Tudor England FAQ & Facts: Frequently Asked Questions & Information - English History English History Tudor England FAQ & Facts: Frequently Asked Questions & Information General Questions Who were the Tudors? The Tudors were a Welsh-English family that ruled England from 1485 to 1603. Henry Tudor was the son of Margaret Beaufort, who was descended from King Edward III through an illegitimate line, and Edmund Tudor, the son of Princess Catherine of Valois and her second husband, Owen Tudor. Through Catherine of Valois, Jasper was the half-brother of the last Lancastrian king, Henry VI. The Yorkist branch of the Plantagenet dynasty would eventually seize the throne from the incompetent Henry VI, but their reign ended when Richard III was killed at the battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485. Henry Tudor then claimed the throne as King Henry VII. He promptly married Elizabeth of York, daughter of the only successful Yorkist king, Edward IV, and niece of Richard III. Henry VII and Elizabeth of York’s second son, three of their grandchildren and one of their great-grandchildren, would rule England as part of the Tudor dynasty.

When their rule ended, the throne passed to the Scottish branch of their family – James I was the great-grandson of their daughter, Margaret Tudor. Visit Tudor Genealogy for more information. TOP When did they rule England? The Tudors ruled England from 1485 to 1603. TOP Why are they so famous? The Tudors are famous because their dynasty was full of colorful characters and big events. Henry VIII and his six wives…. the English reformation…. the tragic tale of Lady Jane Grey…. the great intelligence of Elizabeth I and the artistic accomplishments of her reign…. During the sixteenth century, England emerged from the medieval world. It was a time of great change, most notably it marked the end of the Catholic church in England. There was an attendant rise in nationalism, a new spirit of confidence and patriotism swept the country. Great naval exploits began the great English seafaring tradition. Whether as pirates or officers or explorers, Elizabethan sailors controlled the seas. And besides the political and religious changes, the Tudors themselves were interesting and complex people. TOP What did they accomplish? The Tudors were able to establish England as a world power.

They did so by positioning their country as a peace-maker between the dueling powers of France and Spain/the Holy Roman Empire. They also gave England a century of dynastic stability. With the exception of Lady Jane Grey’s brief reign and Catholic attempts to place Mary, queen of Scots on Elizabeth I’s throne, most Tudor monarchs came to the throne – and remained on the throne – unchallenged. This lengthy period of peace allowed England a much-needed respite from the Lancastrian-Yorkist wars. Government ran more efficiently; royal power replaced that of aristocrats and there was a uniform system of justice and taxation throughout the country. And, as always in times of peace, the arts flourished. TOP Can you give me a brief history of Tudor England? Tudor England began when Henry VII became king in 1485. There were five Tudor monarchs, not counting Lady Jane Grey who ruled for just nine days.

The monarchs were, in order, Henry VII (ruled from 1485 to 1509), his son Henry VIII (ruled from 1509 to 1547), Edward VI, son of Henry VIII (ruled from 1547 to 1553), Mary I, daughter of Henry VIII (ruled from 1553 to 1558), and Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII (ruled from 1558 to 1603.) The most powerful Tudor monarchs were Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, though she was far more beloved of the English people. Both were powerful personalities who were able to control their squabbling councilors and answer the demands of an increasingly vocal Parliament. Under Henry VII, the English government came to be more stabilized and centralized. Under Henry VIII, English authority was tested on the Continent, though even military victories were too costly to maintain. A great victory over Scotland early in his reign (1513) was most notable; the attendant confusion of its northern neighbor was beneficial for England.

Henry VIII’s desperate quest for a legitimate heir led to the Reformation; this was the end of the Catholic church’s authority in England. The king, unable to obtain an annulment, declared himself Supreme Head of a new English church. He also sold or destroyed most church property in England. His son, Edward VI, was just a child when he inherited the throne but already known for his piety and serious nature. His councilors continued to strengthen the Protestant state, but their plans were dashed when Edward died at 16 years of age. An attempt to place his Protestant cousin, Lady Jane Grey, on the throne instead of the Catholic Princess Mary failed. Mary was declared queen to great acclaim; she was originally very popular even with the Protestants. But a policy of religious persecution, a hated marriage with Philip of Spain, and bad agricultural conditions (as well as the debt she had inherited from her father and brother) soon made Mary broken-hearted and disliked. She was succeeded by her half-sister, Elizabeth, who was a religious pragmatist and passionately devoted to her country. Elizabeth’s policy of toleration was extended to both the religious and political spheres. Above all else, she avoided extremism at all costs.

She often prevaricated over major decisions, unwilling to commit to an action before all diplomatic attempts failed. This infuriated many of her advisors, but it also gave her country the religious and political peace it needed to thrive. Her reign was marked by the great victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588, the artistic achievements of men such as Shakespeare and Bacon, and English exploration and colonization of North America. TOP Where can I view the Tudor family tree? Visit the Tudor Genealogy site. It has a graphic image of the family tree and a more detailed text genealogy. TOP Where can I look at portraits of the Tudors? You can visit the Images section of my site. You can also visit Tudorhistory.org and Tudor-portraits.com. TOP What is the ‘Tudor Rose’? The Tudor Rose is the most famous symbol of the Tudor dynasty. You can see a beautiful example of it on the main page. It shows the petals of a red rose enfolding the petals of a white rose. The red rose was the symbol of the House of Lancaster and the white rose was the symbol of the House of York. Henry VII was the first Tudor king and a Lancastrian.

He married Princess Elizabeth of York. Their marriage was the literal union of both houses, symbolized by the new ‘Tudor Rose’. Also, the Wars of the Roses were thus called because they represented the 15th century struggle between Lancaster and York for the throne of England. TOP sketch of Henry Tudor while he was exiled in France sketch of the future King Henry VII while he was exiled in France Was Henry VII really a miser? Henry VII, the first Tudor king, was tight-fisted with money. His tax inspectors were notorious and despised. However, the English treasury was nearly empty after years of wars. Henry was determined to create a stable government and all governments need money to run. It became something of an obsession with him, particularly in his later years. But to his credit, he left a healthy treasury to his son and heir, Henry VIII – which the latter promptly spent. To learn more about Henry VII, visit his website. TOP Did Elizabeth of York really hate Henry VII? Many authors have argued that Elizabeth hated Henry because he took the throne from her family and she was forced to marry him. But all the contemporary accounts I have read indicate they had a pleasant enough marriage.

