Chronology of British Government
Monarch Date of Rule Deeds Events Comments
Germanic/Scandinavian Rule
Alfred the Great 871-899 1Defeated“Da
nlaw” expansion
& regained land
2established
navy and garrison
3introduction
of Christanity to
Dames, first
public schools for
noble
descendances and
magistrates
4Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Wessexline
Edward the elder Anglo-Saxon Wessexline;
Son to Alfred
Athelstan Anglo-Saxon Wessexline;
Son to Edward
Edgar the
Peaceful
959-975 Anglo-Saxon Wessexline
Ethelred the Unready 978`1016 Invaded England Anglo-Saxon Wessexline;
Sweyn Forkbeard, King of
Denmark
Canute 1016-1035 1.chosen as king by
Witan;2.United
England, Denmark
and Norway.
Scandinavian Conqueror
Edward the Confessor 1042-1066 1.facilitated the
Norman
Conquer;2.Norman
feudal system adopted
Son of Ethelred the
Unready
Harold
Godwinson
1066 defeated Norwegians Earl of Wessex
Norman French Rule
William I 1066-1087 5-steps to
strengthen
reign in
England:
1.crushed
all
resistance,b
uilt castles
for
protection
2.broke up
Saxon
earldoms
established
centralized
royal
government
.
3.vicomtes
4.slovent
royal
treasury,
royal
coinage
5.allied
with
Roman
Catholic
Church
defeated Harold
and crowned William
I at Westminster
Abbey on
Dec.25,1066
William the Conqueror,
French duke connected to
the Wessex Line who
favored by Edward the
Confessor
William II 1087-1100 Murdured William Rufus, 2nd son to
William I
Henry I 1100-1135 Altered the
relationship
between
King and
his
followers:1.
chose
bishops
2.accepted
money
3rd son of William I
from Barons instead of military service-exc hequer
Stephen &Maud 1135-1154 1.20-years of civil
war and anarchy;
2.agreement to
Stephen’s rule and
Henry II’s succession.Stephen:Grandson to William I;
Matilda: Daughter to Henry I
Angevin French – Plantagenents
Henry II 1154-1189 1.reform of
legislative
system
2.claimed
vast
territories
in France
and Ireland
through
various
family
connections
;
3.altered
the
relationship
s between
secular and
religious
authorities
-murdered
of Thomas
Becket/fail
ure in
reforming
canon law;
4.invaded
and
established
English
Son to Maud
