English monarchs

All English Monarchs 👑🤴🏼👸🏼

All English Monarchs List Since 802 AD – 2023 👑 English Monarchs Timeline

ADDucation’s list of English monarchs starts with King Egbert in 802 AD. The Kingdom of England, also known as the “Kingdom of the Angles”, “Kingdom of the English” and “Regnum Anglorum” (in Latin) has been a sovereign state since around 886 AD, ruled by various combinations of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (East Anglia, Essex, Kent, Mercia, Northumbria, Sussex and Wessex). In 927 AD the English kingdoms united and swore allegiance to King Æthelstan in response to the Viking invasions during the 10th century.

English Monarchs FAQs 👑

Frequently Asked Questions About English Monarchs:

Who were the English monarchs before King Egbert in 802 AD?

The country “England” did not exist before Egbert so earlier rulers of the land now called “England” were not English monarchs. After the Romans left England around 410 AD the following 400 years saw battles between the Angles, Jutes and Saxons against the Picts and Scots. The Danish Jutes settled in Kent with their own kingdom. In Sussex the Germanic “South Saxons” established their own kingdom and later the “West Saxons” in Wessex and the “East Saxons” in Essex did the same. From 547 AD the Angles (from the Baltic) set up home first in Northumberland, then East Anglia (East Angles) and later in Mercia (Middle Angles). They all fought among themselves with the Northumbrians getting the upper hand for 120 years until they were knocked off the top spot by Mercia in 679 AD. Their King Offa (757-796) is claimed by some to be the first King of all England. It was only after King Egbert of Wessex defeated Mercia and the only remaining British stronghold in Cornwall that England was unified under Egbert who became the first of a long line of English monarchs. Egbert, married Redburga, a French princess and sister of Charlemagne, and they had Ethelwulf, a sweet baby boy, who became the second king of England.

Who is the longest reigning English Monarch?

Queen Elizabeth was the longest reigning of all English monarchs. She overtook queen Victoria, who reigned for 64 years, in 2015. Queen Elizabeth reigned for 70 years.

  • ADDucation’s list of English monarchs was compiled by A C and last updated Dec 31, 2022 @ 3:15 pm

ADDucation Tips: Click column headings with arrows to sort list of English monarchs [*]. Reload page for original sort order. Resize your browser to full screen and/or zoom out to display as many columns as possible. Click the ➕ icon to reveal any hidden columns. Set your browser to full screen to show as many columns as possible. Start typing in the Filter table box to find anything inside the table.