Henry VII never had an affair and he genuinely mourned her death in 1503. Elizabeth’s life as queen was primarily domestic. Her motto ‘Humble and Reverent’ sums up her character. TOP Did Prince Arthur and Katharine of Aragon consummate their marriage? This question was very important during Henry VIII’s reign. He said his marriage to Katharine should be annulled because she had been his brother’s wife. He disregarded the papal dispensation which had given them permission to wed in 1509 by arguing that the Pope could not disregard the Bible itself. There are passages in Leviticus which specifically forbid a man taking his brother’s wife as his own. Katharine swore that she and Arthur had never consummated their marriage, as did her duenna. I have to support Katharine of Aragon on this one; her marriage to Arthur probably wasn’t consummated. They were both young and Arthur was already very ill. Also, Katharine was deeply pious; it is difficult to believe she would lie to a papal legate about such a thing.

TOP portrait of King Henry VIII, c1542 portrait of King Henry VIII, c1542 Why did Henry VIII have six wives? Henry had six wives because…. He had the first wife because he was betrothed to her by his father. He had the second wife because he fell in love and also needed a legitimate male heir. He had the third wife because he still needed a male heir. He had the fourth wife because of diplomatic reasons. He had the fifth wife because he fell in love again. He had the sixth wife because he was old and sick and grouchy and needed a companion and nurse who wouldn’t give him too much trouble. To learn more about Henry VIII’s six wives, visit their website. TOP Who were the six wives? They were (in order) Katharine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Katharine Parr. TOP Did Henry VIII really murder all his wives? No, only two of the six wives were executed – the second wife, Anne Boleyn, and the fifth wife, Catherine Howard. His first wife died of natural causes. His third wife died from childbirth complications. His fourth wife was divorced and outlived him.

And the sixth wife outlived him as well. TOP What was the ‘King’s Great Matter’? This refers to Henry VIII’s attempts to annul his marriage Katharine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. It consumed several years of his reign. It also involved the dissolution of all Catholic monasteries in England. TOP What was the Reformation? The Reformation refers to a period in the early 16th century in which the Roman Catholic Church was challenged by a new form of Christianity collectively known as Protestantism. The Catholic Church was both a religious and political institution; by the 16th century, corruption was widespread and many Christians were disappointed in the excesses and abuses of church leaders. The Reformation began in 1517 when a German priest named Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of a royal church in Wittenberg. Luther did not want to start a new religion; he merely wanted to reform the papacy. However, a few years later, Pope Leo X excommunicated him. Luther’s main philosophical idea was ‘justification by faith’, the idea that salvation is granted as a gift through God’s grace and not through a priestly intermediary.

He also advocated marriage for the clergy. His ideas were revolutionary and scandalous, but also very popular. They represented an attempt to bring religious faith back to the people and end long-standing corruption within the church. But the doctrine of ‘justification by faith’ also sharply curtailed the church’s power over spirituality, making it a matter of personal debate and belief. As Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days’ Queen of England, wrote of her Protestant faith in 1554, ‘I ground my faith upon God’s word, and not upon the church…. The faith of the church must be tried by God’s word, and not God’s word by the church; neither yet my faith.’ In England, the Reformation was mainly associated with Henry VIII’s attempts to annul his marriage to Katharine of Aragon. When the papacy refused to annul their union due to the political pressure of Katharine’s nephew, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Henry was outraged. He spent several years attempting to persuade the pope to change his mind. In the end, he simply declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England and confiscated all church lands and money in his country.

This is known to history as ‘the dissolution of the monasteries.’ However, Henry VIII remained a spiritual Catholic; he disliked Luther’s ideas and was never a Protestant himself. He simply rejected Roman Catholic influence in England. But he had unwittingly opened up the door to dramatic changes. From 1533 onwards, the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in England declined while the new ideas of the Reformation began to slowly gain adherents. The resulting religious convulsions would consume most of Europe for the entire century. In Tudor England, the conflict between the old faith and the new consumed its rulers. Henry VIII was a lapsed Catholic; his successor Edward VI was a devout Protestant; his successor Mary I was a devout Catholic; her successor Elizabeth I was, understandably enough, a religious pragmatist. However, she came into conflict with her Catholic cousin, Mary, queen of Scots. TOP How did Henry VIII die? Henry had been in ill health for some time. He was obese and this led to many complications in his health, such as fevers, headaches and ulcers.

He died on 28 January 1547 after suffering through a bad fever; he was bled during his illness, which undoubtedly contributed to his death. To learn more about Henry VIII’s life, visit his website. TOP How did Katharine of Aragon die? Contrary to rumor, Katharine was not poisoned by Henry VIII. If he had been that ruthless, he would have killed her years before and saved himself the whole trouble of his ‘Great Matter’. Most historians believe she died of cancer. To learn more about Katharine of Aragon, visit her website. TOP Why do you spell Katharine’s name as you do? (And why do you spell Catherine Howard and Katharine Parr’s differently?) I spell Katharine of Aragon’s name as it is spelled on her tomb at Peterborough. I chose to spell Catherine Howard’s with a ‘C’ because it’s spelled thus by LB Smith in his biography of Henry VIII’s fifth queen. Katharine Parr’s name is spelled that way to differentiate her from the wife who preceded her. TOP Was Anne Boleyn really a witch? Did she have an extra finger? Did she really commit adultery and have an incestuous affair with her brother?

How many times was she pregnant as Queen? No, Anne Boleyn was not a witch. Yes, she did have a small growth on one hand which some have called an extra finger. No, she did not commit adultery or have an incestuous affair with her brother. Even her enemies admitted the charges were false, simply used as excuses to execute her. She was pregnant at least three times, but only gave birth to one living child – a baby girl who would grow up to be Elizabeth I. To learn more about Anne Boleyn, visit her website. TOP Where is Anne Boleyn buried? Anne Boleyn is buried at the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London. She is not buried in a regular coffin, however, since one was not provided; instead, her body was forced into an old arrow chest. TOP miniature portrait of Jane Seymour by Lucas Horenbout miniature portrait of Jane Seymour by Lucas Horenbout Did Jane Seymour die of complications from a Caesarean section? This rumor has been around for a long time, but it’s not true. Jane actually lived several days after the birth of her son, Edward, and was able to greet well-wishers.

