Rulers of Europe
Rulers of Europe
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Rulers of Europe from 840 to 1603

Early Middle Ages (866 - 1013)

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HRE - Emporer of the Holy Roman Empire

From
Date		 Ruler Area of Europe To
Date		 Comments
840 Charles, the Bald France 877  
843 Kenneth I Scotland 858 Kenneth 'MacAlpin' is tradionally regarded as the first ruler of the Scottish nation, known as Alba. He was the ruler of Dal Riata, an area of the west coast of Scotland, and the ruler of the Picts whose leaders were killed either be Kenneth or during Viking raids.
858 Donald I Scotland 862 Very little is know about the short reign of Donald.
862 Constantine I Scotland 877 Viking raids increased greatly during Constantine's reign.
866 Aethelred I King of Wessex Wessex (England) 871 During the reign of Aethelred a large number of Danes know as the Great Army landed in Britain and took control of East Anglia.
871 Alfred the Great England 899 Alfred won a battle defeating the Danes at Edington.
877 Aed Scotland 878 Aed'd reign only lasted for one year as it is believed he was killed by Giric who succeed him.
878 Giric / Eochaid Scotland 889 Giric and Eochaid shared the rule of Alba. Giric was older and may have acted as stepfather to Eochaid.
889 Donald II Scotland 900 Donald overthrew Giric and Eochaid to become the King of Alba.
899 Edward the Elder England 924 The reign of Edward was dominated by a disputed succession and dealings with the Danes.
900 Constantine II Scotland 943 Constantine's reign was one of the longest of all the Scottish kings and lasted 43 years. In his old age he abdicated in favour of his nephew Malcolm.
924 Athelstan England 939 Athelstan is considered to be the first King of England.
936 Gorm the Old Denmark 958 Gorm the Old is concidered to be the first King of Denmark.
939 October Edmund I England 946 May 26 Northumbria, the Midlands and Strathclyde were reconqued by Edmund before his murder by the exiled thief Leofa.
943 Malcolm I Scotland 954 Malcolm gave shelter to Vikings driven out of York by Edmund of Wessex. malcolm agreed to stop supporting the Vikings in exchange of land in northern England. A reign filled with conflicts resulted in his death in battle.
946 May Eadred England 955 November 23 Eadred is noted for taking back Northumbria after it was overrun by Vikings led by Eric Bloodaxe. Eadred died young from a digestive illness.
954 Indulph Scotland 962 Indulph abdicated and retired to a monastery after a reign of eight years full of conflict with Vikings and the English. He was called out of retirement to fight the Danes and was killed in battle.
955 November Eadwig England 959 Control of England was split between Eadwig who ruled south of the Thames and his younger brother Edgar who ruled in the north. Archbishop Dunstan was exiled.
958 Harald Bluetooth Denmark 986 Harald Bluetooth was king of both Denmark and Norway and was the first king to introduce Christianity to the countries.
959 October Edgar I England 975 Edgar united the kingdom when he became King of England. He invited Archbishop Dunstan back from exile.
962 Dubh/Duff Scotland 966 The reign of Duff is noted for civil war. When Duff favoured his cousin Donald rather than Cuilean as the next heir a civil was broke out. Duff was killed and Cuilean became king.
966 Culen/Cuilean/Colin Scotland 971 Cuilean's reign was short as he was killed in battle.
971 Kenneth II Scotland 995
975 July Edward 'The Martyr' England 978 Edward was Edgar's eldest son but not the chosen heir. This led to civil war and Edward's murder only three years into his reign.
978 March Aethelred II 'The Unready' England 1013 Viking invasions increaed in number during Aethelred's reign and the King agreed to pay money to prevent more. Aethelred had many Danes murdered in England on St. Brice's Day.
986 Sweyn I Fork-beard Denmark 1014 Sweyn repeatedly raided the coast of England for treasure. He overthrew his father Harald and later invaded England and became its King.
987 Hugh Capet France 996
995 Constantine III Scotland 997
996 Robert II, the Pious France 1031
996 Otto III HRE 1002
997 Kenneth III Scotland 1005
1005 Malcolm II Scotland 1034