English Monarch [*] Reign #Years Period / House English Monarchs Key Facts & Trivia Born Died Aged Burial place
Egbert / Ecgherht 802-839 12 Saxon / Wessex Egbert returned from exile at the court of Charlemagne in 802. At the Battle of Ellendun in 825 Egbert defeated Beornwulf of Mercia. This ended Mercian domination of southern England. By 829 Egbert had occupied Mercia and dominated the Northumbrians making him the de-facto first monarch of all England. 770 839 69 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Æthelwulf (Ethelwulf) 839-856 17 Saxon / Wessex Æthelwulf was Egbert’s eldest son. Æthelwulf defeated a Danish army at the battle of Oakley. In 855 Athelwulf travelled to see the Pope in Rome with his son Alfred. Æthelwulf was the father of Alfred the Great. 795 858 63 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Æthelbald (Ethelbald) 856-860 4 Saxon / Wessex Æthelbald was Æthelwulf’s eldest son. 834 860 29 Sherborne Abbey, England.
Æthelbert (Ethelbert) 860-866 5 Saxon / Wessex Æthelbert was Æthelwulf’s son. 835 865 30 Sherborne Abbey, England.
Æthelred I (Ethelred I) 866-871 6 Saxon / Wessex Æthelred I was Æthelwulf’s son. Æthelred succeeded his brother Æthelbert. Æthelred I died of his wounds at a battle in Mererun, Hampshire. 837 871 34 Wimborne Minister, Dorset, England.
Alfred the Great 871-899 28 Saxon / Wessex Alfred the Great was Æthelwulf’s son. King Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons and first of the English monarchs to style himself as King of the Anglo-Saxons. Alfred was the first of only two English monarchs to be given “the Great” epithet, the other being Cnut the Great. 849 899 50 Winchester originally now lost.
Edward the Elder 899-924 25 Saxon / Wessex Edward the Elder was Alfred the Great’s son. Edward reunited Mercia and Wessex and retook the midlands and south-east England fro the Danes. Killed in battle near Chester against the Welsh. 871 924 53 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Athelstan
 924-939 15 Saxon / Wessex Athelstan was Edward the Elder’s son and a wise King “Athelstan the Good”. In 927 Athelstan conquered the last remaining Viking kingdom taking York from the Danes to become the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of the whole of England, effectively the first King of England. In 934 Athelstan invaded Scotland and forced Constantine II, the King of Scotland and of the northern kings to submit to him. 895 939 44 Malmesbury Abbey, England.
Ælfweard
[DISPUTED] 		924 up to 28 days Saxon / Wessex Ælfweard was Edward the Elder’s son. Ælfweard died about 2 weeks after his father. It is not clear if he reigned at all or for about 4 weeks as some records mention. Ælfweard one of four English monarchs who reigned but were not crowned. Ælfweard was one of a handful of English monarchs whose reign was in days rather than years. 904 924 20 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Edmund I the Elder 939-946 7 Saxon / Wessex Edmund was Edward the Elder’s son. On 26 May 946 King Edmund I was killed by an exiled thief called Leofa, which may have been a political assassination, at a feast in Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire. 921 946 25 Glastonbury Abbey, England.
Eadred (Edred) 946-955 9 Saxon / Wessex Eadred was Edward the Elder’s son. in 954 Eadred defeated Eric Bloodaxe, the last Scandanavian king of York. He died of a long-running stomach ailment. 923 955 32 Winchester Cathedral.
Eadwig the all fair (Edwy) 955-959 4 Saxon / Wessex Eadwig was the eldest son of King Edmund I. Eadwig was 15 when he become king and had disputes with noblemen and Archbishop Dunstan and Oda. Eadwig died aged 19, no cause of death was recorded. 941 959 19 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Edgar I / Edgar the Peaceful 959-975 16 Saxon / Wessex Also spelt Eadgar I, King Edmund I’s son. Edgar recalled Dunstan from exile in France and made him Archbishop of Canterbury. Six kings of Britain attended his coronation. 953 975 32 Glastonbury Abbey, England.
Edward the Martyr 975-978 3 Saxon / Wessex Edward the Martyr was King Edgar I’s eldest son. His crown was disputed by his younger half-brother Æthelred which split the church and noblemen. He was murdered at Corfe Castle by followers of Æthelred. 962 978 16 Brookwood, Surrey, England.
Æthelred II / Æthelred the Unready (Ethelred II) 978-1013 37 Saxon / Wessex Also known as “Æthelred the Unready” (“unready” in this context meaning “ill-advised”). Æthelred II was the eldest son of King Edgar I. In 1013 Sweyn Forkbeard, king of the Danes, invaded England. Æthelred II fled to Normandy but returned after the death of Sweyn Forkbeard just 40 days later. 968 1016 48 Old St Paul’s Cathedral (now lost), London, England.
Sweyn I / Sweyn Forkbeard 1013-1014 40 days House of Denmark Also known as Sweyn Forkbeard, father of Canute the Great, who seized the throne from his father King Harald Bluetooth. Sweyn was declared king of England on 25 December and died on 3 February 1014 just 40 days later. Sweyn I was one of a handful of English monarchs whose reign was in days rather than years. 960 1014 54 Roskilde Cathedral or St. Trinity, Lund, Norway.
Æthelred II / Æthelred the Unready (Ethelred II)

