Kingdom of England

Quick Facts: Who was Kingdom of England?

Subject:

Kingdom of England

Known for:

A sovereign state on Great Britain from 927 until its union with Scotland in 1707.

Died:

Living / None

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Kingdom of England was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 927, when all of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were united under the rule of Æthelstan, until 1 May 1707, when it relinquished its sovereignty along with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, which would later become the United Kingdom. The Kingdom of England was among the most powerful states in Europe during the medieval and early modern periods. The political unification of England was a complex process that took place over many decades. Beginning in the year 886, Alfred the Great took London from the Danes and adopted the title King of the Anglo-Saxons in order to reflect his control over both Wessex and western Mercia. This style would go on to be inherited by his son, Edward the Elder (reigned 899–924), and grandson, Æthelstan, both of whom greatly expanded the authority of the House of Wessex during their respective reigns.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 927, Æthelstan conquered the last remaining Viking kingdom, York, thereby making him the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of the whole of England and the founder of the Kingdom of the English. In 1016, the kingdom became part of the North Sea Empire of Cnut the Great, a personal union between England, Denmark and Norway. The Norman Conquest in 1066 led to the transfer of the English capital city and chief royal residence from the Anglo-Saxon one at Winchester to Westminster, and the City of London quickly established itself as England's largest and principal commercial centre. Histories of the Kingdom of England from the Norman Conquest of 1066 conventionally distinguish periods named after successive ruling dynasties: Norman/Angevin 1066–1216, Plantagenet 1216–1485, Tudor 1485–1603 and Stuart 1603–1707 (interrupted by the Interregnum of 1649–1660). All English monarchs after 1066 ultimately descend from the Normans, and the distinction of the Plantagenets is conventional—beginning with Henry II (reigned 1154–1189) as from that time, the Angevin kings became "more English in nature"; the houses of Lancaster and York are both Plantagenet cadet branches, the Tudor dynasty claimed descent from Edward III via John Beaufort and James VI and I of the House of Stuart claimed descent from Henry VII via Margaret Tudor.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The completion of the conquest of Wales by Edward I in 1284 put Wales under the control of the English crown. Edward III (reigned 1327–1377) transformed the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe; his reign also saw vital developments in legislation and government—in particular the evolution of the English Parliament. From the 1340s, English claims to the French throne were held in pretense, but after the Hundred Years' War and the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses in 1455, the English were no longer in any position to pursue their French claims and lost all their land on the continent, except for Calais. After the turmoils of the Wars of the Roses, the Tudor dynasty ruled during the English Renaissance and again extended English monarchical power beyond England proper, achieving the full union of England and the Principality of Wales under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542. Henry VIII oversaw the English Reformation, and his daughter Elizabeth I (reigned 1558–1603) the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, meanwhile establishing England as a great power.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1016: 1016 Milestone — In 1016, the kingdom became part of the North Sea Empire of Cnut the Great, a personal union between England, Denmark and Norway.
2. 1066: 1066 Milestone — The Norman Conquest in 1066 led to the transfer of the English capital city and chief royal residence from the Anglo-Saxon one at Winchester to Westminster, and the City of London quickly established itself as England's largest and principal commercial centre.
3. 1284: 1284 Milestone — The completion of the conquest of Wales by Edward I in 1284 put Wales under the control of the English crown.
4. 1327: 1327 Milestone — Edward III (reigned 1327–1377) transformed the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe; his reign also saw vital developments in legislation and government—in particular the evolution of the English Parliament.
5. 1455: 1455 Milestone — From the 1340s, English claims to the French throne were held in pretense, but after the Hundred Years' War and the outbreak of the Wars of the Roses in 1455, the English were no longer in any position to pursue their French claims and lost all their land on the continent, except for Calais.
6. 1535: 1535 Milestone — After the turmoils of the Wars of the Roses, the Tudor dynasty ruled during the English Renaissance and again extended English monarchical power beyond England proper, achieving the full union of England and the Principality of Wales under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.
7. 1558: 1558 Milestone — Henry VIII oversaw the English Reformation, and his daughter Elizabeth I (reigned 1558–1603) the Elizabethan Religious Settlement, meanwhile establishing England as a great power.
8. 1707: 1707 Milestone — The Kingdom of England was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 927, when all of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were united under the rule of Æthelstan, until 1 May 1707, when it relinquished its sovereignty along with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, which would later become the United Kingdom.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Kingdom of England

True or False: “The Kingdom of England was continuously sovereign until 1707, when it formed Great Britain.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Its sovereignty ended on May 1, 1707, when its parliaments were mutually abolished to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aurangzeb — Historical peer (Died in 1707) (1707): Sixth Mughal Emperor who expanded the empire to its greatest extent.
• British Army — Historical peer (Born in 1707) (1707): The land warfare force of the United Kingdom, responsible for defending the UK and its territories.
• Casimir I the Restorer — Historical peer (Born in 1016) (1016): Duke of Poland and Piast dynasty member, known for restoring Polish lands.
• Ferdinand I of León — Historical peer (Born in 1016) (1016): King of León and Count of Castile, known as 'the Great' for consolidating the western Iberian realm.
• Edward the Confessor — Historical peer (Died in 1066) (1066): Last Wessex King, pious ruler whose death marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England.
• Harald Hardrada — Historical peer (Died in 1066) (1066): Viking warlord and King of Norway, famed for his military prowess and ambitious claims.
• John, King of England — Historical peer (Died in 1216) (1216): King of England, founder of the Angevin dynasty's peak, and signatory of Magna Carta.
• Kaneko Ietada — Historical peer (Died in 1216) (1216): A famed samurai of the 12th century, renowned for his prowess during the Hōgen Rebellion.
• Catherine of Aragon — Historical peer (Born in 1485) (1485): Queen of England and first wife of Henry VIII, pivotal figure in Tudor history.
• Hernán Cortés — Historical peer (Born in 1485) (1485): Spanish conquistador who caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century.

Frequently Asked Questions about Kingdom of England