Great English kings?

Who is the greatest English king?

A, Lord-Protector of England.

Well my vote should have gone to Victoria but it went to Elizabeth I

Why? Hejust beheaded some king of England (Charles I) and then after giving power to the parliament disbanded it. Still, he is thought one of the greatest commanders in military history.

Cromwell started from very humble origins, lower middle class. He had land but was unable to hire help, so worked it himself. He joined the army at the start of the civil war and apart from being arguably the main reason for Parliamentary victory he scandalised the army by organsing his horse along lines of merit not status. Prefering competant soldiers as officers to gentlemen. Later he was to reform the whole army along these lines when he formed the New Model Army.

He was the most powerful ruler Britain has ever had, no king has ever come close to weilding as much control of the country as Cromwell. However he wasn't especially strong willed or opinionated. He listened to both sides of a debate and generally went with the popular view. He tolerated radicals and outspoken opposition to him when in power. Though a puritan he believed in religious tolerance and allowed even Jews and Catholics freedom to worship.

At the storming of Drogeda in Ireland, he ordered the New Model Army to enter the town and attack nobody that didn't weild a weapon against them. This is unprecidented in warfare of the time, when army had the sack of towns that didn't surrender. Even more amazing his troops were so disiplined and they obeyed.

In his coup against the Rump Parliament that he judged had become too corrupt, he had no intention of taking power for himself. Instead he handed power over to the Parliament of Saints. When that became corrupt and he took solitary control he was a quite wealthy man from inheritance and a general's pay. When he died he was bankrupt having spent all his money on the state and as the time of his rule living himself living in extreme moderation.

 

I don't see how Elizabeth or Victoria could logically be the greatest English king, nor Cromwell for that matter.

But I voted for Elizabeth anyway since that seemed to be the spirit of the thing.

I think the simplest way to express it might be that Elizabeth 'solidified' England. If you like, created the myth of England.

Queen Anne might be worth a mention. Under her the concept of a monarch that reigned but did not rule finally became reality, and despite George III that has never really changed since.

Originally posted by Temujin if Victoria cannot considdered English monarch then Alfred even less so, he was ruler of Wessex, and at a time there wasn't even a country called England yet...

 

Victoria cannot be considered an English monarch because she was queen after the act of union, which makes her a British monarch. Alfred ruled more than wessex in fact at the end of his reign controlled most of modern over 70% of modern England.

Technically you're right but I wouldn't plan any holidays in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Refering to British things as English can get them a little hot    under the collar.

Edward III has allways been my favourite,just because he fought the French and he was Edward woodstock,s (the Black prince) dad.

As they teach in school, the English themselves in their entire history have only ever seen fit to call one of their monarchs 'the great'. Alfred was indeed much more than just a warrior and ruled over a period of prosperous peace. People forget Anglo-Saxon-Danish England was a much more civilised place than medieval England. I always think they get the dark ages bit wrong, it began in 1066.

And how about Charles the Second? Come on... Richard the Lionheart spent totally three years in his country!!!Why he deserved to be in the list, and not Charles the Second? And why finished with Victoria? George VI, Elizabeth's father conducted himself almoust heroic during the WW2.

Edited by magdala