Reference list
Monarchs of England (924x7–1707)
This list follows the precedent established by the Handbook of British Chronology (3rd edn, 1986) in presenting Æthelstan as the first ruler of a kingdom of England, combining the kingdom of the West Saxons with those of the Mercians and the Northumbrians.The list is ordered chronologically by dates of accession. These dates are marked as approximate until 1066, unless they are definitely known, on the grounds that successions were occasionally contested and it is not clear whether someone was regarded as king from the day of his election, the death of his predecessor, or his inauguration. Reflecting contemporary practice, from the accession of Harold II until the death of Henry III a monarch's reign is dated from the day of his coronation; from Edward I to Henry VIII (with the exceptions of Henry IV, Edward IV, Edward V, and Henry VII) from the day following the end of his predecessor's reign. From the accession of Edward VI a monarch's reign is treated as having begun on the day the predecessor's reign ended, with the exception of Charles II (dated from the day he was recognized as king by the English parliament) and William III and Mary II (dated from their proclamation as king and queen by the convention summoned to decide on the succession).
From 1177 John, son of Henry II, was styled lord of Ireland; he continued to use this title as king of England, and his successors bore it until Henry VIII became king of Ireland in 1541. From 1603 the king of England and Ireland was also king of Scotland; in 1604 James I assumed the title king of Great Britain. As he and several of his successors following the union of the crowns began and ended their reigns on different dates in England and Scotland, separate lists have been maintained until the Act of Union in 1707. Thereafter British monarchs combined rule of England and Wales with Scotland as part of Great Britain.
Within the list, subheadings group the rulers by dynasty. Before 1066, these have been arranged into West Saxon and Danish kings, and afterwards by royal house.
West Saxon kings |
|
| c.2 Aug 924×7 | Æthelstan (b. 893/4, d. 27 Oct 939); crowned 4 Sept 925 |
| c.27 Oct 939 | Edmund I (b. 920/21, d. 26 May 946) |
| c.26 May 946 | Eadred (d. 23 Nov 955); crowned 16 Aug 946 |
| c.23 Nov 955 | Eadwig (b. c.940, d. 1 Oct 959); crowned late Jan 956 |
| summer 957×c.1 Oct 959 | Edgar (b. 943/4, d. 8 July 975); crowned 11 May 973 |
| 17 July 975 | Edward [St Edward; called Edward the Martyr] (b. c.962, d. 18 March 978) |
| c.18 March 978 [first reign] | Æthelred II [known as Ethelred the Unready] (b. c.966×8, d. 23 April 1016); crowned 4 May 979; deposed |
Danish house |
|
| summer 1013 | Swein (d. 3 Feb 1014) |
West Saxon house |
|
| spring 1014 [second reign] | Æthelred II [known as Ethelred the Unready] (b. c.966×8, d. 23 April 1016) |
| 23 April 1016 | Edmund II [known as Edmund Ironside] (d. 1016) |
Danish house |
|
| Oct×Dec 1016 | Cnut [Canute] (d. 12 Nov 1035) |
| c.12 Nov 1035×1037 | Harold I (d. 17 March 1040) |
| 17 June 1040 | Harthacnut (b. c.1018, d. 8 June 1042); nominally king in England, c.12 Nov 1035×1037 |
West Saxon kings |
|
| late 1042 | Edward [St Edward; known as Edward the Confessor] (b. 1003×5, d. 5 Jan 1066); crowned 3 April 1043 |
| 6 Jan 1066 | Harold II (b. 1022/3, d. 14 Oct 1066); crowned 6 Jan 1066 |
House of Normandy |
|
| 25 Dec 1066 | William I [known as William the Conqueror] (b. 1027/8, d. 9 Sept 1087); crowned 25 Dec 1066 |
| 26 Sept 1087 | William II [known as William Rufus] (b. c.1060, d. 2 Aug 1100); crowned 26 Sept 1087 |
| 5 Aug 1100 | Henry I (b. 1068/9, d. 1 Dec 1135); crowned 5 Aug 1100 |
House of Blois |
|
| 22 Dec 1135 | Stephen (b. c. 1092, d. 25 Oct 1154); crowned 22 Dec 1135 |
House of Anjou (Plantagenet) |
|
