Editing Yorkshire (section)

===Monarchy and peerage===
{{Main|Kings of Jórvík|Earl of York|Duke of York|House of York}}
[[File:TheSingleWhiteRose.jpg|thumb|The [[White Rose of York]] remains as the prime symbol of Yorkshire identity]]

When the territory of Yorkshire began to take shape as a result of the invasion of the Danish Vikings, they instituted a monarchy based at the settlement of Jórvík, York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viking.no/e/england/york/rulers_of_jorvik.html|publisher=Viking.no|title=The Rulers of Jorvik (York)|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-date=24 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024040833/http://www.viking.no/e/england/york/rulers_of_jorvik.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The reign of the Viking kings came to an end with the last king [[Eric Bloodaxe]] dying in battle in 954 after the invasion and conquest by the [[Kingdom of England]] from the south. Jórvík was the last of the independent kingdoms to be taken to form part of the Kingdom of England and thus the local monarchal title became defunct.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.viking.no/e/england/york/jorvik_who_ruled_it_and_when.html|publisher=Viking.no|title=Jorvik – who Ruled it and When?|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-date=19 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219125414/http://www.viking.no/e/england/york/jorvik_who_ruled_it_and_when.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Though the monarchal title became defunct, it was succeeded by the creation of the Earl of York title of nobility<ref name="northeasthiss">{{cite web|url=http://www.northeastengland.talktalk.net/page24.htm|publisher=NorthEastEngland.talktalk.net|title=Timeline of North East History|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029173256/http://www.northeastengland.talktalk.net/page24.htm|archive-date=29 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> by king of England [[Edgar the Peaceful]] in 960. (The [[earl]]dom covered the general area of Yorkshire and is sometimes referred to as the ''Earl of Yorkshire''.)<ref name="northeasthiss"/> The title passed through the hands of various nobles, decided upon by the king of England. The last man to hold the title was [[William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle|William le Gros]], however the earldom was abolished by [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] as a result of a troubled period known as ''[[The Anarchy]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/03miHistoryInt2.pdf|publisher=SQA.org.uk|title=Murder in the Cathedral: Crown, Church and People 1154–1173|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527221320/http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/03miHistoryInt2.pdf|archive-date=27 May 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The peerage was recreated by [[Edward III of England|Edward III]] in 1385, this time in the form of the prestigious title of Duke of York which he gave to his son [[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York|Edmund of Langley]]. Edmund founded the House of York; later the title was merged with that of the [[King of England]]. Much of the modern-day symbolism of Yorkshire, such as the [[White Rose of York]], is derived from the Yorkists,<ref name="whiterosehistory">{{cite web|url=http://www.yorkshirehistory.com/yorkshirerose.htm|publisher=YorkshireHistory.com|title=The White Rose of Yorkshire|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-date=2 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502231315/http://www.yorkshirehistory.com/yorkshirerose.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> giving the house a special affinity within the [[culture of Yorkshire]]. Especially celebrated is the Yorkist king [[Richard III of England|Richard III]] who spent much of his life at [[Middleham Castle]] in Yorkshire.<ref name="middleham" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.richardiiiyorkshire.co.uk/|publisher=Richard III Society – Yorkshire Branch|title=Why a Yorkshire Branch Site?|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124043401/http://www.richardiiiyorkshire.co.uk/|archive-date=24 November 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since that time the title has passed through the hands of many, being merged with the crown and then recreated several times. The title of Duke of York is given to the second son of the [[British monarch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukdukes.co.uk/the_dukes/the_duke_of_york/|publisher=UKDukes.co.uk|title=The Dukes of the Peerage of the United Kingdom: Duke of York|access-date=24 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319081521/http://www.ukdukes.co.uk/the_dukes/the_duke_of_york/|archive-date=19 March 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>