The Medieval Kings and Queens of England reigned over many hundreds of years. The Romans left Britain in an attempt to halt the decline of the Roman Empire. They never returned. After the Romans leave the country Britain is separated into many small kingdoms.
The periods between 410 - 1066 are also referred to as the Dark Ages which were dominated by the German Saxons and Viking raids. The Britons were subsequently referred to as the Anglo-Saxons. Various different cultures emerged in the lands of the Celts and the Britons were a divided nation consisting of many different tribes. The Dark Ages were so called because of the lack of written chronicles from the time - not because the people were barbaric and unenlightened! And during this time the ancient Celtic and Druid religions were replaced by Christianity. The history of the early Medieval Kings and Queens were lost in myths and legends. Our list of Medieval Kings and Queens therefore start in 871AD with King Alfred the Great. The early Medieval Kings and Queens enter the mystical, magical world of Celtic legends and myths.
Medieval Kings and Queens
Medieval Kings and Queens 871 - 1066
The following list of Medieval Kings and Queens cover the first part of the Medieval period between 871AD starting with King Alfred the Great and ending with the Norman Invasion of 1066. This list of English Medieval Kings shows the direct descendents of the Wessex King - Alfred the Great. It then explains the Medieval Viking King of England - King Canute. This list of Medieval Kings ends with William the Conqueror.
Medieval Kings Wessex line of Kings from Alfred the Great 871 - 1016 871-899 Alfred the Great 899-924 Edward the Elder (son of Alfred) 924-939 Aethelstan (first son of Edward the Elder) 939-946 Edmund I (second son of Edward the Elder) 946-955 Eadred (third son of Edward the Elder) 955-959 Edwig (first son of Edmund I) 959-975 Edgar (second son of Edmund I) 975-978 Edward the Martyr (first son of Edgar) 978-1016 Ethelred the Unready (second son of Edgar) 978-1016 - King Ethelred II 1016 - Edmund Ironside assassinated I month later |
Medieval Kings of England 1016 - 1066 1016-1035 - King Canute 1035-1036 Alfred (son of Ethelred II) 1036-1040 - Harold Harefoot - The illegitimate son of King Canute 1042-1066 - Edward the Confessor 1066 - Harold Godwinson - Harold II - the last Anglo-Saxon King of England 1066 - 1087 William of Normandy - the Conqueror |
Medieval Kings and Queens 1066 - 1603
The next list of Medieval Kings and Queens covers the second part of the Medieval period between 1066AD starting with William the Conqueror and the Norman Invasion and ending with the Tudor dynasty and Queen Elizabeth I in 1603. This list of English Medieval Kings and Queens shows the change from the Normans to the Plantagenets and finally the Medieval Kings and Queens of the Tudor dynasty.
Medieval Kings and Queens 1066 - 1603 |
1066 -1087 - The Medieval Norman Kings rule the English after their victory at the Battle of Hastings and William the Duke of Normandy is crowned King of England (William I) William the Conqueror 1066-1087 William Rufus 1087-1100 (son of William) Henry I 1100-1135 (William Rufus’ brother) Stephen 1135-1154 (nephew of Henry I) |
The Medieval Plantagenet Kings and Queens (Angevin Line) rule England between 1154 - 1399 Henry II 1154-1189 (grandson of Henry I) Richard I 1189-1199 (third son of Henry II) John 1199-1216 (fifth son of Henry II) Henry III 1216-1272 (son of John) Edward I 1272-1307 (son of Henry III) Edward II 1307-1327 (son of Edward I) Edward III 1327-1377 (son of Edward II) |
The Medieval Kings and Queens of the Royal Houses of Lancaster and York rule England between 1377-1485 Richard II 1377-1399 (grandson of Edward III, son of the Black Prince) Henry IV 1399-1413 (grandson of Edward III, son of John of Gaunt) Henry V 1413-1422 (son of Henry IV) Henry VI 1422-1461 (son of Henry V) Edward IV 1461-1483 (youngest son of Edward III) Richard III 1483-1485 (uncle of Edward V) |
The Medieval Kings and Queens of the Royal House of Tudor rule England between 1485 - 1603 Henry VII 1485 -1509 (grandson of Henry V) Henry VIII 1509-1547 (Henry VII’s second son, Arthur married Katherine of Aragon but died at the age of 15) Edward V 1547-1553 (Henry’s son by Jane Seymour) Mary 1553-1558 (Henry’s daughter by Queen Katherine of Aragon) Elizabeth I 1558-1603 (Henry’s daughter by Anne Boleyn) |
Medieval Kings and Queens of England - the Truth
The truth about the history of Medieval Kings and Queens of England are distant from our ideas of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and Camelot. But the Medieval Code of Chivalry, Medieval Romance, Courtly love and the Crusades were a reality! The above lists of Medieval Kings and Queens of England help us to identify what is fact and what is fiction! The facts and information about the Medieval Kings and Queens of England provides details of when they ruled the country. The Medieval Kings and Queens of England fully explained!