In this article, we’ll take a look at these Famous Medieval Kings and explore the lives and legacies of these great English Kings of the Middle Ages.
William I was crowned on Christmas day as the first Norman king of England, he ruled with an iron fist from 1066 until his death in 1087.
He was also known as William the Conqueror, or William the Bastard
The son of a Duke of Normandy, he led the successful invasion of England in 1066 and, with the help of his brother-in-law, Richard I (1189-1199), secured a victory at the Battle of Hastings.
Did You Know – The Normans were actually desendants of the Vikings!
William successfully reorganized the English government and established a series of fortifications and castles that allowed him to control the whole of England.
He also imposed strict feudal laws and built up a centralized administrative system. His reign also saw significant changes in religious life as well as the introduction of the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of all the land and property owned by the Norman people.
William’s successors, Edward I (1272-1307) and Edward II (1307-1327), continued the work of their father, expanding and strengthening the Norman kingdom.
William I is one of the most important figures in English history and remains an important symbol of England’s past.
Richard I of England, also known as Richard the Lionheart, reigned as King from 1189 to 1199. He was the son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and was renowned for his brave leadership during the Third Crusade.
Richard was known for his courage, intelligence, and commitment to justice. He had a strong sense of honor and was respected by his peers, often being referred to as ‘the Good King’. One of his most famous acts was the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, which ensured the rights of English citizens.
In terms of war and conflict, Richard I successfully fought off many European forces to protect English lands, especially in France. He is best remembered for his victories over Saladin in the Third Crusade, though he ultimately failed to secure Jerusalem for the Christians.
Richard I’s reign saw a period of increased stability, peace, and justice after a turbulent period in English history. His death in 1199 marked the end of his successful reign and he was succeeded by his brother, King John.
His legacy was continued by his sons Edward I (1272-1307) and Edward II (1307-1327).
Edward I, commonly known as “Longshanks” and “Hammer of the Scots”, reigned over England from 1272-1307.
He was the first son of King Henry III and was born in 1239. He grew up with a desire to succeed his father as King of England and would ultimately become one of the most successful and powerful medieval kings.
During Edward’s reign, he was an active ruler and led England in several successful military campaigns. He famously fought against the Welsh princes, successfully quelled the Second Barons’ War, and subdued Scotland through a series of wars with Robert the Bruce and John Balliol.
These wars earned him the title of “Hammer of the Scots” and cemented his reputation as a powerful and capable ruler.
Edward, I also worked hard to improve English justice, creating the first jury system in the country and introducing trial by battle. He also took measures to reduce corruption within local government, reforming the sheriffs and allowing them to be elected. He also replaced feudal tenure with a new type of tenure that gave more power to tenants.
In addition to his military accomplishments, Edward I is remembered for his religious reforms. He had two main goals: to reform and strengthen the Church of England and to create a unified kingdom.
He enforced clerical celibacy, prohibited lay investiture, and supported Thomas Aquinas in his mission to unify religious doctrine across Europe.
Edward I was succeeded by his son Edward II, who reigned from 1307-1327. Edward I’s reign was relatively peaceful compared to Richard I’s reign (1189-1199) which saw several wars against the French king.
His reign also marked a period of increased stability for England and his strong leadership was an important factor in creating this stability.
Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) was an English monarch of the Angevin dynasty who ruled from 1154 to 1189, succeeding Stephen and preceding Richard I.
Henry is remembered as one of the most powerful and successful medieval English kings. He was both Duke of Normandy and King of England, ruling over a vast empire that stretched from Scotland to the Pyrenees.
During his reign, Henry sought to reclaim English lands lost by Stephen during The Anarchy. He successfully campaigned against rebels in Wales, reduced tensions in Ireland, and even fought against his own sons during a bitter civil war.
By 1189, Henry had secured his rule and conquered most of Britain, establishing himself as a great ruler.
Henry’s achievements were not only notable in Britain; they were influential throughout Europe. His campaigns against the Welsh served as an example of Edward I’s subjugation of Wales in 1272-1307.
In addition, Edward II’s struggles against rebels in Scotland were inspired by Henry’s campaigns in Ireland. Henry’s legacy stands as a reminder of the power of effective monarchs, setting a high standard for rulers to come.
Henry V is commonly known as Henry of Monmouth, Henry reigned over England and was Lord of Ireland from 1413 until his death in 1422.
Born 16 September 1386 – Died 31 August 1422
During his relatively short reign, Henry V made outstanding military successes in the Hundred Years’ War against France and was immortalised in Shakespeare’s “Henriad” plays, making him one of the greatest warrior-kings of medieval England.
Henry was born in 1386 as the eldest son of Henry IV, who had deposed his cousin Richard II in 1399 and claimed the throne for himself. After his father’s death in 1413, Henry took the throne and led the English army to success against the French at Agincourt in 1415.
This victory secured a number of French territories and the marriage of Henry to Princess Katherine of Valois.
Despite some notable military campaigns, such as the siege of Rouen, Henry’s reign was mostly focused on peace initiatives and diplomacy. He sought to maintain an alliance with his former rivals, Richard I (1189-1199) and Edward I (1272-1307), and even reconciled with Edward II (1307-1327).