But she soon succumbed to a violent fever and died. Most historians believe she died from puerperal sepsis, an infection which killed many new mothers. Keep in mind that, even today, childbirth is a dangerous and bloody business. In the 16th century, standards of hygiene were very lax. Puerperal sepsis caused severe fevers and delusions; it was almost always fatal. Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Katharine Parr, would also die from it. To learn more about Jane Seymour, visit her website. TOP Was Anne of Cleves really that ugly? It’s ironic to me that, of all of Henry’s six wives, the one who is most attractive to modern eyes is the one he divorced for being a ‘Flanders mare’. You can look at portraits of Anne (one is below this answer) and decide for yourself. It was probably a simple case of ‘chemistry’, or a lack thereof. You want to kiss some people and you don’t want to kiss others – why? Henry VIII simply wasn’t attracted to her but that doesn’t mean she was ugly; it simply means she wasn’t his type. To learn more about Anne of Cleves, visit her website.

TOP miniature portrait of Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein miniature portrait of Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein What happened to Anne of Cleves after Henry divorced her? Anne remained in England, where she was treated with great respect and honor. Henry called her his ‘sister’ and she was given lots of money and lands in their divorce settlement. She came to court regularly and enjoyed the life of an independent, wealthy woman. She also became quite fond of English beer. I think we can agree that she was probably the happiest of the six wives. TOP Did Catherine Howard commit adultery while Queen of England? Probably. You can read her letter to Thomas Culpeper here. To learn more about Catherine Howard, visit her website. TOP Where is Catherine Howard buried? She is buried at the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, along with her cousin Anne Boleyn and other victims of Henry VIII. TOP How many times was Katharine Parr married? Katharine was married four times. Henry VIII was her third husband. She had one child with her fourth husband, and died of puerperal sepsis shortly afterwards. To learn more about Katharine Parr, visit her website. TOP Was Katharine Parr imprisoned by Henry VIII?

Almost, but her quick wit and instinct for survival saved her. Religious conservatives at Henry’s court attempted to persuade the king his wife was a heretic. After being lectured one too many times on religious matters by Katharine, Henry was inclined to agree. Katharine was warned of the plot and, without letting on to the king, told him she was grateful to talk about such matters with him so he could guide her in the correct direction. His ego soothed, the king again favored her. When guards came to arrest Katharine, Henry personally berated them and protected her. TOP What happened to Henry VIII’s sisters, Margaret and Mary Tudor? Margaret married the king of Scotland, James IV, and upon his death, she married the earl of Angus. Mary wed the king of France and, upon his death, she wed the duke of Suffolk. To learn more about Mary Tudor, visit her website. To learn more about Margaret Tudor, visit her website. TOP Did Henry VIII execute a lot of people? He executed a lot of people on trumped-up charges, or what is commonly termed ‘judicial murder’. He was very capricious and tyrannical, particularly as he grew older.

He was also sensitive to other claims on the Tudor throne; for that reason, he imprisoned or executed most of his Plantagenet relatives. TOP Did Henry VIII have a legitimate reason to divorce Katharine of Aragon? Yes. Other queens were divorced for a lot less. The annulment would have been granted if Katharine’s nephew had not been Holy Roman Emperor. His position gave him great influence over papal policy. TOP How did Edward VI die? Edward died of tuberculosis. Recently, historians and doctors suggested that it may have been complicated by measles. To learn more about Edward VI, visit his website. TOP Who is the ‘Nine Days Queen’? The description refers to Lady Jane Grey, the Tudor cousin who ruled England for just nine days in 1553. She was later executed by Mary I. To learn more about Lady Jane Grey, visit her website. TOP Did Lady Jane Grey want to be Queen of England? No, she did not. TOP Did Lady Jane Grey love her husband? No, quite the contrary. By all accounts, she disliked Guildford and refused to have him crowned king, though she appreciated his newfound maturity and composure upon their imprisonment. TOP Where is Lady Jane Grey buried?

At the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, alongside Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. As at Anne’s execution, there was no coffin provided for Jane’s corpse. Her body lay beside the block for several hours before someone finally found a coffin. TOP Mary Tudor as princess of England, by Master John, 1544 portrait of Princess Mary Tudor in 1544, by Master John Why is Mary I called ‘Bloody Mary’? Several hundred Protestants were burned as heretics during her reign. Hence, she is called ‘Bloody Mary’. To learn more about Mary I, visit her website. TOP Are there two Mary Tudors at this site? Yes, one is Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII. The other is Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII. TOP Did Mary I really hate her half-sister, Elizabeth? Yes. TOP Was Mary I ever pregnant during her marriage to Philip of Spain? No. She thought she was pregnant – she hoped she was – but it was probably an ‘hysterical pregnancy’. Her menstrual cycle was always irregular and she had a distended stomach, possibly from a tumor. TOP What were Mary’s last words?

It is rumored she said that if her body was cut open, the words ‘Calais’ and ‘Philip’ would be found engraved upon her heart. It is an apocryphal story. Calais was the last English outpost on the continent, lost during her reign, and Philip was the beloved husband who had abandoned her. TOP Where is Mary I buried? In Westminster Abbey, beside her half-sister, Elizabeth I. TOP Was Elizabeth I truly a great queen – or did her ministers do all the work? She was truly a great queen. Though she had good ministers, chief among them William Cecil, Elizabeth – like her father – was always in charge. To learn more about Elizabeth I, visit her website. TOP the Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, by George Gower The Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, by George Gower How smart was Elizabeth I? Very smart. She was undoubtedly one of the most (if not the most) intelligent monarchs to rule England. She was always a dedicated scholar and genuinely loved to study and learn. Her tutor Roger Ascham, and indeed everyone who met her, recognized and commented upon her intelligence.

Of course, this was believed to be a ‘masculine’ trait and only acceptable because of her special position as queen. TOP Did Elizabeth ever plan to marry anyone? Probably not. She used marriage negotiations as political tools, and she personally loved Robert Dudley. But she was never enthusiastic about the prospect of marriage. And who can blame her? After the disastrous examples of her father and half-sister, Elizabeth had no reason to equate marriage with personal happiness. She also realized that any marriage would end her authority as queen in her own right. TOP Was Elizabeth really a ‘Virgin Queen’? Did she have secret lovers and/or children? She was probably a virgin. It’s difficult to imagine any secret affair remaining secret for long. And birth control was tricky and untrustworthy in the 16th century. She knew that any affair would risk a pregnancy – and that would destroy her life. Furthermore, it is worth noting Elizabeth’s own strict and methodical character, and the disdain she showed for women who could not control their feelings or appreciate the consequences of their actions. Consider her opinions of her two cousins, Mary, queen of Scots and Catherine Grey. Both rushed into hasty, inappropriate and passionate unions and both had disastrous results.

