were holders of the titles of earls and dukes. Henry III Plantagenet became the parent of Edmund, he was the youngest son of the king and he bore the modest title of count. His grandson Henry became, through the efforts of Edward III, who ascended the throne in those days, a duke.

Henry's daughter, Blanca, became the wife of Edward III's son, John Plantagenet, who was later elevated to the Duke of Lancaster. The eldest son of John and Blanca became the founder of the dynasty, it was Henry IV.

This royal house stood from 1399 to 1461, not for long. And all because the grandson of Henry IV - Henry VI - died on the battlefield, just like the son of Henry VI - Edward. Twenty-four years after this surname representing the dynasties of England died out, the throne was headed by Henry from the Tudor family - relatives of the Lancasters in the female line.

Tudors

The history of this royal house is very interesting. It originates from Wales, it is a branch of the Coilchen family, and any member of this family automatically has the right to own England. Owen Tudor's son, Maredud, married Henry V's widow, Catherine of France.

The sons of these Tudors, named Edmund and Jasper, were half-brothers of Henry IV. Having ascended the throne, this king of England granted earls to the sons of the Tudor family.

Thus Edmund became Earl of Richmon and Jasper became Earl of Pembroke. After this, the family ties of Lancaster and Tudor were sealed once more. Edmund took to wife Marguerite Beaufort.

She was the great granddaughter of the founder of the Lancastrian branch, John of Gaunt Plantagenet. Moreover, this happened thanks to the legitimized line, which included the descendants of John's mistress - Katherine Swynford, who previously could not claim the highest throne of England. From the marriage of Edmund and Margaret Beaufort, the future King of England, Henry VII, was born.

The fading branch of the Lancasters provided significant assistance to the Tudor dynasty, supporting Henry Tudor, despite the fact that the notorious Duke of Buckingham was also among the Beaufort relatives.

Power in England was seized by Richard III, but he could not hold it, and then Henry ascended the throne, marrying Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV and initiating the unification of the Lancaster dynasty with the Yorks.

The royal Tudor dynasty after the death of Henry VII continued with the reign of Henry VIII. He had three children. It was they who headed the high throne of England after his death. These were representatives of the Tudor branch, King Edward VI and queens - Mary I "Bloody" and Elizabeth I.

After the death of Elizabeth I, the Tudor dynasty died out. The closest of the surviving relatives was the Scottish King James VI, who was the son of Mary Stuart, the daughter of James V. He, in turn, was born into the world of Margaret Tudor, the sister of Henry VIII. Thus began a new royal dynasty - the Stuarts.

Stuarts

The Stuart dynasty came to the throne in 1603. This surname belongs to the descendants of Walter, who rose to prominence under Malcolm III (XI century). Since then, the glorious dynasty has known many heroes, victories and downfalls.

There is a lot of French blood in the Stuart branch (Magdalene of Valois, Mary of Guise and other royal names).

Mary Stuart, mother of James V, was an orphan and ended up entirely in the hands of Elizabeth I. She deposed the Scottish heiress from the throne and executed her in England. The surviving son of Mary - James VI - united England, Scotland and Ireland, although he ruled for only 22 years.

In general, historians speak of the rule of the Stuarts unfriendly. Representatives of this dynasty are Charles I, James II, Mary Stuart, Anna Stuart and James III. This branch died out with the death of Henry Benedict, who was the grandson of James II.

Hanover

These royal dynasty ruled England from 1714-1901. They originate from the German Welfs. They ascended the throne due to the fact that Catholics, close in kinship to the Tudors, were cut off from the opportunity to take control of the country in their own hands.

The first Hanoverian king did not speak English at all. Historians believe that we are talking about the Regency, which was replaced by the Victorian era. Ruling persons: George III, George IV, William IV and Victoria. Another branch of this dynasty is the Dukes of Cambridge.

Yorks, Windsors and other dynasties

The list of royal dynasties would not be complete without the Yorks, whose reigns were minimal (Edward IV, Edward V and Richard III), the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty (Edward VII and George V), and the reigning Windsor dynasty (George V, Edward VIII, George VI and Elizabeth II).

Egbert the Great (Anglo-Saxon. Ecgbryht, English Egbert, Eagberht) (769/771 - February 4 or June 839) - King of Wessex (802 - 839). A number of historians consider Egbert the first king of England, since for the first time in history he united under the rule of one ruler most of the lands located on the territory of modern England, and the remaining regions recognized his supreme power over themselves. Officially, Egbert did not use such a title and for the first time it was used in his title by King Alfred the Great.

