English Monarchs.

Strange for an American but I have some liking for George III. He was as incompetent as anyone you could come by but practically out of all from the Norman Conquest to the Present he was one of three or four who remained faithful to his wife, eh!

Originally posted by Timotheus Strange for an American but I have some liking for George III. He was as incompetent as anyone you could come by but practically out of all from the Norman Conquest to the Present he was one of three or four who remained faithful to his wife, eh!

Originally posted by mcclane There are no great British Monarchs, only less evil ones.

Originally posted by J.M.Finegold Originally posted by Infidel What about Edward, the longshanks? Which Edwards was this?  I thought he was Edwards III.

Edward I, called "longshanks"

Originally posted by gcle2003   Originally posted by heikstheo Originally posted by gcle2003   Originally posted by heikstheo Originally posted by gcle2003 [QUOTE=capcartoonist] However, neither of them founded the UK. That arose from the pure chance that Elizabeth I died childless and the nearest heir was already King of Scotland - which united the kingdoms into one country.  The fact that James VI of Scotland became James I of England only resulted in a personal union, not a political union; political union did not come about until the reign of Queen Anne when Parliament passed the Act of Union in 1707.   Depends very much what you mean by 'political' union. The 1707 Act merged the two Parliaments into one: Ireland wouldn't be included until a century later, and part of Ireland dropped out in the 20th century. So if you're going by parliamentary union, the present UK was only created in 1922 when the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland became what it is now: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.   However, if you count the union of the crowns, that happened when Elizabeth died. From that time on, in international relations anyway, Scotland and England were a single power.   There is a similar difficulty in defining when Spain became a single country.   The union of two crowns under one monarch is a personal union; the union of two parliaments is a political union.   Well, as I pointed out, the present parliamentary union only dates from 1922.   But I find it very odd to assert that you must have parliaments for a political union.   Was the Roman Empire not a political union? Nor the Moghul Empire? Spain under Charles V? Austro-Hungary after the Ausgleich?

When James became King of England, he was King of both England and Scotland, two separate and independent kingdoms. At that time, Scotland could constitutionally have pursued completely different policies to England. James �united� Scotland and England in his person as King, a Personal Union.

In 1707 the situation was completely different in that the Parliaments of both countries agreed to dissolve themselves to form a unitary political body of government at Westminster in England, effectively Scotland and England became one country, called for convenience, the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Ireland was effectively a �colony� of the United Kingdom of Great Britain until 1922.

Hope that helps. It's a bit like explaining the rules of cricket to a foreigner, but more complex.

 

Originally posted by Belisarius57 Originally posted by gcle2003   Well, as I pointed out, the present parliamentary union only dates from 1922.   But I find it very odd to assert that you must have parliaments for a political union.   Was the Roman Empire not a political union? Nor the Moghul Empire? Spain under Charles V? Austro-Hungary after the Ausgleich?     When James became King of England, he was King of both England and Scotland, two separate and independent kingdoms. At that time, Scotland could constitutionally have pursued completely different policies to England. James �united� Scotland and England in his person as King, a Personal Union. In 1707 the situation was completely different in that the Parliaments of both countries agreed to dissolve themselves to form a unitary political body of government at Westminster in England, effectively Scotland and England became one country, called for convenience, the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Ireland was effectively a �colony� of the United Kingdom of Great Britain until 1922. Hope that helps. It's a bit like explaining the rules of cricket to a foreigner, but more complex.

And the original questioner suggested, inter alia, Henry VIII and his six knives (sic).

Originally posted by gcle2003 Offhand I can't remember when the King of England also became King of Ireland: that may have been earlier than 1431.

Some time during the 1100's. The Pope, using the "authority" of the "Donation" of Constantine "sold" Ireland to the kings of England. I forget whether the King of England who "bought" Ireland from the Pope was Henry I (1100-1135) or his grandson Henry II (1154-1189).

Has to be Henry VIII his acheivment were considerable i.e. played the balance between france spain and HRE briliantly to maintain egland's security moroever changing england foreover with the reformation

He was also one of the most leanid monarchs ever

however mor than this it is his less noble action that we renember him by i.e. 6 wives this has been an icon of british history which we study many times as children throughout are academic carears, how many other monarch are deemed interesting enough for that kind of exposure and I am sure i you aksed many great historians what sparked there interest in Hisotry Henry VIII would be the answer.

Along with the impact he has made on many ordinary people making them want to study history as a hobby (myself included) through the programs such as Henry VIII and his six wives sugest the he is the cornerstone for producing historians of the future, this is something i can attribute to no other monarch

So for me his contribution from beyond the grave (prehapas on Elizabeth I has done something similar) combined which the massive changes he made to the country in life are what make him the greatest even British monarch