Editing Monarchy of the United Kingdom (section)

===English monarchy===
{{Redirect-multi|2|King of England|Queen of England|the current British king|Charles III|the current British queen consort|Queen Camilla|other uses|Queen of England (disambiguation)}}
{{Main|History of the English monarchy}}
{{See also|Kingdom of England|List of English monarchs}}
[[File:Odo bayeux tapestry.png|thumb|The [[Bayeux Tapestry]] depicts the [[Norman Conquest]] of 1066.]]

Following [[Viking]] raids and settlement in the ninth century, the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of [[Wessex]] emerged as the dominant English kingdom. [[Alfred the Great]] secured Wessex, achieved dominance over western [[Mercia]], and assumed the title "King of the Anglo-Saxons". His grandson [[Æthelstan]] was the first king to rule over a unitary kingdom roughly corresponding to the present borders of England, though its constituent parts retained strong regional identities. The 11th century saw England become more stable, despite a number of wars with the Danes, which resulted in a Danish monarchy for one generation.{{Sfnp|Cannon|Griffiths|1988|pp=13–17}} The [[conquest of England]] in 1066 by [[William, Duke of Normandy]], was crucial in terms of both political and social change. The new monarch continued the centralisation of power begun in the Anglo-Saxon period, while the [[feudal system]] continued to develop.{{Sfnp|Cannon|Griffiths|1988|pp=102–127}}

William was succeeded by two of his sons: [[William II of England|William II]], then [[Henry I of England|Henry I]]. Henry made a controversial decision to name his daughter [[Empress Matilda|Matilda]] (his only surviving child) as his heir. Following Henry's death in 1135, his nephew, [[Stephen, King of England|Stephen]], claimed the throne and took power with the support of most of the [[Baron#Barons in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth|barons]]. Matilda challenged his reign; as a result, England descended into a period of disorder known as [[the Anarchy]]. Stephen maintained a precarious hold on power, but agreed to a compromise under which Matilda's son [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] would succeed him. Henry accordingly became the first [[Angevin king of England]] and the first monarch of the [[Plantagenet dynasty]] in 1154.{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=30–46}}

The reigns of most of the Angevin monarchs were marred by civil strife and conflicts between the monarch and the nobility. Henry II faced rebellions from his own sons, including the future monarchs [[Richard I]] and [[John, King of England|John]], but nevertheless managed to expand his kingdom, forming what is retrospectively known as the [[Angevin Empire]]. Upon Henry's death, his eldest surviving legitimate son Richard succeeded to the throne; Richard was absent from England for most of his reign, for he left to fight in the [[Crusades]]. He was killed whilst besieging a castle; John succeeded him. Arthur I, Duke of Brittany, son of John's deceased elder brother Duke Geoffrey II and himself former heir of Richard, was dissatisfied but disappeared the following year after being captured by John in 1202; Arthur's sister, Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany was placed under house arrest by John.

John's reign was marked by conflict with the barons, particularly over the limits of royal power. In 1215, the barons coerced the king into issuing [[Magna Carta]] ([[Latin]] for "Great Charter") to guarantee the rights and liberties of the nobility. Soon afterwards, further disagreements plunged England into a civil war known as the [[First Barons' War]], and French Prince Louis also claimed the throne as Louis I with the support of the rebellious princes as John's nephew-in-law. The war abruptly ended when John died in 1216, leaving the Crown to his nine-year-old son [[Henry III of England|Henry III]].{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=54–74}} Many rebellious lords also turned to support Henry III. In 1217, Louis was defeated and renounced the English throne. Eleanor's claim was not upheld, but according to John's will, she remained under house arrest until her death in 1241. The London Chronicle referred to her as the rightful heir to the throne, while the Lanercost Chronicle recorded a legend of Henry III giving her a golden crown before her death. With Geoffrey leaving no descendants, Henry III became the hereditary heir of the royal family.

Later in Henry's reign, [[Simon de Montfort]] led the barons in another rebellion, beginning the [[Second Barons' War]]. The war ended in a clear royalist victory and in the death of many rebels, but not before the king had agreed to summon a parliament in 1265.{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=77–78}} In 1268, Henry III ordered the Amesbury Priory to commemorate both Arthur and Eleanor in commemoration of past kings and queens as well.

[[File:Normannen.png|thumb|left|Norman possessions in the 12th century, including England (1066–1485, not always in personal union with Normandy), Normandy (911–1204), [[Norman conquest of southern Italy|southern Italy and Sicily]] (1030–1263), [[Kingdom of Africa|parts of Africa around Tripoli]] (1146–1158), and the [[Crusader state]] of the [[Principality of Antioch]]. Not shown: [[Principality of Tarragona]] (1129–1173).]]

