Questions about British Monarchy: The Beginning! (ep 39)

Part 1, the Romans
Before there were Kings of England, there was Roman occupation. In fact, you might think of the first monarch of England as being the Roman Emperor. Britain was officially discovered when Julius Caesar made to expeditions in 55 and 54 BC. He did not successfully invade England; that job was left to his successor Plautius in 43 AD. From that time, Britain was part of the Roman Empire.

Part 2, King Arthur
It’s at the Battle of Badon Hill where reports of a famous warrior or leader (or perhaps king?) emerges. He united and rallied the people around him and defeated the Saxons. He is named Ambrosius Aurelianus by contemporary historians Gildas and Bede and called “Arthur” by Nennius—the first historian to mention Arthur by name. King Arthur is among the most famous literary characters of all time. And Arthur's legend shapes the British Monarchy for years to come.

Part 3, Heptarchy
By the seventh century, the boundaries of the Heptarchy were established, separating the land into seven tribal kingdoms: Northumbria, Wessex, Mercia, East-Anglia, Essex, Kent, and Sussex. One of the best-known and most powerful kings of this era is Alfred the Great, a strong military leader and wise ruler, who became King of Wessex in 871. He defeated the Danes at Rochester, imposed rule on South Wales, and took London from the Danes. He’s also credited with starting a permanent army and navy. Alfred eventually ruled most of the area. 

Part 4, Becoming England
King Aethelstan became King of Wessex in 899 and succeeded to the kingdom of the Northumbrians when Sihtric died in 927. In 937, he and his brother Edmund defeated a combined force of the Kings of Dublin, Scots, Strathclyde, and others. During this period, he was recognized as the first person to rule over all the land that would eventually become known as England. He claimed the title “King of all Britain.” 

Part 5, Emma of Normandy
Emma of Normandy was sent to England in 1002 to marry Aethelred the Unready. Viking attacks and invasions meant Emma and her children went into exile before Cnut, King of Denmark, conquered England in 1016.  Emma displayed political skills as she maintained a good relationship with Cnut and his new regime. She married Cnut in 1017. For the majority of her life, Emma had wielded political power in ways that were unheard of for women. 

Part 6, The Confessor and The Conqueror
There’s a legend that Edward had promised God he would make a pilgrimage to St. Peter’s in Rome if he were ever able to return safely to his kingdom. But once he took the throne, Edward felt he could not safely leave his people. He built a large stone church in honor of St. Peter. The church became known as “West” minster to distinguish it from the “east” minster, which was St. Paul’s Cathedral. 

William Duke of Normandy claimed to be rightful King after Edward's death. He defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings and ended Anglo-Saxon rule. William I is often recognized as the first King of England, and “English history” often starts with the Battle of Hastings. But the monarchy had its beginning long before 1066.

History shows us what's possible.