English Monarchs

Second longest reigning monarch of the uk (60years), pipped by Queen Victoria who ruled from 1837-1901 (63years)

Also spelt Ecgberht. King of Wessex from 802 until 839. In 829 Egbert defeated Wiglaf of Mercia and drove him out of his kingdom, temporarily ruling Mercia directly. Later that year Egbert received the submission of the Northumbrian king. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle subsequently described Egbert as a bretwalda, or "Ruler of Britain".

Also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf'. He conquered Kent on behalf of his father in 825. He was called King of Kent until he succeeded his father as King of Wessex in 839, whereupon he became King of Wessex, Kent, Cornwall, the West Saxons & the East Saxons.

He reportedly rebelled against his father (Aethelwolf) either before (855) or on the latter’s return from Rome in 856 and deprived him of Wessex, which he ruled until his death.

After the death of his father in 858 he ruled Kent, Surrey, Sussex, and Essex, and he reunited them with Wessex when in 860 he succeeded his brother Æthelbald in that kingdom.

He is sometimes referred to as King Ethelred I of England, but it is open to question whether he should be regarded as a king of England, since in his time the English were still divided into a number of kingdoms, not all of which recognised him as overlord (e.g. Mercia).

Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself "King of the Anglo-Saxons".

He was king at a time when the Kingdom of Wessex was becoming transformed into the Kingdom of England. The title he normally used was "King of the Anglo-Saxons"; most authorities do regard him as a king of England, although the territory he ruled over was significantly smaller than the present borders of England.

Æthelstan's success in securing the submission of Constantine II, King of Scots, at the Treaty of Eamont Bridge led to his claiming the title "King of all Britain". His reign is frequently overlooked, with much focus going to Alfred the Great before him, and Edmund after. However, his reign was of fundamental importance to political developments in the 10th century.

Also spelt Eadmund. Also called the Elder, the Deed-Doer or the Just. At the age of only sixteen, he fought valiantly alongside his elder half-brother, King Aethelstan in AD 937. Together they expelled the ruling Norse from Northern England at the Battle of Brunanburgh. Edmund was therefore the first King to inherit a united England upon Aethelstan’s death two years later.

Edred enjoyed military success over the Vikings. He was a strongly religious man. Eadred was in very poor health - he could barely eat his food.

Called "All-Fair" by the common people for his great beauty. Also known as Edwy of England. He is best known for his dramatic confrontation with Dunstan at his coronation feast, and for the fact that in 957 the country was divided, with everything north of the Thames (Mercia and Northumbria) ruled by his brother Edgar. When Eadwig died two years later, Edgar became king over a once-more united England.

Edgar's reign was a peaceful one. Although the political unity of England was the achievement of his predecessors, it was Edgar who saw to its consolidation. By the end of Edgar's reign there was little likelihood of recession back to its state of rival kingships, and the division of its domains.

Edward's reign was short and disturbed by factional strife. He was killed at Corfe Castle by servants of his stepmother the Queen Dowager Ælfthryth (Elfrida).

His reign was plagued by poor advice from his personal favorites and suspicions of his complicity in Edward's murder. His was a rather long & ineffective reign, which was notable for little other than the payment of the Danegeld, an attempt to buy off the Viking invaders with money. The relentless invasions by the Danish Vikings, coupled with their ever-escalating demands for more money, forced him to abandon his throne in 1013. He fled to Normandy for safety, but was later recalled at the death of Svein Forkbeard in 1014.

Svein became king of Denmark in 985. From 994, on, he made a career out of attacking England and received the notorious Danegeld paid by Æthelred II. In 1013, Svein returned to England with the idea of capturing the throne. The thought of engaging Svein and his son, Knut, in battle apparently did not thrill Æthelred, and caused him to vacate his throne. The throne was seized by Svein, who held it for a mere five weeks. He died in February, 1014.

