Timeline of British Monarchs

     There are many a timeline of British monarchs out there across various mediums - from books to the web. But virtually all of them only feature the line of English monarchs before the 1603 Union of the Crowns which saw a Scottish king, James VI becoming James I of England and Ireland upon the death of his cousin, Elizabeth I of England and Ireland.

Sample 1: First page of the Timeline

     Such timelines tend to ignore the significance of that event, which saw the British Isles under the rule of a single monarch for the first time, and they also seem to pass over the acts of union in 1707 and 1800 which created a single British nation-state: the United Kingdom. This stems from the tendency to refer to British monarchs as "Kings/Queens of England", even though the Kingdom of England ceased to exist when it merged with the Kingdom of Scotland (which also ceased to exist) to create the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. Nearly one-hundred years later, Ireland became part of the union, and the country was renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (which became Northern Ireland in 1927 after the independence of the southern Irish counties).

Sample 2: Page 5 of the Timeline

     So it is rather under-stated and forgotten that the British monarchy has deep roots in Scotland. As has been said, there was once a separate and distinct line of Scottish monarchs until its merger with the English royal line, which created a unified British one. The timeline I have prepared is, I believe, representative of the monarchs of Britain. It shows the distinct Scottish and English royal lines before they became a single British royal line, which led to unification of Britain under a single crown and government. It includes detailed information on British royal and national symbols, and seeks to establish a long-held (though often-forgotten and under-appreciated) fact that the monarchy is not simply an English institution, but a truly and inclusive British one - with influences from Scotland, Wales, and Ireland/Northern Ireland as well as England. 

     I hope you find it to be informative, enlightening, and enjoyable. If you would like to read further commentary on this timeline and the relationship between England, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the monarchy, please click here.

     Otherwise, here is my  

                               
                                   Timeline of British Monarchs.

NOTE: Once the Timeline page has loaded, please see the "Comments" section for special instructions for viewing the Timeline.