Rulers Of Britain

Britain has a long and fascinating history. While little is known about ancient Britons before the invasion of Julius Caesar in 55BC, the ancient Britons continue to inspire our imagination through archaeological finds and historical sites such as Stonehenge in Wiltshire. At the time of the Roman invasion, the Britons lived in tribes, some of the most famous tribes being the Iceni; Silures; Ordovices; Brigantes; Trinovantes and Catuvellauni. These tribes all had their own leaders and the tribes did not always live in peace with each other. This made it easier for the Romans to invade. One of the most famous ancient Britons is Queen Boadicea, leader of the Iceni tribe following the death of her husband Prasutagus. In 61 AD she lead a rebellion against the Romans and successfully destroyed many Roman settlements, including Londinium (modern London) which was burnt to the ground. Eventually Boadicea's army was defeated and she was killed (legend says by her own hand), but her rebellion was a mighty blow that shook the Roman Empire. The Romans continued to occupy Britain until around 400AD.

The end of the Roman Occupation began what is known as The Dark Ages. During this time, the Britons were invaded by Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and then Normans. It was during The Dark Ages that the legendary Briton, King Arthur, is believed to have lived. As a result of all these invasions, the Britons moved westward, settling in Wales and the west of what became England.

BATTLE OF HASTINGS 1066
Wiki Commons

Following The Norman Conquest in 1066, the English kings tried to conquer Scotland and Wales. The Scots managed to maintain their independence but the last Prince of Wales (Llewellyn the last) was defeated and killed by Edward I's invading forces in 1282. Edward I made his son and heir (the future King Edward II) Prince of Wales, a title still held by the heir to the throne today. For his campaigns against the Scots, Edward I earned the title Hammer of the Scots.

For many years the Welsh also resisted English rulership, hence why Edward I needed to build so many castle fortresses in Wales, but in the reign of Henry VIII Wales was officially united with England. The deposing of King Richard III by Welsh Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth (1485) was not only seen as a triumph of the Welsh, but of the Britons. It was believed that the Welsh were the last of the true Britons, so Henry Tudor's victory at Bosworth was seen as a final victory of the Britons after generations of invasion and oppression. The Tudors, including Elizabeth I, made much of their Welsh heritage.

When Queen Elizabeth I died without an heir in 1603, the crown passed to Henry VII's great great grandson, King James VI of Scotland, son of Mary, Queen of Scots. Now England, Scotland and Wales all had the same king. Even though Scotland was not formally united with England until 1707, Great Britain had been born.

Rulers Of Britain
978 to Present

ENGLAND

ETHELRED II ~ 978-1013
SWEYN ~ 1013-1014
ETHELRED II ~ 1014-1016
EDMUND I ~ 1016
HAROLD I ~ 1016-1035
HARTHACANUTE ~ 1035-1042
EDWARD THE CONFESSOR ~ 1042-1066
HAROLD II ~ 1066

(Norman Conquest 1066)

WILLIAM I ~ 1066-1087
WILLIAM II ~ 1087-1100
HENRY I ~ 1100-1135
STEPHEN ~ 1135-1154
HENRY II ~ 1154-1189
RICHARD ~ I 1189-99
JOHN 1199 ~ 1216
HENRY III ~ 1216-1289
EDWARD I ~ 1272-1307
EDWARD II ~ 1307-1327
EDWARD III ~ 1327-1377
RICHARD II ~ 1377-1399
HENRY IV ~ 1399-1413
HENRY V ~ 1413-22
HENRY VI ~ 1422-1471
EDWARD VI ~ 1461-1483
EDWARD V ~ 1483
RICHARD III ~ 1483-1485
HENRY VII ~ 1485-1509
HENRY VIII ~ 1509-1547
EDWARD VI ~ 1547-1553
LADY JANE GREY ~ 1553
MARY I ~ 1553-1558
ELIZABETH I ~ 1558-1603
JAMES I ~ 1603-1625
CHARLES I ~ 1625-1649

(Commonwealth 1649-1660)

CHARLES II ~ 1660-1685
JAMES II ~ 1685-1688

(Glorious Revolution 1688)

WILLIAM III AND MARY II ~ 1688-1694
WILLIAM III ~ 1694-1702
ANNE ~ 1702-1714
GEORGE I ~ 1714-1727
GEORGE II ~ 1727-60
GEORGE III ~ 1760-1820
GEORGE IV ~ 1820-1830
WILLIAM IV ~ 1830-1837
VICTORIA ~ 1837-1901
EDWARD VII ~ 1901-1910
GEORGE V ~ 1910-1936
EDWARD VIII ~ 1936
GEORGE VII ~ 1936-1952
ELIZABETH II ~ 1952-2022
CHARLES III ~ 2022-

SCOTLAND

KENNETH III ~ 997-1005
MALCOLM II ~ 1005-1034
DUNCAN I ~ 1034-1040
MACBETH ~ - 1040-1057
LULACH ~ 1057-1058
MALCOLM III ~ 1058-1093
DONALD III ~ 1093-1094
DUNCAN II ~ 1094
DONALD III ~ 1094-1097
EDGAR ~ 1097-1107
ALEXANDER I ~ 1107-1124
DAVID I ~ 1124-1153
MALCOLM IV ~ 1152-1165
WILLIAM I ~ 1165-1214
ALEXANDER ~ 1214-1249
ALEXANDER III ~ 1249-1286
MARGARET ~ 1286-1290

(Interregnum 1290-1292)

JOHN ~ 1292-1296
EDWARD I ~ 1296-1307
EDWARD II ~ 1307-1327
EDWARD III ~ 1327-1328
ROBERT I ~ (1306) 1328-1329
DAVID II ~ 1331-1371
EDWARD ~ 1332-1364
ROBERT II ~ 1371-1390
ROBERT III ~ 1390-1399
REGENCY ~ 1399-1424
JAMES I ~ -1424-1437
JAMES II ~ 1437-1460
JAMES III ~ 1460-1488
JAMES IV ~ 1488-1513
JAMES V ~ 1513-1542
MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS ~ 1542-1567
JAMES VI (I of England) ~ 1567-1625

(Then as England)

WALES

Rule of the Welsh Princes

DAFYDD AP LLYWELYN ~ 1240-1246
LLYWELYN AP GRYFFYDD ~ 1246-82

(English Conquest 1276-1284)

EDWARD I ~ 1284-1307

(Then as England)