Elizabeth looked down upon them both, remarking that they would do well to remember their high positions in life and its attendant responsibilities. She lamented her lost opportunities for love and a family of her own. But she was queen and it was an exalted and lonely position. No, she never had children. It’s fun to read theories that she was the mother of Bacon – or Shakespeare – or was even Shakespeare himself…. but could she really keep a pregnancy secret? Foreign ambassadors paid her servants to learn every intimate detail of her life. Upon hearing some gossip about her relationship with Dudley, Elizabeth observed that a thousand eyes were always upon her so how could she do anything scandalous? TOP Why is the 1588 battle with the Spanish Armada so famous? Because England was a small nation with a little navy and they were facing the greatest power in the world. And they defeated it, with help from Mother Nature. It marked the beginning of England’s mastery of the seas. The great history of the English navy began, as did serious English exploration and colonization. TOP Why are there so many portraits of Elizabeth I? Because she ruled for such a long time (45 years) and because she understood the value of propaganda.

Her portraits were iconographic; they represented the queen in all her majesty, triumphant and beautiful. They symbolized the confidence and pride of her nation. It was also a sign of loyalty to have portraits of the queen in your house. Many nobles commissioned portraits, or copies of official portraits. To view portraits of Elizabeth I, with commentary, visit the Elizabethan Images webpage. TOP Where is Elizabeth I buried? In Westminster Abbey, beside her half-sister Mary I. TOP Why was Mary, queen of Scots a prisoner in England? Mary fled to England after losing a battle against her Scottish foes. She was seeking Elizabeth’s aid in restoring her to the throne of Scotland. To learn more about Mary, queen of Scots, visit her website. TOP How long was Mary, queen of Scots a prisoner in England? Mary was imprisoned from 1568 to 1587. She was just 25 years old when she arrived in England and 44 years old when she was executed. TOP portrait of Mary, queen of Scots, c1558 portrait of Mary, queen of Scots, c1558 Are Mary, queen of Scots and Mary Tudor the same person? No.

Mary Tudor was Henry VIII’s sister. Mary, queen of Scots was the granddaughter of Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister. TOP Why did Elizabeth I have Mary, queen of Scots killed? Because she was conniving to have Elizabeth assassinated and herself made queen of England. In fairness to Mary, she only began plotting after being imprisoned for several years and it was clear she would never be released. TOP Was Mary, queen of Scots guilty of the crimes for which she was executed? Yes, probably. She even admitted to plotting against Elizabeth, but said it was only to gain her freedom. TOP Where is Mary, queen of Scots buried? In Westminster Abbey. Her body was moved there by her son, James, who became king of England in 1603. TOP Why is Mary, queen of Scots’s last name sometimes spelled ‘Stewart’ and other times ‘Stuart’? In Scotland, her family name was spelled ‘Stewart’. However, Mary was half-French and spent her formative years in France. Therefore, she adopted the French spelling of Stewart, which was ‘Stuart’.

(She also signed her name ‘Marie’, which was the French spelling of her first name.) TOP Why did Elizabeth I leave her throne to James I of Scotland? James was Elizabeth’s closest male relative. He was part Tudor as well, being the great-grandson of Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of the first Tudor king, Henry VII. TOP What dynasty followed the Tudors? The Stuart dynasty followed the Tudors, so called because their family name was Stuart/Stewart. TOP Does this website have a search engine? Yes, it does. Click here to visit the Tudor England search engine. TOP I am quoting from this website for my paper / report. How do I correctly cite the source? The correct format is based upon both the Turabian/Chicago and MLA styles. Here is an example: Legal hostilities over England's King Richard III adjourned Legal hostilities over England's King Richard III adjourned Michael Holden Share View photos A facial reconstruction of King Richard III is displayed at a news conference in central London February 5, 2013.

REUTERS/Andrew Winning More By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - A legal fight over the remains of England's King Richard III, discovered under a car park some 500 years after the medieval monarch was slain in battle, was adjourned until the New Year on Tuesday. The skeleton of Richard, whose death effectively ended a civil war known as The War of the Roses and whose reign has divided historians ever since, was discovered last year in one of the most remarkable English archaeological finds in recent times. His body was found under a parking lot in Leicester, central England, close to the site of the 1485 Battle of Bosworth where he was killed, the last English monarch to perish in battle. The University of Leicester, whose archaeologists found and exhumed the remains, were given permission from Britain's Ministry of Justice to re-bury the king at the cathedral in the city after DNA tests earlier this year confirmed the skeleton with a curved spine and head wounds was that of the king.

But descendants of Richard, the last of the Plantagenet dynasty to rule, have started legal action arguing there should be a judicial review of the decision to issue the reinterment license as they want him to be buried instead in York, his northern powerbase during his 26-month reign. Their case, listed under "The Plantagenet Alliance Limited v the Council and College of Canons of the Cathedral of St Martin" was due to begin on Tuesday in the fitting setting of a grand wood-paneled court at London's Royal Courts of Justice. Leicester City Council gave permission for the dig to take place and says it is the public body with responsibility for the remains. After agreeing that the council should join the university and the Secretary of State for Justice as defendants, the legal hostilities were adjourned until next year. Gerard Clarke, the lawyer representing the Plantagenet Alliance, told three of England's most senior judges, wearing their traditional wigs and gowns, that the issue of what to do with a long-dead king as was "unique and unprecedented". "It stands apart from pretty well any other decisions," he said.

The Wars of the Roses were named after the heraldic badges of the two combatants: the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster. They were a dynastic struggle between rival Plantagenet factions that lasted for about 30 years until Richard's defeat by Henry Tudor who took the throne as Henry VII. Depicted as a power-crazed hunchback by William Shakespeare, Richard famously died crying out "A horse, a horse, a kingdom for my horse" according to the unsympathetic playwright writing in the reign of Tudor Queen Elizabeth I. Historians have since been deeply divided over whether Richard was a monster who murdered his own nephews to take the throne, or had been unfairly maligned by his enemies. Clarke provoked laughter at the court when he promised to avoid Shakespearian language and avoid jocular references to "skeleton arguments", having realized he had made a reference to the council making "no bones about" one issue.

Despite Tuesday's adjournment, Philippa Langley, the driving force behind the four-year search for Richard's remains, told Reuters she was pleased they were moving forward to burying the king with the "decency, dignity and honor" he had been deprived of in 1485. (Editing by Alison Williams) Plantagenet Gallery - Ancestral Memories Ancestral Memories Plantagenet Royal Gallery Royal Bastard Ancestry A number of illegitimate children of English royalty married well, led productive lives and left descendants to this day. The Society of Royal Bastard Ancestry traces the lineage of its members to these royal bastard offspring of King Henry I (Robert de Caen, Reynold de Dunstanville, Elizabeth of England, Henry fitz Henry, Robert fitz Edith, Reginald fitz Roy and Constance), his grandson Henry II (William Longespee) and his great-grandson John, who set his seal on the Magna Carta at Runnemede on 15 June 1215 (Richard fitz Roy).