| 19 Dec 1154 | Henry II (b. 5 March 1133, d. 6 July 1189); crowned 19 Dec 1154 |
| 3 Sept 1189 | Richard I (b. 8 Sept 1157, d. 6 April 1199); crowned 3 Sept 1189 |
| 27 May 1199 | John (b. 24 Dec 1167, d. 18/19 Oct 1216); crowned 27 May 1199 |
| 28 Oct 1216 | Henry III (b. 1 Oct 1207, d. 16 Nov 1272); crowned 28 Oct 1216 |
| 17 Nov 1272 | Edward I (b. 17/18 June 1239, d. 7 July 1307); crowned 19 Aug 1274 |
| 8 July 1307 | Edward II (b. 25 April 1284, d. 21 Sept 1327); crowned 25 Feb 1308; abdicated under duress |
| 25 Jan 1327 | Edward III (b. 12 Nov 1312, d. 21 June 1377); crowned 1 Feb 1327 |
| 22 June 1377 | Richard II (b. 6 Jan 1367, d. 14 Feb 1400?); crowned 16 July 1377; abdicated under duress |
House of Lancaster |
|
| 30 Sept 1399 | Henry IV (b. 15 April? 1367, d. 20 March 1413); crowned 13 Oct 1399 |
| 21 March 1413 | Henry V (b. 16 Sept 1386, d. 31 Aug 1422); crowned 9 April 1413 |
| 1 Sept 1422 [first reign] | Henry VI (b. 6 Dec 1421, d. 21 May 1471); crowned 5 Nov 1429; deposed |
House of York |
|
| 4 March 1461 [first reign] | Edward IV (b. 28 April 1442, d. 9 April 1483); crowned 28 June 1461; deposed |
House of Lancaster |
|
| 3 Oct 1470 [second reign] | Henry VI (b. 6 Dec 1421, d. 21 May 1471); deposed |
House of York |
|
| 11 April 1471 [second reign] | Edward IV (b. 28 April 1442, d. 9 April 1483) |
| 9 April 1483 | Edward V (b. 2 Nov 1470, d. July×Sept 1483); never crowned; deposed |
| 26 June 1483 | Richard III (b. 2 Oct 1452, d. 22 Aug 1485); crowned 6 July 1483 |
House of Tudor |
|
| 22 Aug 1485 | Henry VII (b. 28 Jan 1457, d. 21 April 1509); dated his reign from 21 Aug 1485; crowned 30 Oct 1485 |
| 22 April 1509 | Henry VIII (b. 28 June 1491, d. 28 Jan 1547); crowned 24 June 1509 |
| 28 Jan 1547 | Edward VI (b. 12 Oct 1537, d. 6 July 1553); crowned 20 Feb 1547 |
| 6 July 1553 | Jane [see Grey, Lady Jane] (b. Oct 1537, d. 12 Feb 1554); never crowned; proclaimed as successor to Edward VI on 10 July 1553, but recognized Mary I on 19 July 1553 |
| 6 July 1553 | Mary I (b. 18 Feb 1516, d. 17 Nov 1558); crowned 1 Oct 1553 |
| 17 Nov 1558 | Elizabeth I (b. 7 Sept 1533, d. 24 March 1603); crowned 15 Jan 1559 |
House of Stuart |
|
| 24 March 1603 | James I [see James VI and I] (b. 19 June 1566, d. 27 March 1625); crowned 25 July 1603 |
| 27 March 1625 | Charles I (b. 19 Nov 1600, d. 30 Jan 1649); crowned 18 June 1625; executed 30 Jan 1649 |
The Commonwealth |
|
| The kingship was abolished on 16 March 1649. Government by the first council of state was introduced on 14 Feb 1649 and lasted until 20 April 1653. The second council of state governed from 29 April 1653 to 16 Dec 1653. | |
The Protectorate: lords protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland |
|
| 16 Dec 1653 | Oliver Cromwell (b. 25 April 1599, d. 3 Sept 1658) |
| 3 Sept 1658 | Richard Cromwell (b. 4 Oct 1626, d. 12 July 1712) |
| Richard Cromwell resigned on 24 May 1659. There followed a return to government by council of state until the restorarion of the monarchy on 8 May 1660. | |
House of Stuart |
|
| 8 May 1660 | Charles II (b. 29 May 1630, d. 6 Feb 1685); crowned 23 April 1661; Charles dated reign from the death of his father on 30 Jan 1649 |
| 6 Feb 1685 | James II [see James II and VII] (b. 14 Oct 1633, d. 5 Sept 1701); crowned 23 April 1685; fled England, and was subsequently deemed to have abdicated, in December 1688 |
| 13 Feb 1689 | William III [see William III and II] (b. 14 Nov 1650 NS, d. 8 March 1702); crowned 10 April 1689 |
| 13 Feb 1689 | Mary II (b. 30 April 1662, d. 28 Dec 1694); crowned 10 April 1689 |
| 8 March 1702 | Anne (b. 6 Feb 1665, d. 1 Aug 1714); crowned 23 April 1702 |
| The Act of Union with Scotland took effect on 1 May 1707. Thereafter British monarchs combined rule of England and Wales with Scotland as part of Great Britain. | |
