An overview of British royal history

Britain is a constitutional monarchy country, and the British royal family, as a symbol of national strength, plays a role and has no substantive power. The king is a nominal ruler, born hereditary. The Prime Minister is the top leader of the British government, elected by the people and has the highest executive power. The prime minister can consult with the king on major issues, but the final decision is made by the parliament and the prime minister. The relationship between the British monarch and his close relatives is known from his name. Although there is no strict law or formal definition of royal family members, different lists will have different members, but those who hold the title of King/Queen (HM) or Prince/Princess (HRH) are usually regarded as members of the royal family.

List of members of the British royal family on the official website of the British royal family:

Her Majesty the Queen

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Philip) (Lady Wang)

Prince Charles, Crown Prince (the eldest son of the Queen of Wales)

Lady Duke of Cornwall (Princess Camilla)

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Prince William and Princess Kate (the eldest son and wife of the Prince of Wales)

His Royal Highness Prince Harry (the second son of the Crown Prince)

His Royal Highness the Duke of York (the second son of the Queen)

Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice (the eldest daughter of the Duke of York)

Her Royal Highness Princess You Ginny (the second daughter of the Duke of York)

His Royal Highnesses the Earl and Duchess of Essex (the Queen's youngest son and wife)

Miss Louise Windsor (daughter of the Earl and Duchess of Essex)

Viscount Serene (son of Ors and Essex)

Her Royal Highness (the Queen's daughter)

Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (the Queen's cousin and wife)

Duke and Duchess of Kent (the Queen's cousin and wife)

Prince Mike of Kent and his wife (the queen's cousin and wife)

Princess Alexandra, dear Mrs. Ogilvy (the queen's cousin)

The surname of the British royal family

"19 17, the British royal family adopted a new surname Windsor. What is "adopting a new surname"? In other words, the British royal family abandoned the ancestral surname and used another surname.

According to our ordinary people's understanding, the ancestral surname of ordinary people cannot be changed at will, let alone the supreme royal family. The surname of the royal family represents identity and status, and even history cannot be changed unless the dynasty changes. In that case, not only the surname is changed, but also the person sitting on the throne. So why did the British royal family change its surname without making any changes? The problem lies in the year "19 17".

19 14 World War I broke out and the British army was involved. When the battle reached 19 17, the war was in a stalemate, the hope of victory seemed slim, the casualties in Flanders trench were shocking, and Germany became the most terrible enemy. The British people will appreciate the bitterness and bitterness of war. Tiredness of war and strong frustration were the common mentality of many British people at that time. In order to vent their fear and hatred of the Germans, people hysterically cursed the German emperor William II, smashed German shops, punched and kicked the once-beloved German beagle "Weenie", and people lashed out at anything that could be associated with the hateful Germans. This is not enough for revenge, and the anti-German is directed at the royal family. Because at this time, Britain was under the rule of Saxony-Coburg-Gotha dynasty, and the ruler of this dynasty, Coburg family, came from Germany, and the name "Saxony-Coburg-Gotha" also came from German. So at this time, the royal family just picked up this German flag from the Royal Church in Windsor Castle, which is far from calming the public's anger. Therefore, it is suggested that some parts of King George V of England be revised, that is, his surname-Coburg. People think that this surname is related to the Germans, and they suspect that the British monarch sympathizes with the Germans. George V is still a wise king. At first, he was surprised and saddened by such gossip, but he also admitted that the royal families in European countries did not exist in isolation, and there was a complicated marriage relationship between them, so his surname and some relatives' appellations did not sound so "British". So George V decided to comply with public opinion. As a result, in the third year of the war, that is, in the middle of 19 17, he made a formal and solemn statement: the British royal family would take "Windsor" as the new surname and immediately cancel the use of those "German-style" titles. In the eighth year of King George V's reign, a newly named Windsor Dynasty was born, and the tradition and style of the royal family became "domestic".

The present British royal family belongs to the Windsor dynasty.

