List of British monarchs
This is a list of British monarchs, that is, the monarchs on the thrones of the various kingdoms that have existed on, or incorporated, the island of Great Britain, namely
Royal titles are also complicated because in some cases, names of kingdoms are used that did not officially come into existence until later, or came into existence earlier without immediate adoption of the royal title.
The list of monarchs below cannot be exhaustive. For succession to the many thrones often did not pass smoothly from parent to child; lack of heirs, civil wars, murders and invasions affected the inheritance in ways that a simple list does not show.
The relationships that formed the basis for claims to throne are noted where we know them, and the dates of reign indicated.
Prior to the formation of Scotland, Dalriada, Strathclyde, Bernicia and the seven kingdoms of the Picts occupied the northern third of Britain.
The kingdom of Scotland is taken to have begun when Kenneth mac Alpin became king of the Picts and the Dalriadan Scots. However the kingdoms of Strathclyde and Bernicia were still independent of it. Strathclyde became part of Scotland in the reign of Duncan I.
When Margaret died, there was no clear heir, and King Edward I of England took over, installing a puppet.
John Balliol rebelled, and Scotland was plunged into war.
In the end, independence was secured under a new dynasty.
In 1707, with the Act of Union, the thrones of England and Scotland were formally united as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, keeping the numbering system of England.
See GB and UK monarchs below.
Prior to 1282, Wales was independent of England, consisting of a number of separate principalities. See List of rulers of Wales for full details.
After the departure of the Romans and prior to the formation of England, various British, Viking and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms existed in the southern two-thirds of Britain. Between 400 and 1000 the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms gradually conquered the others, amalgamating to form England.
The Bretwalda were chosen from among the rulers of the various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England.
There was not always a Bretwalda.
By this time, the kings of Wessex had become established as kings of England.
For a period of time, both Danish and Saxon kings claimed the throne of England.
After the Norman Conquest in 1066, numbering of kings began anew; this affected only the Edwards.
The Houses of Lancaster and York fought the Wars of the Roses over the English crown.
There was no king between Charles I's execution in 1649 and the restoration in 1660, but there were two Lords Protector during the Protectorate.
In 1707, with the Act of Union, the thrones of England and Scotland were formally united as the throne of the Kingdom of Great Britain.
In 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
(George III's reigns spanned both the separate kingdoms and their merged entity. For clarity and ease of use, Wikipedia has placed George III as 'George III of the United Kingdom')
In 1877, Victoria became also Empress of India
The name of the Royal house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was changed to Windsor in 1917 due to anti-German feelings aroused by World War I.
The Irish Free State left the United Kingdom in 1922. The name of the UK was changed to reflect that change, becoming the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland' in 1927. Note also: from 1927, each dominion in the Commonwealth became a separate kingdom, with George V as native king in each. Hence, in 1927, he became 'King of Ireland', 'King of Australia,' 'King of Canada', 'King of New Zealand', and 'King of South Africa'
In 1947, India and Pakistan were granted independence, and George VI ceased to Emperor of India, but became King of India and King of Pakistan. (and, in 1948, King of Sri Lanka, also granted independence.) In 1949, Ireland became a Republic, and George ceased to be King of Ireland. India did the same in 1950
Besides being Queen of the United Kingdom, at her accession she was also Queen of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa (to 1961), Pakistan (to 1956), and Sri Lanka (to 1972). In the course of her reign, she has also been:
From 1965 to 1970 she was also proclaimed Queen of Rhodesia by the White apartheid government there, although she never accepted this office.
Complications over Title and Style
Scottish monarchs The House of Dunkeld[?]
The Wars of Scottish Independence
The House of Bruce[?]
The House of Balliol[?]
The House of Stewart[?] (Stuart)
The House of Orange
Rulers of Wales
English monarchs The Bretwalda
The Saxon kings
The Danelaw
The Saxon restoration
The Norman kings
The Angevins or Plantagenets
The House of Lancaster
The House of York
The House of Tudor
The House of Stuart
The Commonwealth and Protectorate
The Stuart restoration
The House of Orange
Monarchs of Great Britain The House of Stuart
The House of Hanover
Monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland The House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
The House of Windsor
Monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
See also Wikipedia's other lists of incumbents.