The next monarch, [[Edward Longshanks]], was far more successful in maintaining royal power and was responsible for the [[conquest of Wales]]. He attempted to establish English domination of Scotland. However, gains in Scotland were reversed during the reign of his successor, [[Edward II]], who also faced conflict with the nobility.{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=79–93}} In 1311, Edward II was forced to relinquish many of his powers to a committee of [[Ordinances of 1311|baronial "ordainers"]]; however, military victories helped him regain control in 1322.{{Sfnp|Ashley|1998|pp=595–597}} Edward was deposed by his wife [[Isabella of France|Isabella]] and his son, [[Edward III]], became king.

Edward III claimed the French Crown, setting off the [[Hundred Years' War]] between England and France. His campaigns conquered much French territory, but by 1374, all the gains had been lost. Edward's reign was also marked by the further development of Parliament, which came to be divided into two Houses; he died in 1377, leaving the Crown to his 10-year-old grandson [[Richard II]]. Like many of his predecessors, Richard II conflicted with the nobles by attempting to concentrate power in his own hands. In 1399, while he was campaigning in Ireland, his cousin [[Henry Bolingbroke]] seized power. Richard was deposed, imprisoned, and eventually murdered, probably by starvation, and Henry became king as Henry IV.{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=96–115}}

Henry IV was the grandson of Edward III and the son of [[John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster]]; hence, his dynasty was known as the [[House of Lancaster]]. For most of his reign, Henry IV was forced to fight off plots and rebellions; his success was partly due to the military skill of his son, the future [[Henry V of England|Henry V]]. Henry V's own reign, which began in 1413, was largely free from domestic strife, leaving the king free to pursue the Hundred Years' War in France. Although he was victorious, his sudden death in 1422 left his infant son [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]] on the throne and gave the French an opportunity to overthrow English rule.{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=118–130}}

The unpopularity of Henry VI's counsellors and his consort, [[Margaret of Anjou]], as well as his own ineffectual leadership, led to the weakening of the House of Lancaster. The Lancastrians faced a challenge from the House of York, so-called because its head, a descendant of Edward III, was [[Richard, Duke of York]], who was at odds with the Queen. Although the Duke of York died in battle in 1460, his eldest son, [[Edward IV]], led the Yorkists to victory in 1461, overthrowing Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou. Edward IV was constantly at odds with the Lancastrians and his own councillors after his marriage to [[Elizabeth Woodville]], with a brief return to power for Henry VI. Edward IV prevailed, winning back the throne at [[Battle of Barnet|Barnet]] and killing the Lancastrian heir, [[Edward of Westminster]], at [[Tewkesbury]]. Afterwards he captured Margaret of Anjou, eventually sending her into exile, but not before killing Henry VI while he was held prisoner in the Tower. The [[Wars of the Roses]], nevertheless, continued intermittently during his reign and those of his son [[Edward V]] and brother [[Richard III]]. Edward V disappeared, presumably murdered by Richard. Ultimately, the conflict culminated in success for the Lancastrian branch led by [[Henry VII of England|Henry Tudor]], in 1485, when Richard III was killed in the [[Battle of Bosworth Field]].{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=133–165}}

King Henry VII then neutralised the remaining Yorkist forces, partly by marrying [[Elizabeth of York]], daughter of King Edward IV and a Yorkist heir. Through skill and ability, Henry re-established absolute supremacy in the realm, and the conflicts with the nobility that had plagued previous monarchs came to an end.<ref>{{Harvp|Cannon|Griffiths|1988|p=295}}; {{Harvp|Fraser|1975|pp=168–176}}</ref> The reign of the second Tudor king, [[Henry VIII]], was one of great political change. Religious upheaval and disputes with the Pope, and the fact that his marriage to [[Catherine of Aragon]] produced only one surviving child, a daughter, led the monarch to break from the Roman Catholic Church and establish the [[Church of England]] (the Anglican Church) and divorce his wife to marry [[Anne Boleyn]].{{Sfnp|Fraser|1975|pp=179–189}}

Wales – which had been conquered centuries earlier, but had remained a separate dominion – was annexed to England under the [[Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542]].{{Sfnp|Cannon|Griffiths|1988|pp=194, 265, 309}} Henry VIII's son and successor, the young [[Edward VI]], continued with further religious reforms, but his early death in 1553 precipitated a succession crisis. He was wary of allowing his Catholic elder half-sister [[Mary I]] to succeed, and therefore drew up a will designating [[Lady Jane Grey]] as his heiress. Jane's reign, however, lasted only nine days; with tremendous popular support, Mary deposed her and declared herself the lawful sovereign. Mary I married [[Philip II of Spain|Philip of Spain]], who was declared king and co-ruler. He pursued disastrous wars in France and she attempted to return England to Roman Catholicism (burning Protestants at the stake as heretics in the process). Upon her death in 1558, the pair were succeeded by her Protestant half-sister [[Elizabeth I]]. England returned to [[Protestantism]] and continued its growth into a major world power by building its navy and exploring the New World.<ref>{{Harvp|Ashley|1998|pp=636–647}}; {{Harvp|Fraser|1975|pp=190–211}}</ref>