AGAIN

 1014-1016 2 Saxon / Wessex Æthelred II returned from exile and retook the throne after Sweyn died and battled Canute for the throne. 968 1016 48 Old St Paul’s Cathedral (now lost), London, England.
Edmund Ironside / Edmund II 1016 1 Saxon Edmund Ironside was Æthelred II’s son. Edmund Ironside fought five battles against the Danes until he was defeated at the Battle of Assandun on 18th October 1016. Edmund II made a deal with Canute to divide the kingdom. 989 1016 27 Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset, England.
Canute the Great (Cnut the Great) 1016-1035 19 House Jelling Sweyn Forkbeard’s son. Canute was the second of two English monarchs to be given “the Great” epithet, the first being King Edmund the Great. Canute famously proved he was a king but not a god by ordering the tide not to come in, knowing it would. 995 1035 40 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Harold Harefoot / Harold I 1035-1040 5 House Jelling Harold Harefoot was an illegitimate son of Canute the Great. Harold was called Harefoot because he was “fleet of foot”. Harold I died on 17 March 1040, aged 25, in Oxford and was probably buried in St. Clement Danes church in London. 1015 1040 25 Westminster Abbey, England.
Harthacanute / Harthacnut 1040-1042 2 House Jelling Harthacanute was the son of Canute the Great and Emma of Normandy. Harthacanute allowed Edward, his half-brother to return from exile. Harthacnut died toasting the health of a bride at a wedding. Edward was restored to the throne which suggests Harthacanute may have been poisoned. 1018 1042 24 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Edward the Confessor 1042-1066 23 Saxon Restoration Edward was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy. Edward was deeply religious. He presided over the Westminster Abbey restoration. He died childless without a natural successor. 1002 1066 64 Westminster Abbey, England.
Harold II 1066 Jan-Oct 292 days Saxon Restoration Harold Godwinson was the Earl of Wessex’s son. He was elected king by the Witan “a meeting of wise men”. The decision was not accepted by William, Duke of Normandy, who landed his forces in Sussex and defeated Harold at the battle of Hastings. 1022 1066 44 Waltham Abbey, England.
Edgar Ætheling
[King but not crowned] 		1066 Oct-Dec 61 days max. Saxon Restoration Edgar Ætheling was the son of Edward the Exile and Agatha. Following the death of Harold the Witan (council) elected teenager Edgar Ætheling as king. A few months later the Witan set aside that election after negotiations with William I. Edgar Ætheling was one of four English monarchs who reigned but not crowned. 1051 1126 75 Unknown.
William I 1066-1087 21 Norman William I is also know as William the Conqueror. 1027 1087 60 Abbey of Saint-Étienne, Caen, France.
William II 1087-1100 13 Norman Aka “Rufus the Red” either because of his hair color or temperament, King William I’s 2nd son. 1056 1100 44 Winchester Cathedral, England.
Henry I 1100-1135 35 Norman King William I’s 4th son. 1068 1135 67 Reading Abbey, England.
Stephen / Stephen of Blois 1135-54 19 Norman King Stephen was the Count of Blois’s son. 1096 1154 58 Faversham Abbey, England.
Henry II 1154-1189 35 Plantagenets Geoffrey of Anjou’s son 1133 1189 56 Fontevraud Abbey, France.
Richard I / Richard the Lionheart 1189-99 10 Plantagenets Also known as Richard “the Lionheart” because of his military leadership qualities. King Henry II’s 3rd legitimate son. 1157 1199 42 Fontevraud Abbey, France.
John / John Lackland 1199-1216 17 Plantagenets King John was the youngest of five sons of King Henry II and King Richard I’s younger brother. 1166 1216 50 Worcester Cathedral, England.
Henry III 1216-1272 56 Plantagenets King John Lackland’s son. 1207 1272 65 Westminster Abbey, England.
Edward I / Edward Longshanks 1272-1307 35 Plantagenets Also known was Edward “Longshanks” because of his height, and “Hammer of the Scots”. King Henry III’s son. 1239 1307 68 Westminster, England.
Edward II / Edward of Carnarvon 1307-1327 20 Plantagenets Also known as Edward of Carnarvon. King Edward I’s son. 1284 1327 43 Gloucester Cathedral, England.
Edward III 1327-1377 50 Plantagenets Edward III was the son of King Edward II and Isabella of France. 1312 1377 65 Westminster, England.
Richard II 1377-1399 22 Plantagenets Richard II was the son of Edward the Black Prince, who was the eldest son of King Edward II. 1367 1400 33 Westminster, England.
Henry IV 1399-1413 14 Lancaster (branch of Plantagenets) King Edward III’s 3rd and oldest surviving son. 1367 1413 46 Canterbury Cathedral, England.
Henry V 1413-1422 9 Lancaster (branch of Plantagenets) Henry V was Henry IV’s son. 1387 1422 35 Westminster, England.
Henry VI 1422-1461 39 Lancaster (branch of Plantagenets) Henry VI was King Henry V’s son. 1421 1471 50 Windsor Castle, England.
Edward IV 1461-1483 22 House of York (branch of Plantagenets) Edward IV was the 2nd con of Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York, also known as Richard Plantagenet, who was the great-grandson of King Edward III. 1442 1483 41 Windsor Castle, England.