Queen Victoria married Albert of the Saxony-Coburg-Gotha family in Germany. After her son Edward VII succeeded to the throne, she was also called the Saxony-Coburg-Gotha Dynasty after her father's surname. During the reign of George V, the son of Edward VII, he caught up with World War I and refused to use the surname of the enemy Germany. He changed the name of the royal family to Windsor (because the palace is Windsor Castle) and the name of the dynasty to Windsor Dynasty. The Windsor dynasty has continued to this day, and Elizabeth II, who is currently in office, is its fourth king. Although the British royal family has experienced many dynasties, in fact, there is a blood relationship between the front and back dynasties, and the royal lineage has never been interrupted.

The historical origin of the British royal family and the list of kings

origin

Britain experienced the rule of the Roman Empire. After the Romans retreated, they entered a period of scuffle between the small kingdom and the small tribal alliance. By the 6th century, the invading Anglo-Saxons had formed seven kingdoms (tribal alliances). The kingdom of Wessex grew stronger. In 829, King egbert conquered other kingdoms and became Lord of England. But at the same time, Britain also entered the "terrible Viking era" and was invaded by waves of Vikings. Alfred, the grandson of Egbert, was honored as "the Great" by later generations because of his achievements in successfully fighting against Danish invasion, building London, and organizing the compilation of Alfred Code and Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Wessex dynasty handed down 15 generations of kings. When they arrived in Edmund Ii, they finally couldn't resist the Danes and were forced to carve up Britain with King Knut of Denmark. When Edmund Ii died in 10 16, Knut annexed the whole England and began the rule of the Danish dynasty. But in 1042, Edward the confessor, a descendant of the Wessex royal family, inherited the Danish throne through maternal descent.

1066, Edward the Confessor, on his deathbed, instructed witenagemot to elect Hadro II as king. But William, Duke of Norman from northwest France, crossed the ocean and conquered England. He is William I, the conqueror, who founded the Norman Dynasty. William I enfeoffed a large number of Norman nobles to England, and compiled a land tax questionnaire through the national census, which strengthened the kingship of England. After the death of William I's son Henry I, his nephew Stephen succeeded to the throne because he had no children. However, Henry I's daughter Matilda and her son Henry II refused to accept it and defeated Stephen, forcing him to make Henry II his heir.

The Plantagenets

1 154, Henry ii began to rule the plantagenet dynasty. The Plantagenet Dynasty (Anjou Dynasty) was the first golden age in British history, and a large number of famous kings emerged. Henry II, with high legal attainments, carried out many fruitful reforms in the British legal system. After his son Richard I succeeded to the throne, he took part in the Third Crusade, once defeated Saladin and became famous, and won the title of "Lion Heart King". John, Richard I's younger brother, succeeded to the throne and was defeated by Philip II, king of France, and lost a large territory in France. However, the Magna Carta of Freedom signed in 12 15 under the coercion of big noble is a milestone in the history of world constitutional development. During the reign of Henry III, the son of the "King of Landless Land", big noble coerced him into passing the Oxford Regulations and Westminster Regulations and opening the Legislative Assembly. During the reign of Henry III's son "Long Legs" Edward I of England in England, the parliamentary system was mature and the British legal system was perfect. It also annexed Wales and made an expedition to Scotland, which laid the foundation for the unification of Britain. When Edward I of England's grandson Edward III arrived in England, the battle for the French throne began the Hundred Years' War between Britain and France, and the French knights were defeated several times. Edward III's grandson Richard II was deposed by Henry IV, Duke of Lancaster, and the Plantagenet Dynasty was replaced by Lancaster Dynasty. In fact, Henry IV was also the grandson of Edward III and the son of Prince Gunter, who was named Duke of Lancaster.

