Longest serving monarchs in Britain

As any good organisation will do, the Guild of One Name Studies (http://one-name.org) has used yesterday's achievement by the present Queen (becoming the longest serving unelected head of state in Britain) to drum up a wee bit of publicity. I read with amusement this morning a blog post on Dick Eastman's newsletter (http://blog.eogn.com/2015/09/09/the-greatest-reign-in-british-history/) carrying a press release from the Guild, but what really struck me was the ignorance of the subject matter in its post, seeking to shed a bit of light to those who may not be familiar with the longest reigns by monarchs in Britain.

According to the Guild, "The ten longest serving British monarchs are":

1. Queen Elizabeth II. 6th February 1952 to present. As at 9th September 2015 – 63 years, 7 months and 3 days
2. Queen Victoria. 20th June 1837 to 22nd January 1901 -63 years, 7 months, 2 days
3. King George III. 25th October 1760 to 29th January 1820 – 59 years, 3 months, 2 days
4. King Henry III. 18th October 1216 to 16th November 1272 – 59 years, 29 days
5. King Edward III. 25th January 1327 to 21 June 1377 – 50 years, 4 months, 25 days
6. Queen Elizabeth I. 17th November 1558 to 24th March 1603 – 44 years, 4 months, 5 days
7. King Henry VI. 1st September 1422 to 3rd October 1470 – 39 years, 1 month, 18 days
8. King Aethered II the Unready. 18th March 978 to 23rd April 1016 – 38 years, 1 month, 5 days
9. King Henry VIII. 21st April 1509 to 28th January 1537 – 37 years, 9 months, 7 days
10. King Henry I. 3rd August 1100 to 2nd December 1135 – 35 years, 3 month, 28 days

(Source: Guild press release, http://blog.eogn.com/2015/09/09/the-greatest-reign-in-british-history/)


It's not just the Guild, The Times front cover yesterday did something similar. So ummm, where to start?!!!!

When I look at this list, I have to wonder how the Guild defines "British", because what I see, on a first look, is not quite that.

If by "British", the Guild means rulers of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland/Northern Ireland, i.e The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland/Northern Ireland, established in 1801 and redefined in 1922 (by the secession of the Irish Free State from the union), the list should be as follows:

1 Elizabeth II  6 February 1952 - Present (63 years, 217 days)
2 Victoria  20 June 1837 - 22 January 1901 (63 years, 216 days)
3 George III  25 October 1760 - 29 January 1820 (59 years, 96 days)
4 George V  6 May 1910 - 20 January 1936 (25 years, 259 days)
5 George VI  11 December 1936 - 6 February 1952 (15 years, 57 days)
6 George IV  29 January 1820 - 26 June 1830 (10 years, 148 days)
7 Edward VII  22 January 1901 - 6 May 1910 (9 years, 104 days)
8 William IV  26 June 1830 - 20 June 1837 (6 years, 359 days)
9 Edward VIII  20 January 1936 - 11 December 1936 (326 days)

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_in_Britain_by_length_of_reign)


If by "British", the Guild means the joint rulers of England Wales and Scotland, which formed a political union to create Great Britain from 1707, then the list should be:

1 Elizabeth II  6 February 1952 - Present (63 years, 217 days)
2 Victoria  20 June 1837 - 22 January 1901 (63 years, 216 days)
3 George III  25 October 1760 - 29 January 1820 (59 years, 96 days)
4 George II  22 June 1727N.S. - 25 October 1760 (33 years, 114 days)
5 George V  6 May 1910 - 20 January 1936 (25 years, 259 days)
6 George VI  11 December 1936 - 6 February 1952 (15 years, 57 days)
7 George I  1 August 1714 - 11 June 1727 (12 years, 314 days)
8 Anne*  8 March 1702 - 1 August 1714 (12 years, 146 day)
9 George IV  29 January 1820 - 26 June 1830 (10 years, 148 days)
10 Edward VII  22 January 1901 - 6 May 1910 (9 years, 104 days)

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_in_Britain_by_length_of_reign)

*Anne's period of rule actually straddles the periods before and after the union.


If by "British", the Guild in fact means rulers on the island of Britain from all known nations and regions, then it might look a little bit like this:

1 Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom  6 February 1952 - Present (63 years, 217 days)
2 Victoria of the United Kingdom  20 June 1837 - 22 January 1901 (63 years, 216 days)
3 George III of the United Kingdom  25 October 1760 - 29 January 1820 (59 years, 96 days)
4 James VI of Scotland/James I of Great Britain  24 July 1567 - 27 March 1625 (57 years, 246 days)
5 Henry III of England and Lord of Ireland  18 October 1216 - 16 November 1272 (56 years, 29 days)
6 Edward III of England and Lord of Ireland  25 January 1327 - 20 June 1377 (50 years, 147 days)
7 William I of Scotland  9 December 1165 - 4 December 1214 (48 years, 360 days)
8 Elizabeth I of England and Ireland  17 November 1558 - 24 March 1603 (44 years, 127 days)
9 Llywelyn of Gwynedd  1 January 1195 - 11 April 1240 (44–45 years approximately)
10 David II of Scotland  7 June 1329 - 22 February 1371 (41 years, 260 days)

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_in_Britain_by_length_of_reign)


I can't help feeling that what the Guild has posted is in fact a list of the longest known reigns in England, covering its periods both as an independent country and within its various unions since 1282, 1707 and 1801.

So, just for a wee bit of balance, then here are the longest reigns of Scottish monarchs - with Scotland as an independent country prior to 1707:

1 James VI  24 July 1567 - 27 March 1625 (57 years, 246 days)
2 William I  9 December 1165 - 4 December 1214 (48 years, 360 days)
3 David II  7 June 1329 - 22 February 1371 (41 years, 260 days)
4 Alexander III  6 July 1249 - 19 March 1286 (36 years, 256 days)
5 Malcolm III  17 March 1058 - 13 November 1093 (35 years, 241 days)
6 Alexander II  4 December 1214 - 6 July 1249 (34 years, 214 days)
7 James I  4 April 1406 - 21 February 1437 (30 years, 323 days)
8 James V  9 September 1513 - 14 December 1542 (29 years, 96 days)
9 David I  23 April 1124 - 24 May 1153 (29 years, 31 days)
10 James III  3 August 1460 - 11 June 1488 (27 years, 313 days)

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_in_Britain_by_length_of_reign)


And just for good measure, for Wales before the English conquest in 1282:

1 Llywelyn the Great  1195 - 11 April 1240 (c. 45 years)
2 Owain Gwynedd  1137 - 1170 (c. 33 years)
3 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd  1253 - 11 December 1282 (c. 29 years)
4 Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd  1170 - 1195  (c. 25 years)
5 Owain Glyndŵr (disputed)  16 September 1400 - c. 1416 (c. 16 years)
6 Owain Goch ap Gruffydd  26 February 1246 - 1253 (c. 7 years)
7 Owain Lawgoch (disputed)  May 1372 - July 1378 (c. 6 years)
8 Dafydd ap Llywelyn  12 April 1240 - 25 February 1246 (5 years, 319 days)
9 Dafydd ap Gruffydd  12 December 1282 - 3 October 1283 (295 days)

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_in_Britain_by_length_of_reign)


I hope this helps.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.