Edward V
[King but not crowned] 		1483 Apr-June 86 days House of York (branch of Plantagenets) Edward IV’s son. 86 day reign but never crowned, one of the “Princes in the Tower”. Possibly murdered by their carer, Richard, who took their crown himself. Edward V was one of four English monarchs who reigned but not crowned. Edward V was one of a handful of English monarchs whose reign was in days rather than years. 1470 1483 13 Westminster, England.
Richard III 1483-1485 2 House of York (branch of Plantagenets) Richard III was Richard Duke of York’s 8th son. Richard III was the last English king to die in battle. His army was defeated during the Battle of Bosworth Field by Henry Tudor (Henry VII). It was the last major battle which ended the Wars of the Roses between the Houses of York and Lancaster. His body was buried in a simple grave in Greyfriars friary church. The church was demolished after the dissolution of the friary in 1538. Richard III’s body was rediscovered in 2012 and reinterred in Leicester Cathedral, England. 1452 1485 33 Originally Greyfriars Friary Church in Leicester, England. Now Leicester Cathedral, England.
Henry VII 1485-1509 24 Tudors Henry VII was the son of Edmund Tudor, the 1st Earl of Richmond. 1457 1509 52 Westminster Abbey.
Henry VIII 1509-1547 38 Tudors Henry VIII was Henry VII’s younger son. 1491 1547 55 Windsor Castle, England.
Edward VI 1547-1553 6 Tudors Edward VI was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, his third wife. 1537 1553 15 Westminster Abbey, England.
Lady Jane Grey / Lady Jane Dudley 1553 9 days Tudors Lady Jane Grey was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII. Jane was also known as “the Nine Days’ Queen” because she was de facto Queen of England and Ireland for 9 days from 10-19 July 1553, when she was executed in the Tower of London. 1537 1554 17 Church of St Peter ad Vincula, London, England.
Mary I / Queen Mary / Mary Tudor 1553-1558 45 Tudors Mary was the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. She was nicknamed “Bloody Mary” by Protestant opponents for executions carried out in the pursuit of the restoration of Roman Catholicism in England and Ireland. 1516 1558 42 Westminster Abbey, England.
Philip I and Mary I
 1554-1588 44 Tudors King Philip II of Spain became co-monarch by jure uxoris “by right of his wife” when he married Queen Mary I on 25 July 1554. Despite a false pregnancy, no children resulted from their marriage. Queen Mary and King Philip ruled as co-monarchs until Mary I died on 17 November 1558. 1527 1598 71 El Escorial, Spain.
Elizabeth I 1558-1603 45 Tudors Elizabeth I was also known as The Virgin Queen, Gloriana and Good Queen Bess. Elizabeth I was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, his second wife. 1533 1603 70 Westminster Abbey, England.
James I 1603-1625 22 Stuarts James I was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots (aka Mary Stuart and Mary I of Scotland) and Henry Stuart, Duke of Albany (aka Lord Darnley). James I was also James VI of Scotland. 1566 1625 59 Westminster Abbey, England.
Charles I 1625-1649 24 Stuarts Charles I was James I of England’s second son. 1600 1649 49 Windsor Castle, England.
Oliver Cromwell
[Ruler NOT a Monarch]		 1653-1658 5 Commonwealth of England Oliver Cromwell was Lord protector of England, not a monarch nor king. Cromwell died a natural death and was buried in Westminster Abbey. In 1660 he was posthumously beheaded by Royalists and his head mounted on a spike. The whereabouts of this body remains unknown. 1599 1658 59 (His head) Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, England.
Richard Cromwell
[Ruler NOT a Monarch] 		1658-1659 1 Commonwealth of England Richard Cromwell was Oliver Cromwell’s 3rd son and was not a monarch nor a king. 1626 1712 86 Hursley Parish Church, Winchester, England.
Charles II 1660-1685 25 Stuarts Restoration Charles II was the son of Charles I. The monarchy was restored by parliament in 1660 after Charles II promised to work with Parliament. Charles II was a popular monarch, nicknamed the “Merry Monarch”. 1630 1685 55 Westminster Abbey, England.
James II 1685-1688 3 Stuarts Restoration James II was Charles I’s son and also James VII of Scotland. James was the last Roman Catholic monarch of England, Scotland and Ireland. He was deposed in the “Glorious Revolution of 1688” which established the primacy of Parliament over the Crown. 1633 1701 68 Church of the English Benedictines, Paris, England.
Mary II / William III 1689-1694 5 Stuarts Restoration Queen Mary II ruled as queen regnant  (a female monarch equivalent to a king, who reigns in her own right) with William III from 1689 until her death on 28 December 1694. Although Mary II generally deferred to William III she proved herself to be a firm and effective ruler when he was engaged in overseas military campaigns. 1650 1702 52 Westminster Abbey, England.