List of Qualifying Ancestors Blanche of Lancaster (25 March 1345 – 12 September 1368) was a member of the English royal House of Plantagenet, daughter of the kingdom's wealthiest and most powerful peer, Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster. She was the first wife of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and the mother of King Henry IV. "The Lady and the Unicorn" (French: La Dame à la licorne), also called the Tapestry Cycle, is the title of a series of six Flemish tapestries depicting the senses. They are estimated to have been woven in the late 15th century in the style of mille-fleurs. The lady depicted in the tapestry called Taste, is conjectured to have been Blanche of Lancaster (1345-1369), 1st wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Blanche was the daughter of Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster and his wife, Isabel de Beaumont. Her paternal great-great-grandfather was Henry III of England.

Dying of the plague in 1369, Blanche was said to have had blue eyes, fair hair and skin, and a calm and serene demeanor. She was living in Bolingbroke Castle at the time of her death, while her husband was away. Her funeral at St. Paul's Cathedral in London was preceded with a magnificent cortege attended by most of the nobility and clergy. John of Gaunt held annual commemorations of her death for some years thereafter. Though some scholars disagree, it is widely held that Gaunt's grief over the death of his duchess was immortalized by Chaucer in his work, The Booke of the Duchess. See: In the tapestry, the lion and the unicorn frame the Lady who, eyes turned towards a parrot in her right hand, is taking a sweet from the candy dish offered to her by her servant. Her little dog follows her every move; at her feet a leering monkey, eating a berry or a candy, highlights the significance of the scene. Blanche's daughter, Elizabeth (wife of John Holand, 1st Duke of Exeter), is an ancestor of my "gateway" forebear, Capt. Philip Nelson of Rowley, Massachusetts.

Source: Musee de Nationale de Moyen Age, moyenage.fr/ang/pages/page_id18314_u1l2.htm He was called "John of Gaunt" because he was born in Ghent (in modern Belgium ), Gaunt in English. John of Gaunt received the title "Duke of Lancaster" from Edward III on 13 November 1362 House of Plantagenet , Lived during the reigns of the Plantagenet Kings of England King Edward III and King Richard II. His brothers were: Edward, Prince of Wales - the Black Prince Lionel, Duke of Clarence Thomas Beaufort, 1st Duke of Exeter Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland. On 19 May 1359 at Reading Abbey , John married his third cousin, Blanche of Lancaster , daughter of Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster . Blanch of Lancaster John's first child was an illegitimate daughter known as Blanche Plantagenet (1359-1388/89). Blanche was the daughter of John's mistress Marie de St.

Hilaire of Hainaut (1340-after 1399), who was a lady in waiting to his mother, Queen Philippa. The affair apparently took place before John's first marriage, which was to his cousin Blanche of Lancaster . John's daughter, Blanche Plantagenet, married Sir Thomas Morieux in 1381. Morieux held several important posts, including Constable of the Tower the year he was married, and Master of Horse to King Richard II two years later. He died in 1387 after six years of marriage. Blanche Plantagenet Morieux was not included in the decree which legitimated John's children by Katherine Swynford in 1396. [ King Edward III arranged matches for his sons with wealthy heiresses. Upon the death of his father-in-law in 1361, John received half of Henry's lands, the title Earl of Lancaster, and the distinction as the greatest landowner in the north of England, inheriting the Palatinate of Lancaster. He also became the 14th Baron of Halton .

John inherited the rest when Blanche's sister, Maud, Countess of Leicester (married to William V, Count of Hainaut ), died on 10 April 1362. John received the title "Duke of Lancaster" from his father on 13 November 1362. John was by then well established, owning at least thirty castles and estates across England and France . His household was comparable in scale and organization to that of a monarch. The wealth she brought to the marriage was the foundation of John's fortune. Blanche died of bubonic plague on 12 September 1369 at Bolingbroke Castle , while her husband was away at sea. Their son Henry Bolingbroke became Henry IV of England. Their daughter Philippa became Queen of Portugal by marrying King John I of Portugal in 1387. In 1371, John married Infanta Constance of Castile , daughter of King Peter of Castile , thus giving him a claim to the Crown of Castile , which he would pursue.

Though John was never able to make good his claim, his daughter by Constance, Katherine of Lancaster , became Queen of Castile by marrying Henry III of Castile . During his marriage to Constance, John of Gaunt had fathered four children by a mistress, the widow Katherine Swynford (whose sister Philippa de Roet was married to Chaucer). Prior to her widowhood, Katherine had borne at least two, possibly three, children to Lancastrian knight Sir Hugh Swynford. The known names of these children are Blanche and Thomas. (There may have been a second Swynford daughter.) John of Gaunt was Blanche Swynford's godfather. Constance died in 1394. John married Katherine in 1396, and their children, the Beauforts, were legitimized by King Richard II and the Church, but barred from inheriting the throne. From the eldest son, John, descended a granddaughter, Margaret Beaufort, whose son, later King Henry VII of England, would nevertheless claim the throne. In 1386, John left England to claim the throne of Castile.

However, crisis ensued almost immediately, and in 1387, Richard's misrule brought England to the brink of civil war. Only John, on his return to England in 1389, was able to persuade the Lords Appellant and King Richard to compromise, ushering in a period of relative stability. During the 1390s, John's reputation of devotion to the well-being of the kingdom was much restored. His famous affair with Katherine Swynford (1350 - 1403 ) produced four illegitimate children who were given the name Beaufort. John of Gaunt married Katherine Swynford in 1396 and their children, by this time adults, were legitimised. He and Katherine became the ancestors of the Tudors, the greatest Kings and Queens of England All monarchs of England and later of Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms from Henry IV onwards are descended from John of Gaunt. John died of natural causes on 3 February 1399 at Leicester Castle, with his third wife, Katherine, by his side.

HOUSE OF PLANTAGENET The House of Plantagenet ( / p l æ n ˈ t æ dʒ ən ə t / plan-TAJ-ə-nət , also spelt in English sources as Plantaganet, Plantagenett, Plantagenette, Plantaginet, Plantagynett, etc.) was a French family originating from Anjou that held the English throne from 1154 to 1485, starting with the accession of Henry II and ending with the death of Richard III . Within that period, some historians identify the four distinct royal houses of Anjou , Plantagenet, Lancaster , and York . [1] Between 1144 and 1154, two successive Counts of Anjou obtained a vast assemblage of lands, which were retrospectively referred to as the Angevin Empire . The first of these counts, Geoffrey V , became Duke of Normandy in 1144. His successor, Henry, added Aquitaine to the empire through his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152.