Edward II (eng. Edward II, 1284-1327, also called Edward of Caernarvon, at his place of birth in Wales), is the English king (from 1307 until his deposition in January 1327) from the Plantagenet dynasty, the son of Edward I.
The first English heir to the throne, who bore the title of "Prince of Wales" (according to legend, at the request of the Welsh to give them a king who was born in Wales and did not speak English, Edward I showed them his newborn son, who had just been born in his camp) . Having inherited his father's throne at the age of less than 23, Edward II fought very unsuccessfully against Scotland, whose troops were led by Robert the Bruce. The popularity of the king also undermined his commitment to the favorites hated by the people (as it was believed, the king's lovers) - the Gascon Pierre Gaveston, and then the English nobleman Hugh Despenser Jr. Philip IV the Handsome, who fled to France.

Edward III Edward III .

Richard II (eng. Richard II, 1367-1400) - English king (1377-1399), representative of the Plantagenet dynasty, grandson of King Edward III, son of Edward the Black Prince.
Richard was born in Bordeaux - his father fought in France on the fields of the Hundred Years' War. When the Black Prince died in 1376, during the life of Edward III, the young Richard received the title of Prince of Wales, and a year later inherited the throne from his grandfather.

Henry IV Bolingbroke (Eng. Henry IV of Bolingbroke, April 3, 1367, Bolingbroke Castle, Lincolnshire - March 20, 1413, Westminster) - King of England (1399-1413), founder of the Lancaster dynasty (a younger branch of the Plantagenets).

Henry V (Eng. Henry V) (August 9, according to other sources, September 16, 1387, Monmouth Castle, Monmouthshire, Wales - August 31, 1422, Vincennes (now in Paris), France) - King of England from 1413, from the Lancaster dynasty, one of the greatest commanders of the Hundred Years War. Defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt (1415). Under an agreement in Troyes (1420), he became the heir of the French king Charles VI the Mad and received the hand of his daughter Catherine. He continued the war with the son of Charles, who did not recognize the treaty, the Dauphin (the future Charles VII) and died during this war, just two months before Charles VI; if he had lived these two months, he would have become the king of France. He died in August 1422, presumably from dysentery.

Henry VI (eng. Henry VI, fr. Henri VI) (December 6, 1421, Windsor - May 21 or 22, 1471, London) - the third and last king of England from the Lancaster dynasty (from 1422 to 1461 and from 1470 to 1471). The only one of the English kings who wore the title "King of France" during the Hundred Years War and after it, who was actually crowned (1431) and reigned over a large part of France.

Edward IV (April 28, 1442, Rouen - April 9, 1483, London) - King of England in 1461-1470 and 1471-1483, a representative of the York Plantagenet line, seized the throne during the War of the Scarlet and White Roses.
Eldest son of Richard, Duke of York and Cecilia Neville, brother of Richard III. On his father's death in 1460, he inherited his titles of Earl of Cambridge, March and Ulster and Duke of York. In 1461, at the age of eighteen, he ascended the English throne with the support of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick.
He was married to Elizabeth Woodville (1437-1492), children:
Elizabeth (1466-1503), married to King Henry VII of England
Maria (1467-1482),
Cecilia (1469-1507),
Edward V (1470-1483?),
Richard (1473-1483?),
Anna (1475-1511),
Catherine (1479-1527),
Bridget (1480-1517).
The king was a great hunter of women and, in addition to his official wife, he was secretly engaged to one or more women, which later allowed the royal council to declare his son Edward V illegitimate and, together with his other son, imprison him in the Tower.
Edward IV died unexpectedly on April 9, 1483.

Edward V (November 4, 1470 (14701104) -1483?) - King of England from April 9 to June 25, 1483, son of Edward IV; not crowned. Deposed by his uncle the Duke of Gloucester, who declared the king and his younger brother Duke Richard of York illegitimate children, and himself became King Richard III. 12-year-old and 10-year-old boys were imprisoned in the Tower, their further fate is not exactly known. The most common point of view is that they were killed on the orders of Richard (this version was official under the Tudors), however, various researchers accuse many other figures of that time, including Richard's successor Henry VII, of the murder of the princes.

Richard III (Eng. Richard III) (October 2, 1452, Fotheringay - August 22, 1485, Bosworth) - King of England c 1483, from the York dynasty, the last representative of the male Plantagenet line on the English throne. Brother of Edward IV. He took the throne, removing the minor Edward V. At the Battle of Bosworth (1485) he was defeated and killed. One of only two kings of England to die in battle (after Harold II, who was killed at Hastings in 1066).

Henry VII (Eng. Henry VII; )