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High Middle Ages (1013 - 1307)

From
Date		 Ruler Area of Europe To
Date		 Comments
1013 December Sweyn (Swein) 'Fork-Beard' England & Denmark 1014 In revenge for the St. Brice's Day massacre Sweyn invaded England and took the thone.
1014 Harold II Denmark 1018 Became King of Denmark after his father Sweyn died.
1014 March Aethelred 'The Unready' England 1016 Aethelred was restored to the English throne after the death of Sweyn.
1016 April Edmund II 'Ironside' England Famed for his fighting skills Edmund defended the country against Cnut's invasion. It was agreed to divide the country in two.
1016 November Cnut (Canute) England, Norway & Denmark 1035 Cnut from Denmark invaded England and shared its rule with Edmund Ironside. When Edmund died Cnut became King of the whole of England.
1031 Henry I France 1060
1034 Duncan I Scotland 1040
1035 Harthacnut Denmark 1042 Became King of Denmark in 1035 and King of England in 1040 after the death of his half-brother Harold Harefoot. He lost control of Norway to Magnus.
1035 Ramiro I Aragon 1063 After his father Sancho of Navarre.
1035 Harold I 'Harefoot' England & Denmark 1040 Harold ruled mainly as regent as his elder brother Hathacnut was occupied in Denmark. Harold gained support from the earls and was crowned in 1037.
1040 Macbeth Scotland 1057
1040 June Harthacnut England & Denmark 1042 Both King of Denmark and King of England. Disputed succession with his brother Magnus prevented Harthacnut claiming the English throne until 1040.
1042 Magnus I of Norway Norway & Denmark 1047 Magnus had become King of Norway in 1035 before taking control of Denmark after the death of Harthacnut. He died suddenly in 1047.
1042 June Edward 'The Confessor' England 1066 As half-brother of Harthacnut, Edward had a better claim to the English throne than other members of the family and was chosen by the English to become King.
1047 Sweyn II Estridsen Denmark 1074 Sweyn had many children and was succeeded by several of his sons.
1057 Lulach Scotland 1058 Lulach was the stepson of Macbeth and became king of the Scots after Macbeth was killed by Malcolm. Lulach was assassinated and Malcolm became the next king. Lulach was known as the 'fool' or the 'simple'.
1058 Malcolm III Scotland 1093
1060 Philip I France 1108
1066 January 23 Harold II 'Godwinson' England Harold was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England and was killed by William, Duke of Normandy at the Battle of Hastings.
1066 December 25 William I 'The Conqueror' England 1087 1066 saw several invasions of England ending with the invasion by William, Duke of Normandy who became King of England.
1074 Harold III Hén Denmark 1080  
1080 Canute the Saint Denmark 1086 Canute supported the expansion of the Church in Denmark. His attempt to invade England was opposed by his court. Canute was murdered during a revolt.
1086 Oluf I Hunger Denmark 1095 Severe famine appears to dominate the reign of Oluf and thought to be a curse for the murder of Canute. Oluf may have blamed himself for the disaster and took his own life.
1087 September 26 William II 'Rufus' England 1100
1093 Donald III Scotland 1094
1094 May Duncan II Scotland 1094 November
1094 Donald III (restored) Scotland 1097
1095 Eric I Ejegod Denmark 1104  
1097 Edgar Scotland 1107
1100 August 5 Henry I England 1135
1104 Nicholas I (Niels) Denmark 1134  
1107 Alexander I Scotland 1124
1108 Louis VI, the Fat France 1137
1124 David I Scotland 1153
1134 Eric II Emune Denmark 1137  
1135 December 22 Stephen of Blois England 1154
1137 Eric III Denmark 1146  
1137 Louis VII France 1180
1141 Apr (Matilda) England 1141 Nov Matilda was not crowned
1146 Sweyn III Grathe and Canute V Denmark 1157  
1153 Malcolm IV Scotland 1165
1154 December 19 Henry II England 1189
1157 Waldemar I Denmark 1182  
1165 William I (The Lyon) Scotland 1214
1180 Philippe II, Augustus France 1223
1182 Canute VI Denmark 1202  
1189 September 3 Richard I 'The Lionheart' England 1199
1199 May 27 John England 1216
1202 Waldemar II Denmark 1241  
1214 Alexander II Scotland 1249
1216 October 28 Henry III England 1272
1223 Louis VIII, the Lion France 1226
1226 Louis IX, Saint-Louis France 1270
1249 Alexander III Scotland 1286
1241 Eric IV Denmark 1250  
1250 Abel Denmark 1252  
1252 Christopher I Denmark 1259  
1259 Eric V Denmark 1286  
1270 Philippe III France 1285
1272 November 20 Edward I England 1307
1285 Philippe IV France 1314
1286 Eric VI Denmark 1319  
1286 Margaret (Maid of Norway) Scotland 1290 As granddaughter of Alexander III, Margaret was chosen as heir to the Scottish throne. She died during the voyage from Norway.
1290 First Interregnum Scotland 1292 During this period of time when Scotland had no monarch the country was governed by several influential bishops and earls.
1292 John Balliol Scotland 1296
1296 Second Interregnum Scotland 1306
1306 Robert I (The Bruce) Scotland 1329

