Who is your favourite British monarch?

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Reply 40

orcprocess

The current one.

Reply 41

Arbolus

Original post by jmenkus

No Henry VI option? How disappointing.

You mean the one who went mad, lost the majority of France, and let his wife cause a civil war?

My favourite has to be Cnut. As well as England he was king of Denmark and Norway, and was paid tribute by Scotland, Wales, and parts of Sweden and Ireland. Despite being a Christian, he promoted religious tolerance in the pagan Danelaw and tried to be a just king in all ways. He was powerful enough to be able to deal with the Pope and Holy Roman Emperor on equal terms, and so arguably helped put England on the global stage.

Reply 42

Islander15

Edward I should be up there?
His reign started with the end of a viscous civil war and ended with the country being more stable than ever before. Increased English territory in Wales and Scotland. Established parliament.

Reply 43

Snagprophet

I feel that Henry VIII is important with the whole reformation of the church. People could get divorced because of his changes.

Reply 44

IlliteratePedant

Went for George V because he looks identical to Tsar Nicholas II and I like to think they're the same person.

Also, he binned those silly German titles his family had collected. :tongue:

Reply 45

thunder_chunky

Why is Mary I on that list? I don't really see why she should be.

I'd say Henry V because of his talent at bashing the French. Something we should all be envious of.

Reply 46

Angry Spartan

Original post by thunder_chunky

Why is Mary I on that list? I don't really see why she should be.

Yea.

We want Queen Jane!

Reply 47

beepbeeprichie

What the ****? Richard should be top. He lead a huge force hundreds of miles and kicked Muslim ass.

Reply 48

LaBelleEtLeBete

I have a soft spot for Lady Jane Grey... Does she count? But based on this poll, Elizabeth the First'll have to do.

Reply 49

mondegreen

King John represent!

Ok, so maybe not the best monarch ever, but feel the need to compensate for all the "disaster" views out there. (Plus, there were long term causes of problems, he was an 'administrative innovator' etc). Revisionism for the win!

Reply 50

calumsteele1

Richard Lionheart, he can barely be described as a great English monarch, he didnt speak English and spent the vast majority of his time in France!

Reply 51

Vikitora

WHERE is King GEORGE VI?!

Reply 52

sword

henry VIII was an epic black knight, complete dappa tbh

Where's our Queenie?

Elizabeth I, what a woman! Ironically despised as not being the true King Henry wanted, yet turned out to be one of the greatest monarchs this country ever saw. Held firm to her beliefs, navigated the political arena well, and let no man be her master, which given her times, was an incredible thing. Plus I love Anne Boleyn, so...

Reply 55

Vanzetti

Original post by navarre

They generally tend to be more boring and far less known than their English counterparts.

I thought about James I, but then included Charles I instead, as their reigns were both absolutist and Stuart.

Really? That seems to be something of a gross generalisation. I think Bruce's name has had greater historical staying-power to that of his English counterpart. What English King has been immortalised in the written word like Macbeth?

Lesser-known is perhaps accurate (even in Scotland, one has to say), but the lack of wider knowledge about the Kings of Scotland in no way detracts from their fascinating reigns and characters!

As an aside, what about the Jacobite pretenders? Henry IX and I springs to mind!