Right another trip back in time dear folks, but before doing so I shall give some background information to those kind souls who have sat on the throne (and no, I don't mean the toilet) whatdya mean - it's a pile of crap??
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| A coin with Offa depicted |
The list of English Monarchs begins with some scrawny bod called Offa of Mercia back in 774 AD. and yes, Elizabeth I would have loved him -"Offa with his head".
He became dominant in the late eighth century and his power based covered most of England except for Northumbria (darn those northeners).(include picture here)
The ninth century however, saw some blokes from Wessex up sticks, became unruly, and dominated the Kingdom under Egbert (Chief unruly person), who conquered Kent and Sussex from Mercia in 825. After this, Alfred the Great and his son Edward the Elder used the title "King of the Anglo-Saxons". (Sadly Edward the Not-quite-as-elder, or Edward-the-Lesser-Spotted-Less-Elder couldn't maintain the family tradition of reaching old age) .
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| Map of Olde England |
So after Athelstan conquered Northumbria in 927, he adopted the title 'Rex Anglorum' (well, who was likely to object eh??) and starting with Henry II in 1154, the title then became 'Rex Angliae' (King of England).
The Principality of Wales was incorporated into the Kingdom of England under the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284 whilst the crowns of England and Scotland were joined in personal union under James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England. By royal proclamation (AKA by simply saying so) James titled himself "King of Great Britain", but of course no such kingdom actually existed until 1707 when England underwent legislative union with Scotland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain, during the reign of Queen Anne.
So for the Scottish folk, it the lawyers fault that finally brought you lot into the state now known as the UK. We English merely hacked and slashed and killed, maimed and pillaged BUT the dirty deed was finalised by lawyers - God save the King!!.
The Monarchs are also usually known by the family names which are shown below.
| 774 - 796 | House of Mercia |
| 802 - 1013 | House of Wessex |
| 1013 - 1014 | House of Denmark |
| 1014 - 1016 | House of Wessex (restored, first time) |
| 1016 - 1042 | House of Denmark (restored) |
| 1042 - 1066 | House of Wessex (restored, second time) |
| 1066 - 1154 | House of Normandy |
| 1154 - 1399 | House of Plantagenet |
| 1399 - 1461 | House of Lancaster |
| 1461 - 1470 | House of York |
| 1470 - 1471 | House of Lancaster (restored) |
| 1471 - 1485 | House of York (restored) |
| 1485 - 1603 | House of Tudor |
| 1603 - 1649 | House of Stuart |
| 1649 - 1659 | Commonwealth |
| 1660 - 1707 | House of Stuart (restored) |
My god, shoddy workmanship I must say - all that restoration going on, whatever next!!
And here endeth the first lesson.
Next time, on 'Who wants to Be Bored', I shall list for your amusement, the Kings who ruled during the period above, and subsequent posts will also include the British Monarchs, taking you from Queen Anne, to the present day. I will warn you, there is a lot of chopping and changing......and that's not including the beheading!!!!
Thought for the day
All generalizations are false, including this one.
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