In 1154, Henry successfully pursued a claim to the English throne as a result of the reign of his maternal grandfather, Henry I of England . [2] Through Henry's fourth son, John, a line of fourteen English kings was produced. The name of Plantagenet, which historians use to reference the entire dynasty, originated in the 15th century and derives from a 12th-century nickname for Geoffrey V. Under the Plantagenets, England was transformed from a colony, often governed from abroad and considered less significant among European monarchies, into a sophisticated, politically engaged and independent kingdom. This was not necessarily due to the conscious intentions of the Plantagenets.

Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Britain from 1940 to 1945, and again from 1951 to 1955, stated in A History of the English-Speaking Peoples : "When the long tally is added, it will be seen that the British nation and the English-speaking world owe far more to the vices of John than to the labours of virtuous sovereigns." [3] [4] The Plantagenet kings were forced to negotiate the weaknesses that resulted from compromises such as the Magna Carta . These compromises constrained royal power in return for financial and military support. The king was no longer solely the most powerful man in the nation, holding the prerogative of judgement, feudal tribute and warfare. The monarch now had defined duties to the realm, underpinned by a sophisticated justice system. Conflicts with the French, Scots, Welsh and Irish, along with the use of English, which was re-established as the primary language, shaped a distinct national identity. The Plantagenets were also responsible for the construction of significant English buildings, such as King's College, Eton College, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle and Welsh castles.

The Plantagenets were conclusively defeated in the Hundred Years' War . Tax raises introduced to support the war effort contributed to the devastation of the English economy. Revolts resulted from the general population's demand for more rights and freedoms. Crime increased as destitute soldiers returned from France, while the nobility raised private armies, feuded and defied the weak leadership of Henry VI . There was continual rivalry among the royal family members. The political and economic situation, combined with the dynasty's 15th-century split into the competing cadet branches of York and Lancaster , eventually resulted in the Wars of the Roses . These events culminated in 1485, when the last Plantagenet king, Richard III , died at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Many historians consider Richard's death as marking the end of the Plantagenet's reign and the English Middle Ages. The succeeding Tudor dynasty centralised royal power, thereby resolving many of the problems that troubled the later Plantagenet monarchs. This centralisation resulted in the stability necessary for the English Renaissance and the beginnings of Early modern Britain. Henry II is considered by some to be the first Plantagenet King of England.

Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York , adopted Plantagenet as his family name in the 15th century. "Plantegenest" (or "Plante Genest") was a 12th-century nickname for Geoffrey V, perhaps because his emblem may have been the common broom, named planta genista in medieval Latin. It is uncertain why Richard chose this specific name, but it emphasised Richard's status as Geoffrey's patrilineal descendant during the Wars of the Roses. The retrospective usage of the name for all of Geoffrey's male descendants was popular during the Tudor dynasty, perhaps encouraged by the further legitimacy it gave Richard's great-grandson, Henry VIII Documents of the period assert that Geoffrey Plantagenet – the founding father of the Plantagenet dynasty in Britain – was the son of Fulk V by Lady Ermengarde, whilst the subsequent Plantagenets themselves repeatedly claimed descent from Melusine. In this particular instance it would be wise to believe the family, as Fulk, Geoffrey Plantagenet’s father, was indeed originally married to Queen Melusine III of Jerusalem and consequently Geoffrey was her son, not Ermengarde’s.

The Plantagenet name originates, not with the Broom sprig, but with the Plantagenet’s founding mother – Princess Plantina – sister of Princess Melusine I in 760 AD. Angiers was a Ducal principality in the Comite region of Anjou. In the work of The Rev. Father Sabine Baring-Gould, Angiers is referred to as the “country” where the Pictish, Dragon Princess Melusine eventually became domiciled in the eighth century, after having fled from the Sacred Isle of Avallon (Arran), following the ritual killing of her father King Elinus; the Dragon of Berenicia. Angiers is now the city of Angers in northern Anjou. A sa Ducal principality, its rulers constituted a regnant royal house. Plantagenet JOAN PLANTAGENET QUEEN OF SICILY...daughter of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Marguerite of France, Queen of Edward I of England ELEANOR OF CASTILE, QUEEN OF ENGLAND The last Plantagenet, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury (1473-1541), Princess Elizabeth (Plantagenet) Bohun was the daughter of King Edward I of England and Eleanor of Castile Katherine Swynford: Katherine became the third wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and their descendants were the Beaufort family, which played a major role in the Wars of the Roses. LEONOR PLANTAGENET REINA DE CASTILLA also known as Eleanor of England (1162 – 1214) - was Queen of Castile and Toledo as wife of Alfonso VIII of Castile. Margaret of France (French: Marguerite de France or Marguerite de Valois, 1553 – 1615) was Queen of France and of Navarre during the late sixteenth century.

A royal princess of France by birth, she was the last of the House of Valois.,Daughter of King Henry II of France and Catherine de' Medici Margaret of Anjou (1430 –1482) - wife of Henry VI; a key figure in the Wars of the Roses Elizabeth Woodville. Queen Isabel I of Castile – the mother of Catherine of Aragon, first wife of King Henry VIII of England. It is estimated that 25% of the British population is descended from the Plantagenet royal family. Out of the chaos, darkness and violence of the Middle Ages, one family rose to seize control of England. Generation after generation they ruled the country, ruthlessly crushing all competition to become one of the most powerful English families of all time. Eleanor of Provence (c. 1223 – 24/25 June 1291 was Queen consort of England, as the spouse of King Henry III, from 1236 until his death in 1272.

Fair Rosamund, painting by John William Waterhouse DESCENDANTS OF JOHN OF GAUNT Sir John (Plantagenet) of Gaunt KG (married Blanche Plantagenet (March 25, 1341 - September 30, 1369) on May 19, 1359) (married Constanza Castilla LG (1354 - March 24, 1394) on 1371) (married Katherine Roet (1350 - May 10, 1403) on January 13, 1396) is the father of 14 children and the grandfather of 54 grandchildren. Listed below are details on up to five generations of descendants. Icons after childrens' names link to their family tree charts and descendant lists Also known as the Earl of March (and one of the long line of Plantaganet kings), Edward was the eldest surviving son of Richard, Duke of York, who had been the leader of the Yorkist faction in the Wars of the Roses.