Late Middle Ages (1307 - 1485)

From
Date		 Ruler Area of Europe To
Date		 Comments
1307 July 8 Edward II England 1327
1314 Louis X France 1316
1316 John I France 1316
1316 Philippe V, the Tall France 1322
1320 Christopher II Denmark 1326  
1322 Charles IV, the Fair France 1328
1327 January 25 Edward III England 1377
1328 Philippe VI France 1350
1329 Christopher II (again) Denmark 1332  
1329 David II Scotland 1332
1332 (Interregnum) Denmark 1340  
1332 Edward Balliol Scotland Nov to Dec
1332 Dec David II Scotland 1333 Jun
1333 Edward Balliol Scotland 1336
1336 David II Scotland 1371
1340 Waldemar IV Denmark 1375  
1350 John II, the Good France 1364
1364 Charles V, the Wise France 1380
1377 June 23 Richard II England 1399
1371 Robert II Scotland 1390
1375 (Interregnum) Denmark 1376  
1376 Olaf V Denmark 1387  
1380 Charles VI, the Fool France 1422
1387 Margaret (Regent) Denmark 1412  
1390 Robert III Scotland 1406
1399 September 30 Henry IV England 1413
1397 Eric VII Denmark 1439  
1406 James I Scotland 1437
1413 March 13 Henry V England 1422
1422 Charles VII, the Victorious France 1461
1422 September 1 Henry VI England 1461
1437 James II Scotland 1460
1440 Christopher III Denmark 1448  
1448 Christian I Denmark 1481  
1460 James III Scotland 1488
1461 Louis XI, the Spider France 1483
1461 March 4 Edward IV England 1470
1470 October 3 Henry VI England 1471 (Henry VI restored) 
1471 April 11 Edward IV England 1483 (Edward IV restored) 
1479 Ferdinand II Aragon, Spain 1516  
1481 John I Denmark 1513  
1483 Charles VIII France 1498
1483 (Apr 9) Edward V England A Prince in the Tower
1483 June 26 Richard III England 1485
1488 James IV Scotland 1513

Early Modern Period (1485 - )

From
Date		 Ruler Area of Europe To
Date		 Comments
1485 August 22 Henry VII England 1509
1498 Louis XII France 1515
1509 April 22 Henry VIII England 1547
1513 James V Scotland 1542
1515 Francis I France 1547
1542 Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots Scotland 1567
1547 January 22 Edward VI England 1553
1547 Henry II France 1559
1553 July 10 Lady Jane Grey England 1553 July 19 The 'Nine-Day Queen'. Jane was nominated by Edward VI to be queen but she was never crowned.
1553 July 19 Mary I, 'Bloody Mary' England 1558 November 17
1558 November 17 Elizabeth I England 1603 March 24
1559 Francis II France 1560
1603 March 24 James I (James VI of Scotland) ??? 1625 March 27
1625 March 27 Charles I ??? 1649 January 30
To be completed...

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