The Normans
The Norman Invasion and Conquest of England
In the year 1066, the Saxon-Dane rulers of England were overthrown and replaced by new invaders.... The Normans
By the end of the year, the old king was gone and the fate of the country was changed for ever.
Norman Kings
The Norman invasion of Britain in AD1066 brought with it the first "feudal" system of government and established once and for all a King Of England. Later conquests increased this to the King Of Great Britain but the general title "King of England" remains the common one. The following list covers the Norman Kings of England from invasion in 1066 to the end of the "Norman" line with Henry IV seizing the throne from Richard II in AD1399.
- William I, the Conqueror (1066-87)
- William II, Rufus (1087-1100)
- Henry I, Beauclerc (1100-35)
- Stephen (1135-54)
- Empress Matilda (1141)
- Henry II, Curtmantle (1154-89)
- Richard I, the Lionheart (1189-99)
- John, Lackland (1199-1216)
- Henry III (1216-72)
- Edward I, Longshanks (1272-1307)
- Edward II (1307-27)
- Edward III (1327-77)
- Richard II (1377-99)
After years of enforced moderation Richard II moved against his enemies in 1397. The Duke of Gloucester was arrested (and probably murdered) and Henry Bolingbroke was exiled (although he remained dangerous). Ignoring these dangers, Richard went to Ireland in an effort to increase his kingdom.
While King Richard II was gone Henry Bolingbroke returned from France and seized the throne, becoming King Henry IV's (1399-1413). While this was a popular coup many aristocrats regarded the new Lancastrian dynasty as illegitimate and there was a need to put an end to the conspiracies.
Henry had Richard II murdered in Pontefract castle in 1400, this put an end to the Angevin Line and future monarchs were no longer "Norman."
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