After his father's death he successfully led the Yorkists in significant battles against the Lancastrians, then claimed the crown from the ineffectual Henry VI , whom he imprisoned. Edward was only 19 when he took the throne. As king, the tall, attractive Edward was popular but given to drinking and wenching. His marriage to Elizabeth Woodville and his bestowal of court favors on her relatives disrupted his relations with Warwick , "the Kingmaker," who had helped him gain the throne. In 1469, Warwick allied with the Lancastrians in an attempt to depose Edward; the king fled to the continent, gathered support for a fresh invasion and reclaimed his crown in 1471. Warwick died in battle, and once again Edward imprisoned Henry, whose death he most likely ordered. The second half of his reign was much more productive and prosperous. After an abortive attempt to invade France he established a peace with the Treaty of Picquigny, which brought Edward a yearly pension of 50,000 gold crowns. He fostered efforts in printing, patronizing William Caxton and collecting illuminated manuscripts, and rebuilt St. George's Chapel, Windsor.

Edward died unexpectedly of an unknown illness at age 40, leaving behind five daughters as well as two sons whose fate is still hotly debated. He was succeeded by his brother, Richard III . Svend I «Forkbeard» Tveskæg, Konge af Danmark, Norge og England (Haraldsen) Place of Burial: Hellig Trefoldigheds Kirke, Roskilde, Danmark Birth: 960 Alfred the Great Alfred the Great (Old English: Ælfrēd, Ælfrǣd, "elf counsel") (849 – 26 October 899) was King of Wessex from 871 to 899. Alfred is noted for his defence of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of southern England against the Vikings, becoming the only English monarch to be accorded the epithet "the Great". Alfred was the first King of the West Saxons to style himself "King of the Anglo-Saxons". Details of his life are described in a work by the Welsh scholar and bishop Asser. Alfred was a learned man who encouraged education and improved his kingdom's legal system and military structure.

He is regarded as a saint by some Catholics, but has never been officially canonized. The Anglican Communion venerates him as a Christian hero, with a feast day of 26 October,[3] and he may often be found depicted in stained glass in Church of England parish churches. Ancestors: Ur, Troy, Druid, Roman, Frankish, Burgundian, Visigoth, Saxon Kings, Odinic, Merovingians - .....Hrolf, "the ganger," Duke of Normandy His Illegitimate Sons: .....Hallad was the next earl, then Einar became the earl of Orkney. .....Hrollaug Rognvald's brother was called Sigurd. .....Einar. The Duchy of Normandy and the House of Wessex: GENERATION ONE: Rollo/Hrolf the Ganger (b. 850) (reigned 911-925) was a Norwegian Viking chieftain, he seized Rouen in 876. He invested in land on the lower Siene circa 911. He was at the castle of St. Clair-sur-Epte. Hrolf was Rollo, in Latin.

He married Gisele, the daughter of the King of France. Rollo was baptized a Christian in a fountain fed by a spring names in honor of Saint Clair, who was martyred in 884. Rollo's second wife was Popee, the daughter of the Count of Bayeaux. Popee's son was William Longsword. GENERATION TWO: William I (925-942), "Longsword," was the son of Rollo. .....Edgar (b. 943)was known as "the Peaceful." He was King of Mercia and Northumbria (973-975). Edgar was crowned in Bath Abbey on May 11, 973. He was the brother of Eadwig and son of Edmund I. Edgar died on July 8, 975 (age 32) and is buried in Glastonbury Abbey. GENERATION THREE: Richard I (942-966) known as "the Fearless," was the Duke of Normandy. He married Gunnor of Denmark. Richard was the son of William I. .....Athelred II, "the Unready" (b.

968), was the son of Edgar and Elfrida. He died on April 23, 1016, in London (at age 48), and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral. Athered married (1) Elgiva (463-1002) (2) Emmas (985-1052). GENERATION FOUR: Richard II (996-1026), "The Good." Richard II was the son of Richard I. .....St. Edward II, the Martyr (963-975), who was murdered by his stepmother, Queen Elfrida. Edward's father was Edgar the Peaceful (957-975). Edward's son was Edmund II, "Ironsides.". GENERATION FIVE: Richard III (1036-1027). Duke of Normandy, was the son of Richard III. ..... Edmund II Ironside (989-1016), King of England, married Algitha in 1016, widow of Sigfrid, thane of East Anglia, a Danish noble.

Edward was the son of Ethered II (966-979). Edward fled to Normandy. Edward's son was known as Edward the Exiled. Edmund died on November 30, 1016 (at age 27) and was buried in Old St. Paul's Cathedral. Edmund was the son of Athelred II. GENERATION SIX: Richard III (1036-1027), Duke of Normandy, was the son of Richard II. Robert I (1027-1035), "the Magnificent," was the brother of Richard III. He died while returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1035. Arlette, the daughter of the tanner of Falaise was the mother of William II of Normandy (William I of England). ..... Edward the Exiled (1017-1057) married Agatha of Germany, daughter of Conrad II of Franconia, Holy Roman Emperor. Edward's most famous daughter was St. Margaret of Scotland. GENERATION SEVEN: ..... St.

Margaret (1045-1093) married Malcolm III "Canmore," King of the Scots, (1058-1093), in 1069. Malcolm III was the eldest son of Duncan I (1034-1040) of Scotland. Margaret was Malcolm's second wife. Malcolm was crowned, King of the Scots, in Scone Abbey on April 25, 1058. THE CHILDREN OF MALCOLM III WERE: .....Duncan died in 1094. Duncan was the son of Malcolm III of Scotland and Ingibiorg, daughter of Finn Arnesson, Jarl of Holland/Earl of Orkney. .....Edward died in 1093. .....Edgar (1097-1107), King of Scots (1074-1107) Edgar was the son of Malcolm II of Scotland and Margaret. .....Alexander I (1077-1124), King of Scots (1107-1124)was the son of Malcolm III of Scotland and Margaret. Alexander married Sybilla (d.

1122), natural daughter of Henry I, King of England. .....St. David I (1085-1153), King of Scots (1124-1153)was the son of Malcolm III of Scotland and Margaret. David married Matilda (d. 1130), daughter of Waltheof, Earl of Huntingdon. *****Matilda (1079-1118), daughter of Malcolm III and Margaret of Scotland. She married Henry I, King of England (1068-1135) in 1100. .....Mary (d. 1116) married Eustace III, Count of Boulogne, in 1102. William II, the Conqueror was born in 1027 in Falaise. He was the Duke of Normandy (1035-1087), was the son of Robert I. He was William I (1066-1087), King of England. He married Matilda (d. 1083), daughter of Baldwin V, Count of Flanders, in 1050.

