English Monarchs

ENGLISH MONARCHS

SAXON KINGS
EGBERT 827 - 839
Egbert was the first monarch to establish a stable and extensive rule over Anglo-Saxon England. He is buried at Winchester.
ETHELWULF 839-858 - son of EGBERT
King of Wessex, son of Egbert and father of Alfred the Great. In 851 Athelwulf defeated a Danish army at the battle of Oakley while his eldest son Althelstan fought and beat the Danesat sea off the coast of Kent in what is believed to be the first naval battle. In 855 Athelwulf travelled to Rome with his son Alfred to see the Pope.
AETHELBALD 858 - 860
The eldest son of Ethelwulf of Wessex, Æthelbald was born in around 834 and became King of Wessex after forcing his father to abdicate. Married his widowed stepmother Judith but the marriage was annulled.
ETHELBERT 860 -865
After the death of his father Ethelwulf in 858 Ethelbert ruled Kent, Surrey, Sussex, and Essex, and he reunited them with Wessex when in 860 he succeeded his brother Æthelbald. Like his brother and his father, Ethelbert of Wessex was crowned at Kingston-Upon-Thames. Viking raids in Kent and Northumberland. He is buried at Sherborne Abbey, Dorset.

ETHELRED 865 - 871
King of Wessex andKent and elder brother of Alfred the Great.
ALFRED THE GREAT 871 - 899 - son of AETHELWULF
Born at Wantage, Oxfordshire around 849. Well educated, he is said to have visited Rome on two occasions. Devout Christian and scholar. He was a fine king, strong in battle against the Danes and a wise ruler, although perhaps he is best known for "burning the cakes"! Began the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles(detailing life between the 9th and 12th centuries) Originated the Royal Navy.
EDWARD (The Elder) 899 - 924
Son of ALFRED. Retook the northern counties from the Danes
ATHELSTAN 924 - 939
EDMUND 939 - 946
Assassinated (stabbed by a robber) in his hall whilst celebrating the feast of Augustine
EADRED 946 - 955
EADWIG 955 - 959
EDGAR 959 - 975
EDWARD THE MARTYR 975 - 978
Assassinatedby followers of his brother, ETHELRED, at Corfe Castle, aged about 15yrs old
ETHELRED II THE UNREADY 978 - 1016
Unable to organise resistance against the Danes hence his nickname 'unready'. Became King aged about 10, fled to Normandy in 1013 when Sweyn, King of the Danes had over-run the country. Returned after Sweyn was killed by a fall from his horse.
EDMUND IRONSIDE 1016 - 1016
Son ofETHELRED. Made a pact with CANUTE to divide England, but died soon afterwards.
CANUTE (CNUT) THE DANE 1017 - 1035
Son of Sweyn, he ruled well and with fairness. Divided England into four earldoms. Legend has it that wishing to show his courtiers (prone to excessive flattery of their monarch) that as a king he was not a god, he ordered the tide not to come in, knowing he would fail.
HAROLD I1035 - 1040
Son of CANUTE
HARDICANUTE 1040 - 1042
Son of CANUTE Died drunk, aged 24
EDWARD THE CONFESSOR 1042-1066
Founded Westminster Abbey - died eight days after building work on the Abbey finished.
HAROLD II 1066
Defeated the Norwegians at the battle of Stamford Bridge in Yorkshire, then marched south to confront William of Normandy who had landed in Sussex. The death of Harold atthe Battle Of Hastings meant the end of the English Saxon kings and the beginning of the Norm

NORMAN KINGS
WILLIAM I (The Conqueror) 1066- 1087
Also known as William the Bastard (but not to his face!) Reigned from 1066-87. William came to England from Normandy and beat HAROLD at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. In 1085 the Domesday Survey was begun and all England was recorded so William knewexactly what his new kingdom contained. He also created The New Forest as a Game Park for hunting. After losing his devoted wife, Matilda of Flanders, William had few friends. He died at Rouen in 1087.

WILLIAM II (Rufus) 1087- 1100
William was not a popular king, given to extravagance and cruelty. He never married and was killed in the New Forest by a stray arrow while out hunting, maybe...