Henry V, the son of Henry IV, reopened the Hundred Years' War between Britain and France and ravaged most of France, forcing the French king to recognize him as his heir. Unfortunately, he died suddenly in the French battlefield. His son Henry VI became the king of Britain and France before he was one year old, but the appearance of Joan of Arc turned the tide of war in France, and the British were driven out of France. Henry VI's rule in Britain will soon come to an end. 1455, the Duke of York, the descendant of Edward III's granddaughter Filipa, revolted. The history of this war is called "Red and White wars of the roses". Henry VI was abolished and rebuilt, and was finally defeated by the York family. English Edward IV of England of York family succeeded to the throne and established York family. However, wars of the roses is not over yet. 1485, henry vii, son of Gunter, Duke of Lancaster, attacked Britain from abroad, killed Richard, the late king of York family, and established the Tudor dynasty.

Henry VIII, the son of Henry VIII, broke away from the Pope and carried out the religious reform in England. Since then, the king of England has become the "leader of the established religion". During the period of Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VIII, Britain successfully passed through the chaotic period of religious reform and made great progress in economy, culture and military affairs. However, Elizabeth I was unmarried for life and had no heir. The Tudor dynasty ended, and her cousin (the great-grandson of Henry VIII's sister), King James VI of Scotland, succeeded to the throne of England, which was called James I. England and Scotland were ruled by the same king for the first time in history, and the Stuart dynasty began.

Charles I, the son of James I, was overthrown in the English Revolution of 1640- 1648, and was finally guillotined by Cromwell and lord protector. Charles ii, son of Charles I, restored the Stuart dynasty in 1660. However, after his younger brother James II ascended the throne, despite the fact that most people in Britain had converted to Protestantism, he tried to restore the dominance of Catholicism and fell into a alienated situation. His daughter Mary Ⅱ and his son-in-law William (William III in power in the Netherlands) invaded Britain at the invitation of the upstart and overthrew James II's rule, but they accepted the premise of the Parliamentary Bill of Rights. This event was called the "glorious revolution" and a constitutional monarchy was established. After Mary Ⅱ's younger sister Anne succeeded to the throne, she announced that England and Scotland had merged into the same kingdom. Anne died childless, and the Stuart dynasty ended.

17 14, the British parliament invited George, the granddaughter of James I and the son of the German Hanover family, to inherit the British throne and started the Hanover family. Hanover period was the golden age when Britain vigorously expanded its colonies overseas and began the industrial revolution. By the hand of Queen Victoria, the sixth king, British overseas colonies reached more than 33 million square kilometers, which was called "not falling into the empire". At the same time, under the impetus of the industrial revolution, new things constantly emerged, social life changed with each passing day, and the British Empire reached its peak. But at the same time, the real power of the British royal family has been shrinking. In the 20th century, it almost became a "rubber stamp" of the country's political life.

Windsor royal family

Queen Victoria married Albert of the Saxony-Coburg-Gotha family in Germany. After her son Edward VII succeeded to the throne, she was also called the Saxony-Coburg-Gotha Dynasty after her father's surname. During the reign of George V, the son of Edward VII, he caught up with World War I and refused to use the surname of the enemy Germany. He changed the name of the royal family to Windsor (because the palace is Windsor Castle) and the name of the dynasty to Windsor Dynasty. The Windsor dynasty has continued to this day, and Elizabeth II, who is currently in office, is its fourth king. Although the British royal family has experienced many dynasties, in fact, there is a blood relationship between the front and back dynasties, and the royal lineage has never been interrupted.

The hereditary chronology of the royal families of England and the United Kingdom.

Wessex dynasty (829- 10 16)

1 egbert (802-839 in office)

Ethelwoff (reigned 839-858)

3 Ethelbad (reigned 858-860)

Ethelbert (reigned 860-866)

5 Ethel Reid I (866-87 1 in office)

Alfred (87 1 ~ 899 in office).

