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Position:Home>History> Should timelines of English kings and queens start at 1066?Question: Should timelines of English kings and queens start at 1066!? I have never understood why lists of the English monarchy prefer to start with the odious Normans!.
William was not the first king of England, was not a rightful king of England, was not English and was arguably the most evil ruler the country has ever had!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Well the first king of a united England was actually Edgar!. There is a case for Alfred the Great also, despite technically being only king of wessex, he in effect ruled all the English not under Danelaw!. And obviously Edward the Confessor and Harold wre kings before William 1 anyway!. So, its historically inaccurate to list William as the first king, because he was clearly NOT! Mind you Canute and Hardicanute were kings of England, but they were Danes by blood, so being Ethnically English doesnt and never has precluded someone from being king!. In fact, since Harold, we have never had an ethnic Anglo Saxon king in England!. The Tudors were actually Welsh in origin, the Jacobite kings were Scottish and al others since have been a real mix!. Cromwell was English, but of course he wasnt a king!. Id reccomend reading The Last English King by Julian Rathbone, an excellent novel of the last part of Edwards reign, through to 1066 and just beyond, all told from the perspective of one of Harolds Housecarls!.!.!.!.its very anti William, and a great novel!.Www@QuestionHome@Com History is not a neat subject, however much historians might like it to be!. Alfred the Great was only ever King of Wessex, not England!. HIs grandson Athelstan, who won the great victory at Brunanburh is probably the first man to be able to claim that title; though he styled himself King of the English, a subtle but crucial difference!. William the Bastard may indeed have a legitimate claim to the throne of England!. He was certainly a closer relation to Edward the Confessor than Harold Godwineson!. Check out also the Worcester manuscript of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for the year 1051 when William made a state visit to England - and may well have been promised the throne!. It is also undeniable that Harold promised to support William's claim, and went back on his word!. This is a complicated subject (see also Edgar the Atheling, whose claim was supported by some despite his having been born in Hungary)!. Was Willliam England's most evil ruler!? There's a bit of competition here!. Some might say it was Cromwell - a republican!. No, England does NOT want to be a republic!. If you have an elected Head of State, then by definition you end up with a politician, which is a prospect too awful to contemplate!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Hmm mm - - - I am out here in 'he colonies and most sources I consult credit English Kings back to the days of Alfred the Great which was way before 1066!. As for William the B^stard, yes I do wish Harold had prevailled but the title of most evil ruler is open to debate; King John who had his nephew strangled and thrown in the Seine and Bloody Mary both creep to mind!. Peace/////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\//////////!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com There are many that would say that the line of English kings ENDS in 1066!. As for being rightful king, the "right by conquest" was not unknown at the time!. "Most evil "is not easy to determine, they weren't angels, any of them!. But the rule of William the Bastard was brutal and oppressive to the native anglo-saxons and celts!. He was never my favourite historical person!.Www@QuestionHome@Com No, I'm sorry but the Engish Monarchy starts much much earlier than 1066!. It started with the tribes who lived all over England!. Their leaders were effectively royalty and when these tribes merged, one king/queen ruled over all of the tribes!. I hope this helps you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com "!.!.!.and was arguably the most evil ruler the country has ever had!." I take it that you are not counting Gordon Brown in this!Www@QuestionHome@Com Yes to the question!. I am however more interested as to when it stops!. We should be a republic with an ELECTED head of state!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |