English Sovereigns

The first unified government of England came with the conquest of the Danish in northern England by Edward the Elder. The rule of succession to the throne is primogeniture, or the passing of the throne to the oldest son (or daughter when there are no sons). The English monarchy continued to rule England until the 19th century, when the country became a constitutional monarchy, and most national policy was decided by Parliament.

Reign

Name

Relationship

West Saxon Kings
899-924	Edward the Elder	son of Alfred the Great
924-39	Athelstan	son of Edward I
939-46	Edmund	half brother of Athelstan
946-55	Edred	brother of Edmund
955-59	Edwy	son of Edmund
959-75	Edgar	brother of Edwy
975-78	Edward the Martyr	son of Edgar
978-1016	Ethelred II	son of Edgar
1016	Edmund Ironside	son of Ethelred
Danish Kings
1016-35	Canute II	son of Sweyn I of Denmark who conquered England 1013
1035-37	Harold I and Hardecanute	sons of Canute II (each ruled a part of England as decided by the royal council)
1037-40	Harold I	son of Canute
1040-42	Hardecanute	son of Canute
West Saxon Kings (restored)
1042-66	Edward the Confessor	son of Ethelred II
1066	Harold II	son of Godwin
Norman Kings
1066-87	William I	illegitimate son of Duke Robert the Devil
1087-1100	William II	son of William I
1100-35	Henry I	son of William I
1135-53	Stephen	grandson of William II
House of Plantagenet
1153-89	Henry II	son of Matilda (daughter of Henry I)
1189-99	Richard I	son of Henry II
1199-1216	John	son of Henry II
1216-72	Henry III	son of John
1272-1307	Edward I	son of Henry III
1307-27	Edward II	son of Edward I
1327-77	Edward III	son of Edward II
1377-99	Richard II	son of the Black Prince
House of Lancaster
1399-1413	Henry IV	son of John of Gaunt
1413-22	Henry V	son of Henry IV
1422-61, 1470-71	Henry VI	son of Henry V
House of York
1461-70, 1471-83	Edward IV	son of Richard, Duke of York
1483	Edward V	son of Edward IV
1483-85	Richard III	brother of Edward IV
House of Tudor
1485-1509	Henry VII	son of Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond
1509-47	Henry VIII	son of Henry VII
1547-53	Edward VI	son of Henry VIII
1553-58	Mary I	daughter of Henry VIII
1558-1603	Elizabeth I	daughter of Henry VIII
House of Stuart
1603-25	James I	great-grandson of Margaret (daughter of Henry VII)
1625-49	Charles I	son of James I
The Commonwealth
1649-58	Oliver Cromwell
1658-60	Richard Cromwell
House of Stuart (restored)
1660-85	Charles II	son of Charles I
1685-88	James II	son of Charles I
1689-94	William III and Mary II	son of Mary (daughter of Charles I); daughter of James II
1694-1702	William III	son of Mary (daughter of Charles I)
1702-14	Anne	daughter of James II
House of Hannover
1714-27	George I	son of Sophia (granddaughter of James I)
1727-60	George II	son of George I
1760-1820	George III	son of Frederick (son of George II)
1820-30	George IV (regent 1811-20)	son of George III
1830-37	William IV	son of George III
1837-1901	Victoria	daughter of Edward (son of George III)
House of Saxe-Coburg
1901-10	Edward VII	son of Victoria
House of Windsor
1910-36	George V	son of Edward VII
1936	Edward VIII (abdicated)	son of George V
1936-52	George VI	son of George V
1952-	Elizabeth II	daughter of George VI

Appears in these articles:

England; United Kingdom

*	Exclusively for MSN Encarta Premium Subscribers. Join Now