Additionally, he secured a permanent peace treaty with France in 1420 and maintained a strong relationship with the Church of England throughout his reign.
Henry left a strong legacy and is well regarded for his military prowess that earned him the status as one of the greatest English kings of the Medieval period.
His father’s reign had been marked by political and military turmoil, but Edward III succeeded in restoring royal authority and peace. He strengthened the English monarchy, making it one of the most formidable military powers in Europe.
He defeated Richard I 1189-1199 and Edward I 1272-1307 in military campaigns, leading to English success in the Hundred Years’ War.
Edward II 1307-1327 was forced to abdicate in 1327, allowing Edward III to succeed him as King of England.
Richard II (1189–1199) was the son of King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and thus a member of the Angevin dynasty.
He succeeded to the throne at the age of ten, following the death of his father. He is most famously remembered for his relationship with Edward I (1272–1307), who was appointed guardian to the young Richard in 1276 when his father passed away.
Edward I took full control of Richard’s government and began a long period of rule by proxy. He increased taxes and drastically reduced the power of the nobility, leading to discontent among the nobles and causing Richard to begin a campaign against his own barons.
This conflict ultimately led to Richard being deposed in 1399 by his cousin, Edward II (1307–1327). During his reign, Richard was known as a patron of the arts and culture, and he maintained strong relations with France and Flanders.
Henry VII was the King of England from 1485-1509 and the first monarch of the House of Tudor. He is remembered for bringing stability to the kingdom after the Wars of the Roses, which had seen England suffer years of internal conflict between rival factions.
Henry VII was born at Pembroke Castle in Wales and ascended to the throne after defeating the last Yorkist king, Richard III, in the Battle of Bosworth Field.
Henry worked to strengthen his authority by reducing the power of barons and nobles and introducing a range of laws to protect his throne.
In order to reduce foreign influence in English politics, Henry VII made strategic diplomatic alliances with Spain and Scotland.
He also increased taxes on wealthy nobles and individuals in order to finance military campaigns and major building projects.
Henry VII’s reign also saw a number of notable judicial reforms, including the introduction of a system of bail, which allowed criminals to be released on payment of a bond until their trial.
His reign saw a significant improvement in England’s relations with other European nations, and by 1509, the country had recovered from the internal conflicts that had plagued it during the reigns of Richard I (1189-1199) and Edward I (1272-1307) and Edward II (1307-1327).
Henry VII is remembered as an able and effective ruler who was responsible for stabilizing England after decades of civil strife and restoring confidence in the monarchy.
Henry VIII ruled during the Tudor period, historians believe that the medieval period ended in 1485 with the Battle of Bosworth, in which Henry Tudor defeated king Richard III and this was the start of the Tudor dynasty and modern period.
Henry VIII is one of the most famous and influential kings of England, thanks in large part to his role in the English Reformation. He was born in 1491, the second son of King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, who had been married in 1486.
His reign began in 1509 and lasted until 1547, when he died.
Henry VIII was a shrewd leader, always seeking to increase his power. During his reign he waged war against France, Scotland and Ireland.
He also sought to expand English territories in the New World. His efforts to increase the power of England ultimately led to the establishment of the Church of England and the dissolution of the monasteries.
Henry VIII had six wives during his lifetime. His first wife was Catherine of Aragon, widow of Richard I (1189-1199).
Henry divorced her in 1533 and subsequently married Anne Boleyn. His marriage to Anne resulted in the birth of their only child, Elizabeth I, who would become one of England’s most successful monarchs.
Henry married three more times after Anne’s execution in 1536. His last two wives were Jane Seymour and Catherine Parr.
Henry VIII was a patron of the arts, commissioning works by Hans Holbein and other artists. He also established several educational institutions, including Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
Under Edward I (1272-1307) and Edward II (1307-1327), England had expanded its territories both at home and abroad, but under Henry VIII it achieved a greater level of wealth and influence than ever before. His reign marked an important period in English history, as Henry laid the foundations for the future of the country.
Æthelstan is considered by many historians to be the first king of England, reigning from 924-927. Earlier kings dominated smaller kingdoms but Æthelstan was the first king to unite most of England, much like his grandfather ‘Alfred the Great’.
Alfred the Great, was the Grandfather of Æthelstan, many historians consider Alfred the Great to be one of the greatest kings of England and the first true king of England, but Æthelstan unified more parts of England which is why he is considered by many to be the First King of all Medieval England.
Æthelstan brought together the different Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and laid the foundation for the unified kingdom of England.
He is remembered for his military success and expansion of the English territories. He was the first ruler to be known as “King of the English”, a title that had been previously used by other rulers such as Alfred the Great and Edward the Elder.
Æthelstan was also instrumental in forming relationships with other countries such as Scotland and France.
As the first ruler of England, Æthelstan is regarded as one of the most important figures in English history. He was followed by Richard I 1189-1199, Edward I 1272-1307, and Edward II 1307-1327.
These kings further consolidated the kingdom and led successful campaigns against Scotland, Wales, and France.
Overall, Æthelstan set the groundwork for later kings to build upon and he will always be remembered as the first king of England.