William III / William of Orange 1689-1702 13 Stuarts Restoration William III was the last monarch of England as a sovereign state [*]. William III was also William II, King of Scotland. 1650 1702 52 Westminster Abbey, England.
Anne 1702-1707 5 Stuarts Restoration Queen Anne was the daughter of James II of England and Anne Hyde, his first wife. 1665 1714 49 Westminster Abbey, England.
George I 1714-1727 13 House of Hanover George was the son of Prince Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover, and Sophia of the Palatinate. 1660 1727 67 Hanover, Germany, England.
George II 1727-1760 33 House of Hanover George II was the son of George I and Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Germany. George II was the last British King to lead his army in person at the Battle of Dettingen in Bavaria in 1743 during the war of the Austrian succession. 1683 1760 77 Westminster Abbey.
George III 1760-1820 60 House of Hanover George III was the the son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, Germany. George III is the longest reigning English male monarch. References to the “Madness of King George” refer to his deteriorating mental health in later life. In 1810 his eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, took over and ruled as Prince Regent until his death when he succeeded his father as King George IV. 1738 1820 82 Windsor Castle, England.
George IV 1820-1830 10 House of Hanover George IV was the son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany. 1762 1830 68 Windsor Castle, England.
William IV 1830-1837 7 House of Hanover William IV was the son of George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Germany. 1765 1837 72 Windsor Castle, England.
Victoria 1837-1901 64 House of Hanover Queen Victoria was the daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, Germany. 1819 1901 82 Windsor Castle, England.
Edward VII 1901-1910 9 House of Hanover Edward VII was the son of Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort. 1841 1910 69 Windsor Castle, England.
George V 1910-1936 26 House of Windsor George V was the son of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark. 1865 1936 71 Windsor Castle, England.
Edward VIII
[King but not crowned] 		1936 Jan-Dec 325 days House of Windsor Edward VIII was the son of George V and Mary of Teck. Edward VIII caused a constitutional crisis by planning to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. Edward VIII abdicated in 1936. Edward VII was one of four English monarchs who reigned but not crowned. Edward VIII was one of a handful of English monarchs whose reign was days rather than years. 1894 1972 78 Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, Home Park, Windsor Castle, England.
George VI 1936-1952 16 House of Windsor George VI was the son of George V and Mary of Teck. 1895 1952 57 King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle, England.
Elizabeth II 1952-2022 70 House of Windsor Queen Elizabeth II was the longest reigning British monarch ever. Elizabeth was the daughter of George VI and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Elizabeth is the 32nd great granddaughter of King Alfred the Great. Her official title was “monarch” rather than “queen” of Great Britain according to the Act of Union 1707. Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully at Balmoral Castle, in Scotland, on 8 September 2022. 1926 2022 96 King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle, alongside her parents and sister Princess Margaret.
Charles III
[Coronation 6 May 2023] 		2022-present 55 days House of Windsor King Charles III is the eldest son of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 1948

See also: Queens & Kings of England since AD 924… | Kings of England… | Queens of England…

[*]Notes: Monarchs of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland etc.:
Since 1702 all monarchs that ruled over England were monarchs of Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland or Northern Ireland.

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4 responses to “All English Monarchs 👑🤴🏼👸🏼”

  1. Joe Connor says:
    July 11, 2021 at 11:26 pm

    Hi K, thanks for your kind words!

    Reply
  2. K. Wright says:
    July 11, 2021 at 7:07 am

    I am a retired teacher. I found your website today. I have always been a collector of lists. I am enjoying looking at it as I find my memory is not as good as it used to be. I am glad that this site is here for the children at school and at home. Thank you so much for creating it.

    Reply
  3. Andrew HartleySnazelle says:
    August 18, 2020 at 3:02 pm

    Why is Queen Boadicea missing from your list of British royalty?

    Reply
    • Joe Connor says:
      August 22, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      Boudica is not included in our list of English monarchs because she died c61 AD. England didn’t exist as a country until 802 AD.

      Reply

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