British Monarchs

A history of British monarchs.

Note the deeply-intertwined history of Irish monarchs.

Titles and Addresses

Monarchs are addressed as 'your majesty'.

The family of monarchs--whether a prince, princess, duke, or duchess--are addressed as 'royal highness'.

Dukes and duchesses who are not royal peers are addressed as 'your grace'. As an example, Pelham-Holles was titled as 'Duke of Newcastle' and addressed as 'your grace'.

Marquess, marchioness, earls, countesses, viscounts, viscountesses, barons, and baronesses are all titled as 'lord' or 'lady' and addressed as 'my lord' or 'my lady'. Heirs apparent to such titles also use the title and are addressed accordingly. As an example, Stuart was titled as 'Lord Bute' and addressed as 'my lord'.

Kingdom of England

Shortly after Henry established the Anglican Church, the Parliament of Ireland established a Kingdom of Ireland and appointed the crown to Henry. This established a personal union of the two.

Elizabeth died in 1603, leaving James IV of Scotland to inherit the English crown. This established a personal union of the two.

Kingdom of Great Britain

In 1707, Anne merged the crowns of England and Scotland into the new Kingdom of Great Britain through the Acts of Union (passed by both parliaments).

The unicameral Parliament of Scotland was abolished, and the Scottish nobility had elect 16 representative peers from among their number to sit in the House of Lords.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The Irish Rebellion of 1798 largely was a direct result of Catholic disenfranchisement. Despite the majority of the population being Catholic, only Anglicans were allowed to sit in the Parliament of Ireland. After the rebellion was crushed, the English sought to bind Ireland tighter to their kingdom. In 1801, George and Pitt merged the crowns of Great Britain and Ireland into the new United Kingdom through the Acts of Union (passed by both parliaments). Note that George specifically continued to bar Catholics from Parliament, which would continue until 1829 and the Roman Catholic Relief Act.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Dynasties

Normandy

In 1066, multiple claimants to the crown emerged. Harold Godwinson repelled the invasion by Harald Hardrada, but at the Battle of Hastings was defeated by William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy.

Blois

Henry I had no male heir. He had intended for the crown to go to his daughter Matilda, who had married Geoffrey, count of Anjou. His nephew Stephen instead seized the throne in a coup.

In 1153 he recognized Matilda's son, Henry II, as his heir.

Plantagenet

Henry I had no male heir. He had intended for the crown to go to his daughter Matilda, who had married Geoffrey, count of Anjou. His nephew Stephen instead seized the throne in a coup.

In 1153 he recognized Matilda's son, Henry II, as his heir. Henry would succeed him the next year.

The house of Plantagenet is an Angevin house. This Angevin house was established by Geoffrey II, count of Gâtinais, when he inherited Anjou through the house of Ingelger. It should not be confused with the Capetian Angevins.

The Plantagenet-Angevins and Capetians came into conflict over suzerainty and sovereignty. Philip II succeeded in pealing back the duchy of Normandy and the counties of Anjou, Poitiers, Maine, and Nantes. Charles VII finally succeeded in reclaiming all of the titles, namely the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony, through the Hundred Years' War. With these losses, the Plantagenets became the primary branch of this Angevin house.

Lancaster

The house of Lancaster is a cadet branch of the Plantagenets. Henry IV usurped Richard II in 1399.

The Wars of the Roses saw power pass between the Lancasters and the house of York repeatedly during the disputed reigns of Henry VI and Edward IV.

York

The house of York is a cadet branch of the Plantagenets. Henry IV usurped Richard II in 1399.

The Wars of the Roses saw power pass between the Yorks and the house of Lancaster repeatedly during the disputed reigns of Henry VI and Edward IV.

Tudor

The house of Tudor claimed descent from Edward III of the Plantagenets. Henry VII inherited the Lancaster claim and cause; through the Battle of Bosworth Field he won the Wars of the Roses and secured the crown. Henry then also married Elizabeth, a daughter of Edward IV, to secure the peace.

Stuart

James I inherited the claim of his mother, Mary. He succeeded to the throne following the death of his cousin, Elizabeth I, in 1603.

In 1649, Charles I was executed and no monarch was immediately crowned. Cromwell seized power and reigned for nearly 5 years. The Stuarts were restored to the throne in 1660, when Charles II returned from exile in France.

Parliament invited William to depose James II and co-rule with his wife, Mary. Following this Glorious Revolution, the Jacobites would continue to claim the throne, but would never successfully press it.

Orange

Parliament invited William to depose James II and co-rule with his wife, Mary. Through this Glorious Revolution, the house of Orange came to England.

William outlived Mary by several years, but ultimately had no male heir, so the crown reverted to the Stuarts.

Hanover

Anne had no heir, so the crown went to George I.

Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. As such, their son and heir would inherit as a member of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha instead of Hanover.

Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

Victoria married Albert of the house of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Their son George V was therefore not technically a Hanover.

Windsor

When George V succeeded the throne in 1910, he adopted a new house name to replace Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The new house of Windsor continues to reign.

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