William built the abbey church of Jumieges; the abbey aux Hommes (St. Etienne), which was begun in 1068; and the abbey aux Dames (La Trinite). The children of William I of England (1066-1087) and Matilda of Flanders were: Robert, Duke of Normandy married Sibyl of Conversano in Italy. No issue. William II "Rufus," King of England (1087-1100) ruled the Duchy of Normandy. He died August 2, 1100, leaving no issue. Adela married Stephen, Count of Blois. Henry I, King of England (1100-1135) received his mother's land in Cotentin, Normandy. Henry married Matilda, daughter of Malcolm Canmore, King of Scots and Margaret, daughter of Edgar Atheling, and great-grand-daughter of Edmund Ironsides. GENERATION EIGHT: Robert II (1087-1106), "Curthose," the Duke of Normandy was the son of William II.

Robert was deposed, and died in 1134. Wiliam II (b. 1057), King of England ("Rufus") (1087-1100) was the son of William the Conqueror. Henry I, King of Normandy (1100-1135) was the brother of Robert II , King of England (1106-1135). Henry married Edith/Matilda (1079-1118), daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland, son of Duncan I, King of Scots in 1034. Duncan was murdered in 1040. Matilda's mother was St Margaret, daughter of Edward the Exile (1017-1057) and Agatha. THE CHILDREN OF HENRY I AND MATILDA WERE: .....William (d. 1120) was born February 23, 1103. .....Matilda, the Empress was born February 7, 1102, and died September 10, 1167.

She is buried in the Abbey church of Bec-Holloui. She married (1) Henry V on November 23, 1133, at Le Mans. Henry V was King of Worms in 1106. (2) Geoffrey of Anjou (b. 1134) CHILDREN OF GEOFFREY AND MATILDA WERE: .....William was born July 22, 1136. .....Henry II, King of England (1154-1189) who married Eleanor of Acquitane. Matilda was only eight years old when she married. She was raised buy her aunt Christina, the abbess of Wilton. GENERATION NINE: Geoffrey Plantagenet, "the Fair" was the 10th Count of Anjou(1149-1150). Geoffrey adicated and died in 1151.

Count of Maine (1129) and Duke of Normandy (1144-1149), was the son of Fulk V (1109-1129), the younger, King of Jerusalem (1131-1143). Geoffrey married Matilda (1103-1167), Queen of England, in 1141, daughter of Henry I. Henry I died of lamprey eel poisoning. .....Henry II,Duke of Normandy and King of England (1151-1189) was the son of Matilda, duaghter of Henry I and Geoffrey. Henry married Eleanor of Aquitane (1122-1204), daughter of William X, Duke of Aquitaine (1126-1137). THE CHILDREN OF HENRY II AND ELEANOR WERE: .....William (1153-1156). .....Eleanor (1163-1215) .....Joan (1165-1199) .....John (1167-1216).

In 1215, the barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta, the charter that said that kings were not above the law. GENERATION TEN: Robert II of Dreux who married Alix, daughter of Constance and Guy of Thouars. Alix was regent from 1221-1237. Alix (1203-1221) was from the Plantagenet line. Robert died in 1250 At this time, the French believed their kings could heal the skin disease scrofula by touch alone. Scrofula is a disorder characterized by grandular swelling. GENERATION ELEVEN: ......Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany (1166-1186), was the son of Henry II of England. He married Constance, daughter of Conan IV, Earl of Richmond in 1181. Conan (1156-1166), the younger was the son of Bertha and Alan of Richmond; who was desposed and died in 1171. His son was Arthur I (1187-1203).

GENERATION TWELVE: -----John of England (1167-1216) took his throne in 1199. He married Isabella (d. 1246) the daughter of Aimar Tsilifer, Count of Angouleme. Isabella married (2) to Hugh de Lusignan, the Count of Marche, in 1220. John descends from William I, the Conqueror. John's son was King Henry III (1207-1272), who took the throne in 1216. (Louda, Table 2). > SOURCES: Ashley, Mike. British Knights and Queens. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc., 1998. Bouchard, Constance Brittain. Strong of Body, Brave, and Noble. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1998. Cannon, John & Ralph Griffiths. Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Chibnall, Marjorie. The Empress Matilda.

Cambridge: Blackwell, 1995. Jallam, Elizabeth. Chronicle of the Crusades. New York: Welcome Rain, 2000> Louda, Jiri and Michael MacLagan. Lines of Succession: Heraldry of the Royal Families of Europe. New Tork: Barnes & Noble Books, 2002. Markale, Jean. Cathedral of the Black Madonna. Rochester, VT.: Inner Traditions, 1998. Morby, John E. Oxford Dynasties of the World. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Roach, Marilynne. The Salem With Trials. New York: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2002. Smith, Elsdon C. New Dictionary of American Family Names. New York: Gramercy Publishing Company, 1988. Line of Adam to Rollo God created Adam on the sixth day of Creation, Anno Mundi 1, probably about 5500 BC (!Africanus). From the rib of Adam He formed the first woman, Eve. Adam (1-931 AM), m.

Eve (3-941 AM) Seth (231-1143 AM), m. Azûrâ, his sister Enosh (436-1341 AM), m. Noam, his sister Cainan (626-1536 AM), m. Mûalêlêth, his sister Mahalalel (796-1691 AM), m. Dînâh, dau. of Barâkî'êl, son of Enosh, above Jared (961-1923 AM), m. Bâraka, dau. of Râshûjâl, son of Cainan, above Enoch (1123-1488 AM), m. Ednâ, dau. of Dânêl, son of Mahalalel, above Methuselah (1288-2257 AM), m. Ednâ, dau. of Âzrîâl, son of Jared, above Lamech (1475-2228 AM), m. Bêtênôs, dau.

of Bârâkî'îl, son of Enoch, above Noah (1663-2613 AM), m. Emzârâ, dau. of Râkê'êl, son of Methuselah, above Shem, next Rollo, m. Poppa The Line from Adam to Poppa provides the lineage through the tribe of David for the wife of Rollo. Copyright © 2010-2015 Iona Miller, All Rights Reserved. FAIR USE NOTICE This site may contain some copyrighted material which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Create a free website

Question: Which English King immediately preceded the Tudors and was effectively the last Plantagenet monarch?
Answer: Richard III