Edmund led the defense of the city of London against the invading Knut Sveinsson (Canute), and was proclaimed king by the Londoners. Meanwhile, the Witan (Council) chose Canute as King. Edmund defeated the Danish forces at Oxford, Kent, but was routed by Canute's forces at Ashingdon, Essex. A peace agreement was made, with Edmund controlling Wessex and Canute controlling Mercia and Northumbria. Edmund, he died in November, 1016, transferring the Kingship of England to Canute.

A Viking king of England, Denmark, & Norway, & of some of Sweden. His successes as a statesman, politically & militarily, and his status among medieval Europe's magnates, often lead modern historians to call him Emperor of the North, although this is an unofficial title.

Also known as Harald the harefoot. Upon his father Canute's death Harold's younger half-brother Harthacanute, was legitimate heir to the thrones of both the Danes and the English. He was, however, unable to travel to his coronation, because his Danish kingdom was under threat of invasion by King Magnus I of Norway and King Anund Jacob of Sweden. England's magnates favoured installing Harold Harefoot temporarily as regent and despite the opposition of Godwin, the Earl of Wessex, and the Queen, he eventually wore the crown.

Canute the Hardy. Also known as Harthacanute, Canute the Hardy, sometimes Hardicanute, Hardecanute and Hörthaknútr (Danish: Hardeknud) was King of Denmark from 1035 to 1042 as well as King of England from 1040 to 1042.

The penultimate Anglo-Saxon King of England & the last of the House of Wessex. His reign marked the continuing disintegration of royal power in England & it foreshadowed the country's later connection with Normandy, whose duke William I of England was to supplant Edward's successors Harold Godwinson and Edgar Ætheling as England's ruler. Edward was canonised in 1161 as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, which regards him as the patron saint of kings, difficult marriages, & separated spouses,

Widely regarded as the last Anglo-Saxon King of England before the Norman Conquest. Harold reigned from January 5 1066 until his death at the Battle of Hastings (as evidenced in the Bayeaux tapestry) on 14 October of that same year, fighting the Norman invaders, led by William the Conqueror.

Also known as Rufus

Also known as Beauclerc

Became Queen after capturing Stephen but was forced off the throne by a revolt in London. She was the daughter and dispossessed heir of Henry I of England. Matilda was the first female ruler, although uncrowned and for a brief time, of the Kingdom of England. Her failure to secure that rule meant that her temporary and disputed period of reign in 1141 was extremely brief. She is often excluded from lists of English monarchs and even the official British monarchy website excludes her, listing Stephen of England as king from 1135-1154.

Also known as Curtmantle

Also known as The Lionheart

John was a Plantagenet or Angevin king. As a historical figure, John is best known for acquiescing to the nobility and signing Magna Carta, a document that limited his power and that is popularly regarded as an early first step in the evolution of modern democracy. He has often appeared in historical fiction, particularly as an enemy of Robin Hood.

The first King to rule both England & Wales. He conquered large parts of Wales and almost succeeded in doing the same to Scotland. As regnal post-nominal numbers were a Norman (as opposed to Anglo-Saxon) custom, Edward Longshanks is known as Edward I, even though he is the fourth King Edward, following Edward the Elder, Edward the Martyr, and Edward the Confessor.

Also known as Bolingbroke

Was briefly restored to power 1470-1471.

Was overthrown 1470-1471 by Henry VI.

Also known as Crookback. Credited with the murder of Henry VI and Edward V.

Also known as Bloody Mary

Also known as The Virgin Queen and Good Queen Bess

Also James VI of Scotland, therefore becoming the first monarch to rule over England, Wales & Scotland.

Was named Lord Protector instead of King

Succeeded his father, Oliver, as Lord Protector

Reigned as Queen of England and Ireland from 13 February 1689, and as Queen of Scots (as Mary II) from 11 April 1689 until her death. Mary, a Protestant, came to the thrones following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of her Roman Catholic father, James II and VII. Mary reigned jointly with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, who became the sole ruler of both countries upon her death in 1694

Also known as Farmer George

Abdicated after announcing he was marrying American divorcee Wallis Simpson