Edward I of England, England (900-924)

Ethelstan (924-940)

Edmund I (940-946)

10 Edred (946-955 in the office)

1 1 Edwig (955-959 in place)

Edgar (959-975)

Edward II (975-978)

14 Ethel Reid II (in 978-10/6)

15 Edmund Ii (10 16 in-service)

Danish dynasty (10 13- 1042)

1 Swing I (King of Denmark) (in office1013-1014)

2 Knut (King of Denmark) (10 14- 1035 in office)

3 Harold (office 1035- 1040)

4 Hardy Canut (King of Denmark) (1040- 1042 in office)

Wessex dynasty (continued)

Edward the Confessor (in office 1042- 1066)

Harold II (reigned at 1066)

Norman dynasty (1066— 1 135)

1 William I (1028-1087) (in the position of King1066-1087).

William II (1060- 1 100) (King of England 1087- 1 100)

Henry I (1068- 1 135) (King of England1100-135).

Stephen (1096- 1 154) (King of England1135-154)

Plantagenet Dynasty (Anjou Dynasty) (1 154— 1399)

1 Henry II (1133-189) (King of England1154-11)

Richard I (1157-1199) (King1189-165438).

John (1167-1216) (King of England1199-1216)

Henry III (1207- 1272) (King of England 12 16- 1272)

Edward I of England, England (1239- 1307) (King of England 1272- 1307)

Edward II (1284- 1329) (King of England 1307- 1327)

Edward III (13 12- 1377) (King of England 1327- 1377)

8 Richard II (1367- 1400) (King of England 1377- 1399)

Lancaster dynasty (1399— 146 1 year)

1 Henry iv (1367- 14 12) (king of England 1399- 14 13 in office)

Henry V (King of England 14 1422)

Henry VI (1421-1471) (King of England 1422- 146 1,1470-60).

York family (1461-1485):

1 King Edward IV of England of England (1442- 1483) (King of England 146 1- 1483)

Edward V of England, England (1470- 1483) (King of England 1483)

Richard III (1452- 1485) (King of England 1483- 1485)

Tudor dynasty (1485—1603);

1 henry vii (1457- 1509) (king of England 1485- 1509 in office)

2 Henry VIII (1491–1547) (King of England 1509- 1547)

Edward VI of England, England (1537- 1553) (King of England 1547- 1553)

Jane Grey (1537- 1554) (Queen of England 1553)

Mary I (15 16— 1558) (Queen of England 1553— 1558).

6 Elizabeth I (1533-1603) (Queen of England 1558- 1603).

Stuart dynasty (1603— 17 14)

1 James I (1566- 1625) (Scottish king 1567- 1625, English king 1603- 1625).

2 Charles I (1600- 1649) (King of England 1625- 1649)

* * * and political power (1649- 1653)

1 oliver cromwell, lord protector (1599- 1658) (tel. 1653- 1658)

2. The axiom of defending our country, Cha Cromwell (1626- 17 12) (at location 1658- 1659)

Stuart dynasty (continued)

Charles ii (1630- 1685) (Scottish King1651-kloc-0/685, English King 1660- 1685).

2 James II (1633- 170 1) (king of England, king of Scotland 1685- 1688).

3 Mary Ⅱ (1662- 1694) (Queen of England, Queen of Scots, 1689- 1694) William III (1650- 1702) (UK)

Anne (1664- 17 14) (Queen of Scotland 1702- 1707, Queen of England1702-17/kloc-)

Hanover residence (1714-1901year)

1 George I (1660- 1727) (the king of England 17 14- 1727 was in office).

2 George II (1683- 1760) (King of England 1727- 1760)

George iii (1738- 1820) (king of England 1760- 1820)

George IV (1762- 1830) (King of England 1820- 1830).

William IV (1765- 1837) (King of England 1830- 1837).

6 Victoria (1819-1901) (King of England 1837- 190 1)

Saxony-Coburg-Gotha dynasty (1901-1917);

Edward VII (1841-1910) (King of England1901-10)

Windsor dynasty (19 17-)

1 George v (1865- 1936) (the king of England 19 10- 1936 in office)

Edward VIII (1894- 1972) (King of England 1936)

3 George VI (1895- 1952) (King of England 1936- 1952)

4 Elizabeth II (1926-) (King of England 1952-)