Rulers of England

Question 1

Aethelbert

Answer 1

Early 600s Anglo-Saxon King. Laws of Aethelbert were the first written English laws

Question 2

Alfred

Answer 2

Late 800s Anglo-Saxon King. Ordered creation of Anglo-Saxon Chronicles

Question 3

Cnut

Answer 3

Viking King circa 1000. Capital offenses were developed during his reign

Question 4

Edward the Confessor

Answer 4

Penultimate Anglo-Saxon King. Died without heir, leading to conflict between Harold and William

Question 5

Harold

Answer 5

Last Anglo-Saxon King, challenged William the Conqueror for succession. Defeated King Harald but was promptly defeated by William in 1066

Question 6

William the Conqueror

Answer 6

Defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Norman conquest of England, including the introduction of law french, central courts, a professional judiciary, pleading

Question 7

Henry I

Answer 7

Claimed to follow the rules of Edward the Confessor as modified by William the Conqueror. Assigned land litigation to the royal courts

Question 8

Henry II

Answer 8

First Angevin King, sometimes called “father of the common law”. Mid-late 12th century. Reign saw the introduction of grand assizes, the Constitution of Clarendon, Assize of Clarendon, Assize Utrum, Novel disseisin, Mort D’Ancestor, Civil Jury, Grand Jury

Question 9

Richard I

Answer 9

Killed and replaced his father Henry II, Created the office of coroners, which investigated suspicious deaths and had coroner’s juries

Question 10

John

Answer 10

The King so bad no one wanted to take his name again. Was the reason for the signing of the Magna Carta

Question 11

Henry III

Answer 11

Signed Provisions of Oxford (beginning of meaningful control of the King), 12 person juries

Question 12

Edward I

Answer 12

Began reign in 1272. Parliament as a lawmaking body. Statute of Mortmain, Quioa Emptores, Statute of De Donis, Statute of Westminster

Question 13

Edward II

Answer 13

Barons exert more control and swear fealty to the crown and not the King. + power for Parliament

Question 14

Edward III

Answer 14

No taxation without assent of Parliament, House of Commons separated from the House of Lords, Black Death, Statute of Laborers, Statute of Treasons, Creation of Justices of the Peace, Sumptuary Statute, Parliament’s ability to impeach King’s ministers

Question 15

Richard II

Answer 15

abused power as a monarch and was deposed in 1397

Question 16

Henry IV

Answer 16

Henry Bollingbrooke. Led the charge on deposing Richard II. Banned lawyers from Parliament

Question 17

Henry V

Answer 17

Won battle of Agincourt. Used English as his language of correspondence rather than French or Latin

Question 18

Henry VI

Answer 18

1450 revolt led by Jack Cade as well as the War of the Roses. Some musical chairs with Edward IV before being killed in 1471

Question 19

Edward IV

Answer 19

Claimed the throne from Henry VI, but his brother Richard III usurped his throne from his son Edward V

Question 20

Richard III

Answer 20

Usurped the throne of Edward V and had him declared insane and killed. Killed in 1485 while fighting Henry Tudor

Question 21

Henry VII

Answer 21

Henry Tudor. Defeated Richard and took the throne

Question 22

Henry VIII

Answer 22

Divorced Beheaded Died Divorced Beheaded Survived. Split England from the Catholic Church in 1534 primarily so he could divorce his wife (Catherine of Aragon) and marry Anne Boleyn. This resulted in the execution of Thomas More, his Lord Chancellor. Dissolved other religious orders (monasteries etc) and gave the land to his supporters

Question 23

Edward VI

Answer 23

Short-lived son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. Ruled age 9-15 and his regents instituted Protestant reforms

Question 24

Mary

Answer 24

Bloody Mary, burned over 300 Protestants and executed more (heresy). Mary was Catholic. Died in 1558, passing crown to Elizabeth I

Question 25

Elizabeth I

Answer 25

Celebrated monarch, reigned 1558-1603. England was essentially fully Protestant at the end of her reign

Question 26

James I

Answer 26

James VI of Scotland, became James I of England. Very learned but came from a civil law jurisdiction and clashed with the concept of the King being bound by the common law. Thought judges ultimately deferred to the King, and that the King was the source of law (as from God)

Question 27

Charles I

Answer 27

Son of James I, succeeded in 1625. Possible Napoleon complex. Lavish spending and tried to impose fines/payments without asking Parliament to raise taxes. This leads to the Petition of Right, as well as Charles dissolving Parliament and prosecuting MPs via Star Chamber. 1942 tries to arrest leaders of the House of Commons for treason, leading to the 19 propositions and the English Civil War

Question 28

Charles II

Answer 28

Son of Charles I, reinstated as monarch in 1660. Reversed Puritan policies from the interregnum years. Was believed to be a secret Catholic (true) leading to the Test Act

Question 29

James II

Answer 29

Succeeded Charles II (his younger brother) and was openly Catholic. His pro-Catholic policies and the potential for a Catholic heir led to the English requesting that William of Orange and Mary (daughter of James II) claim the throne to return Protestantism.

Question 30

William of Orange and Mary

Answer 30

Claimed the throne after King James II abdication in 1688. Named co-monarchs by the Parliament, creating the idea that England was ruled by the King AND Parliament. Oath of Kings updated to include fulfilling the acts of Parliament

Question 31

William III

Answer 31

Named King because of Protestant ties but died in 1702 after falling off of a horse that had been owned by someone (Fenwick) who had been executed for attempted regicide.

Question 32

Anne

Answer 32

1702-1704 reign. Last English monarch to veto an act of Parliament, indicating the end of the monarchy’s impact on the law.

Question 33

George I

Answer 33

First of the Hanover dynasty and the first King whose reign was neutered by Parliament from the beginning