It's a case of history repeating itself when George II comes to the throne in 1727 - like his father, he has Robert Walpole as his 'prime minister', is at odds with his eldest son, has a Jacobite rebellion to deal with, gets involved in ...

A lack of Protestant Stuarts in 1714 meant the start of a new dynasty with George I and the Hanoverians. Poor George wasn't the happiest of monarchs - he was perfectly happy in Hanover and went back as often as he could, while his British subjects...

The tumultuous Stuart dynasty comes to an end in this episode with Queen Anne, but otherwise it's an era of new beginnings. John Churchill (Duke of Marlborough) leads England to military glory against Louis XIV, particularly at Blenheim, while at ...

With the removal of James II in 1688 in the Glorious Revolution came the unusual position of joint rulers: the husband and wife team of William III and Mary II. William held executive power and spent most of his time fighting wars against his arch...

The monarchy was left in a pretty good state by Charles II in 1685, but the trickiest part of his reign had been to prevent Parliament excluding his Catholic brother, James, from the throne, so how would Parliament react to its first Catholic ruler...

After the republican interlude of the Commonwealth, Charles II leads the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. After an adventurous youth alongside his father in the Civil War and a thrilling escape from Cromwell's clutches in 1651, Charles was int...

The execution of Charles I in 1649 created something of a dilemma for England, needing to find a completely new way to govern itself. Various parliamentary outfits were tried, but throughout it all one man dominated until in 1653 he officially became...

Charles I's accession in 1625 would prove a momentous moment in English history, leading to numerous conflicts with Parliament which resulted in civil war and the abolition of the monarchy. Charles's early years were blighted by military fail...

The Tudor dynasty came to an end in 1603 to be replaced by the Stuarts, headed by James VI of Scotland (now James I of England). James had much promise as an experienced king in Scotland with a tendency towards religious toleration, peaceful rule and...

After the short and troubled reign of Mary I, Elizabeth came to the throne in 1558 facing numerous challenges: a country deeply divided on religion, threatened by France and Scotland (via Mary Queen of Scots), an awkward relationship with Mary's...

A lack of male Tudors meant that in 1553 a woman would, for the first time, inherit the throne. Edward VI wished his cousin, Lady Jane Grey, to take the throne but instead it was his older sister, Mary. Mary was Henry VIII's oldest child had seen ...

After the tumultuous reign of Henry VIII, in 1547 his young son Edward VI comes to the throne. As a minor, Edward's reign is dominated the machinations of the key men at court, particularly his uncles (Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, and Thomas...

In a departure from our usual fare, this week we take a closer look at Henry VIII and consider how it was that the promising 17 year-old who came to the throne in 1509 should turn into the tyrannical monster that died in 1547. Was his personality...

In 1509, England's most (in)famous monarch comes to the throne - Henry VIII. Henry dominates the popular imagination even to this day and his reign dramatically altered the course of English history. It all started very pleasantly, with a good-loo...

With victory in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, Henry VII becomes the first of the new Tudor dynasty. Henry had a difficult time facing down numerous threats to his reign, particularly from pretenders such as Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck, but...

By usurping his nephew, Edward V, in 1483 Richard III started his route to infamy and his place in English history as perhaps the most notorious and monstrous king of them all. However, to this day he has passionate supporters who claim he was a far...

The name Edward V is unfamiliar to most, but the fate of the Princes in the Tower (Edward and his brother, Richard) is one of the most famous and mysterious issues in English royal history. The 12 year-old king came to the throne in 1483 but never...

The Yorkists come to power in 1461 in the form of Edward IV. 19 years old, very tall, exceptionally attractive and a courageous soldier to boot, Edward is a very different prospect to the ailing Henry VI but his reign is not without difficulty. His...

Henry V's untimely death in 1422 leaves a baby on the throne in the form of Henry VI and marks a total reversal in English fortunes. Disasters in France at the hands of Joan of Arc are eclipsed by the Wars of the Roses, with the Yorkist forces of...

In 1413 we welcome one of England's most legendary kings to the throne, Henry V. After the trials and tribulations of his father, Henry V makes this 'kinging' business look rather easy, unifying his country before popping off to France a...

When Henry Bolingbroke deposes Richard II in 1399, he is acclaimed as the nation's saviour and the first Lancastrian king, Henry IV. However, being king proves a lot harder than becoming king, and Henry has to face numerous difficulties throughout...

After the fading glories of Edward III, England has another child king in 1377 with the accession of Richard II. Richard takes after his great-grandfather Edward II with his tendency for promoting lowly favourites and being considered of dubious...

With his father deposed in 1327 and Roger Mortimer all-powerful, things did not look too promising for the young Edward III, but this turned out to be one of the most remarkable reigns of the medieval period. Encompassing the start of the Hundred Years...

The reign of Edward I was always going to be hard to follow, but even so Edward II makes rather a meal of it. His devotion to his favourites Piers Gaveston (a foppish arrogant knight) and Hugh Despenser (a brutal baron) cause resentment and rebellion...

England enters its medieval Edwardian period in 1272 with the accession of Edward I and after two difficult reigns we have another powerful king. Edward was every bit the medieval warrior king, going on Crusade, conquering Wales and building some of...