Most Important Kings and Queens of England

The only English king called "the Great," he stopped Viking invasions, promoted education, and founded the Royal Navy.

Officially the first King of all England, he conquered Northumbria to unite the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.

A Viking prince who became King of England, Denmark, and Norway. He created the North Sea Empire and provided a rare period of peace and prosperity between Viking raids.

The Duke of Normandy who won the Battle of Hastings, bringing feudalism and the French language to England.

Established English Common Law and the jury system, creating a legal foundation that still influences many countries today.

A famed warrior-king who led the Third Crusade; though he spent only months in England, he became a national symbol of chivalry.

Infamous for his failures, he was forced by his barons to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, the basis for constitutional law.

Known as "Hammer of the Scots," he formalized Parliament as a permanent institution to raise taxes and create laws.

Restored royal authority and started the Hundred Years' War with France, establishing England as a major European military power.

The legendary victor of the Battle of Agincourt, he briefly united the English and French crowns.

Ended the Wars of the Roses at the Battle of Bosworth Field and established the Tudor dynasty.

Famous for his six wives, he split from the Roman Catholic Church to create the Church of England.

The first queen regnant of England, she attempted to restore Catholicism, earning the nickname "Bloody ____"

The "Virgin Queen" presided over a Golden Age, defeated the Spanish Armada, and stabilized the Protestant Church of England.

The first monarch to rule both England and Scotland, he commissioned the King ___ Bible.

His belief in the "Divine Right of Kings" led to the English Civil War and his eventual execution.

Not a king, but a "Lord Protector." After executing Charles I, he ruled England as a republican military dictator. He remains one of the most controversial figures in history for his brutal campaign in Ireland.

Restored the monarchy after the rule of Oliver Cromwell and oversaw the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire.

Their "Glorious Revolution" led to the Bill of Rights, ensuring Parliament held supreme power over the monarch.

Presided over the Acts of Union 1707, which joined England and Scotland into the single Kingdom of Great Britain.

The first of the Hanoverians. Since he spoke little English and preferred Germany, he allowed the first "Prime Minister," Robert Walpole, to take over daily governance, cementing the shift toward a parliamentary democracy.

Famously remembered as the "King who lost America". While the U.S. Declaration of Independence famously vilified him as a "tyrant," he was actually a constitutional monarch who generally deferred to Parliament's policies.

Ruled at the height of the British Empire, overseeing massive industrial and social change during the Victorian Era.

Victoria’s eldest son, known as the "Uncle of Europe." He helped negotiate the Entente Cordiale with France, ending centuries of rivalry, and modernized the Royal Navy.

He led Britain through World War I. To distance the throne from its German roots during the conflict, he famously changed the family name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917.

He ruled for only 326 days. He sparked a constitutional crisis by insisting on marrying the American divorcee Wallis Simpson, leading to his abdication before he was even crowned.

The "Reluctant King" (and father of Elizabeth II). He became a symbol of national fortitude during World War II, famously refusing to leave London during the Blitz.

The longest-reigning monarch in British history, she modernized the monarchy and saw the transition from Empire to Commonwealth.

The current King of England