Kings and Queens of England
You do not need every monarch. You need the ones tied to an event the handbook covers. Here they are in order.
Last updated
What the test asks about this period
The test does not ask you to recite every monarch. It asks about the ones attached to something else. That might be a battle, a law, or a change of religion.
This page lists those monarchs in order. Each one has a line on why it comes up.
Learn the event first and the name follows. It is much easier than learning a list.
Before 1066
- Alfred the Great (871 to 899). King of Wessex who stopped the Viking advance.
- Athelstan (927 to 939). First king recognised as king of all England.
- Canute (1016 to 1035). Viking king who ruled England.
- Edward the Confessor (1042 to 1066). Built Westminster Abbey. His death led to 1066.
Normans and Plantagenets
- William the Conqueror (1066 to 1087). Won at Hastings, ordered the Domesday Book.
- Henry II (1154 to 1189). Thomas Becket was murdered during his reign.
- King John (1199 to 1216). Forced to accept Magna Carta in 1215.
- Edward I (1272 to 1307). Conquered Wales and fought Scotland.
Test yourself on British history
Thirteen history questions with the answers explained, then a full mock test when you are ready.
British history questionsTudors
- Henry VII (1485 to 1509). Won at Bosworth, first Tudor king.
- Henry VIII (1509 to 1547). Six wives, broke with Rome, founded the Church of England.
- Mary I (1553 to 1558). Tried to return England to the Catholic faith.
- Elizabeth I (1558 to 1603). Defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Stuarts
- James I (1603 to 1625). Already James VI of Scotland, joining the two crowns.
- Charles I (1625 to 1649). Lost the Civil War and was executed.
- Charles II (1660 to 1685). The Restoration. The Great Fire happened in his reign.
- William III and Mary II (from 1689). Came to the throne after the Glorious Revolution.
- Anne (1702 to 1714). The Acts of Union joined England and Scotland in 1707.
Hanoverians and after
- George III (1760 to 1820). On the throne during the American War of Independence.
- Victoria (1837 to 1901). Reigned 63 years. The Victorian era is named after her.
- George VI (1936 to 1952). King through the Second World War.
- Elizabeth II (1952 to 2022). The longest reign in British history.
- Charles III (from 2022). The present King.
Practice questions on this period
Here are 4 questions from our bank. The correct answer is marked, and under each one is a short reason.
Question 1. Which queen reigned for 63 years and gave her name to an era of British history?
Topic: British History
- Queen Mary I
- Queen Anne
- Queen Victoria(correct answer)
- Queen Elizabeth II
Why: Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years, from 1837 to 1901. The Victorian era is named after her.
Question 2. Who was the British monarch during the Second World War?
Topic: British History
- King Edward VIII
- Queen Victoria
- King George V
- King George VI(correct answer)
Why: King George VI was on the throne during the Second World War. He was the father of Elizabeth II.
Question 3. Who was the first Scottish king to also become King of England?
Topic: British History
- Robert the Bruce
- Macbeth
- James VI of Scotland (James I of England)(correct answer)
- Mary Queen of Scots
Why: James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603. This joined the two crowns under one king.
Question 4. Who was the King of England during the American War of Independence?
Topic: British History
- King James II
- King Edward VII
- King George III(correct answer)
- King Henry VIII
Why: King George III was on the throne during the American War of Independence, from 1775 to 1783.
These are not the real exam questions, which are not published. Ours are written from the same official handbook.
Where to go next
- Previous period: Modern Britain
- All history questions: British History Questions
- The full chapter: British History study guide
- Drill this topic: practice by topic
History is the largest topic in the test. You need 18 out of 24 overall, so it is worth more of your time than any other period.
Common questions
Do I need to learn every king and queen for the test?
No. You need the ones connected to an event in the handbook, such as Henry VIII and the Church of England or Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada.
Who is the longest reigning British monarch?
Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned from 1952 to 2022. Queen Victoria held the record before her, with 63 years.
Who is the monarch now?
King Charles III. He came to the throne in September 2022, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Practise the whole test
24 questions across all six topics, marked against the real pass mark of 18.
Take a free mock test