Les Monarques Anglais

The British Monarchy

→ Kings and queens since 1509:

- Henry VIII (1509-1547): He broke away from Catholicism and formed the Church of England. The Act of Supremacy (1534) recognized the king as the only supreme head of the Church of England.

- Edward VI (1547-1553): The Church of England became more explicitly Protestant. Introduction of the Book of Common Prayer (1549).

- Mary I (1553-1558): The first queen regnant, she restored papal supremacy in England (Roman Catholic bishop). Heresy was regarded as treason to the monarch.

- Elizabeth I (1558-1603): She secured a compromise between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. She established the East Indian Company (1600).

- James I (1603-1625): First monarch of UK, he imposes new penalties on Roman Catholics and dissolved regularly the Parliament.

- Charles I (1625-1649): He decided to rule without Parliament. There are 2 civil war during his reign about the definition of the powers of the monarchy. He was beheaded and the monarchy was abolished.

- Oliver Cromwell (1649-1660): He founded the Republic of England but there are tensions between the Lord Protector (him) and the Parliament.

- Richard Cromwell (1600):

- Charles II (1660-1685): Party politics became more significant with Whigs and Tories competing for power.

- James II (1685-1688): Tried to promote the Roman Catholic cause. He fled to France after the invasion of William of Orange.

- William III and Mary II (1689-1702): Accepted a Declaration of Rights (Bill of Rights) which limited the Sovereign’s power, reaffirmed Parliament’s claim to control taxation and legislation, and provided guarantees against the abuses of power of the monarch. Establishment of a Constitutional Monarchy.

- Anne (1702-1714): Anne favoured moderate Tory politicians, who were more likely to share her Anglican religious views than their opponents, the Whigs

- George I (1714-1727): He didn’t speak English and was dependent on his ministers. He was frequently absent because he spent a lot of time in Hanover.

- George II (1727-1760): George exercised little control over British domestic policy, which was largely controlled by the Parliament of Great Britain.

- George III (1760-1820): Fusion of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland by the Act of Union in 1800.

- George IV (1820-1830): He plagued by debts because of his lifestyle.

- William IV (1830-1837): First Hanoverian monarch born in England and who could speak English well. He was famous for losing the American colonies and being mad.

- Victoria (1837-1901): industrial expansion, economic progress, the Second Reform Act (1867), the introduction of the secret ballot (1872) and the Representation of the Peoples Act (1884).

- Edward VII (1901-1910): There was a constitutional crisis over the House of Lords, which refused to pass a Parliament Bill limiting its power.

- George V (1910-1936): First monarch of the House of Windsor. The Parliament Act (1911) established the supremacy

...