The British Monarchy For Dummies (2007) PDF

The British Monarchy FOR DUMmIES ‰ by Philip Wilkinson The British Monarchy FOR DUMmIES ‰ The British Monarchy FOR DUMmIES ‰ by Philip Wilkinson The British Monarchy For Dummies® Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd The Atrium Southern Gate Chichester West Sussex PO19 8SQ England Email (for orders and customer service enquires): [email protected] Visit our Home Page on www.wiley.co.uk or www.wiley.com Copyright © 2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex, England. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or trans- mitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or other- wise, except under the terms of the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1P 0LP, UK, without the permission in writing of the Publisher. 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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN-13: 978-0-470-05681-3 ISBN-10: 0-470-05681-9 Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bell & Bain, Ltd, Glasgow 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 About the Author Philip Wilkinson was educated at Oxford University, after which he worked as an editor for various publishers in Britain. For the last 15 years or so, he has been a full-time writer specializing in history, the arts, and heritage. He has written books on these subjects for adults and for children, and his titles include What the Romans Did For Us, which accompanied the BBC television series presented by Adam Hart-Davis, the award-winning Amazing Buildings, and The English Buildings Book. He lives in the Cotswolds with his wife and son. Author’s Acknowledgements I would like to thank Philip Hughes, David Boardman, and Michael Fisher for their advice, Zoë Brooks for her encouragement, my literary agent Isabel Atherton for her help, and the editorial team at John Wiley (especially Samantha Clapp, Rachael Chilvers, and Kelly Ewing) for their hard work on my text. Publisher’s Acknowledgements We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Composition Services Media Development Project Coordinator: Jennifer Theriot Development Editor: Kelly Ewing Layout and Graphics: Lavonne Cook, Project Editor: Rachael Chilvers Stephanie D. Jumper Content Editor: Steve Edwards Proofreaders: Jessica Kramer, Susan Moritz Commissioning Editor: Samantha Clapp Indexer: Techbooks Proofreader: Anne O’Rorke Technical Reviewer: Sean Lang Executive Project Editor: Martin Tribe Executive Editor: Jason Dunne Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com) Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies Kristin A Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel Publishing for Technology Dummies Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services Contents at a Glance Introduction.................................................................1 Part I: All About the Monarchy......................................9 Chapter 1: Ruling Principles...........................................................................................11 Chapter 2: How the Monarchy Works............................................................................23 Part II: Early Rulers....................................................35 Chapter 3: Mini-Kingdoms...............................................................................................37 Chapter 4: England United..............................................................................................51 Chapter 5: Danes versus Saxons....................................................................................67 Part III: The Middle Ages............................................79 Chapter 6: Conquering Kings..........................................................................................81 Chapter 7: Plantagenet Power Struggles.......................................................................97 Chapter 8: More Plantagenets.......................................................................................111 Chapter 9: Lancaster and York: Fighting Families......................................................131 Part IV: The Kings of Scotland...................................149 Chapter 10: Picts, Scots, and Others...........................................................................151 Chapter 11: Troublesome English, Troublesome Islanders......................................173 Chapter 12: The Stewart Story.....................................................................................187 Part V: Kingdoms United: Tudors, Stuarts, and Hanoverians.......................................................207 Chapter 13: The Tudors: The Monarchy Triumphs...................................................209 Chapter 14: The Stuarts.................................................................................................231 Chapter 15: The House of Hanover..............................................................................253 Part VI: Modern Royals: The House of Windsor............277 Chapter 16: Monarchs at War.......................................................................................279 Chapter 17: Thoroughly Modern Monarch: Elizabeth II............................................297 Chapter 18: The Prince of Wales...................................................................................315 Part VII: The Part of Tens..........................................331 Chapter 19: Ten Royal Homes.......................................................................................333 Chapter 20: Ten or So Royal Places.............................................................................341 Chapter 21: Ten Princes of Wales.................................................................................349 Chapter 22: Ten or So Charismatic Consorts..............................................................355 Index.......................................................................363 Table of Contents Introduction..................................................................1 About This Book...............................................................................................1 Conventions Used in This Book.....................................................................2 What You’re Not to Read.................................................................................3 Foolish Assumptions.......................................................................................3 How This Book Is Organised...........................................................................3 Part I: All About the Monarchy.............................................................4 Part II: Early Rulers................................................................................4 Part III: The Middle Ages.......................................................................5 Part IV: The Kings of Scotland..............................................................5 Part V: Kingdoms United: Tudors, Stuarts, and Hanoverians...........6 Part VI: Modern Royals: The House of Windsor.................................6 Part VII: The Part of Tens......................................................................7 Icons Used in This Book..................................................................................7 Where to Go from Here....................................................................................8 Part I: All About the Monarchy......................................9 Chapter 1: Ruling Principles...................................11 How the United Kingdom Came to Be United.............................................12 Enemies within.....................................................................................12 Ruling the waves...................................................................................13 Uniting the kingdom.............................................................................15 Searching for an Heir.....................................................................................16 Keeping the monarchy in the family..................................................16 Preparing the heir................................................................................17 Paying for the Monarchy...............................................................................18 The power of Parliament.....................................................................19 The taxman cometh.............................................................................20 Sinister ministers..................................................................................20 Being Good to the People..............................................................................21 Holy kings!.............................................................................................21 I serve....................................................................................................21 Chapter 2: How the Monarchy Works...........................23 Understanding a Constitutional Monarchy.................................................23 So where’s the constitution, then?.....................................................24 The monarch in Parliament.................................................................25 The power: Ruler and Prime Minister................................................26 The advantages.....................................................................................26 xii The British Monarchy For Dummies Figuring Out the Monarch’s Duties..............................................................27 Head of state.........................................................................................27 National figurehead..............................................................................28 Exploring the Royal Family’s Responsibilities............................................29 Helping the monarch............................................................................29 Family benefits......................................................................................30 Bonding with the Church..............................................................................30 The Church of England........................................................................31 Defender of the Faith...........................................................................31 Checking Out Other Royal Roles..................................................................32 The monarch and the courts..............................................................32 The monarch and the military............................................................33 Part II: Early Rulers....................................................35 Chapter 3: Mini-Kingdoms.....................................37 The Romans in Britain...................................................................................37 Rule Britannia!......................................................................................38 Royal rebellion......................................................................................39 Enter the Saxons............................................................................................39 Vanishing Celts......................................................................................40 Seven kings for seven kingdoms.........................................................41 Struggles for Supremacy...............................................................................42 Sutton who?...........................................................................................43 Northumbria versus Mercia................................................................43 Keep Offa the Dyke...............................................................................45 Wessex Rules..................................................................................................47 Small beginnings...................................................................................47 Ecgbert, king of England......................................................................48 Aethel-this, Aethel-that........................................................................49 Chapter 4: England United.....................................51 Beware, Vikings!.............................................................................................51 Raid or trade?.......................................................................................52 The only answer – fight!......................................................................54 Alfred in Control.............................................................................................54 Learning and Law-Giving...............................................................................56 The literary king...................................................................................56 History and law.....................................................................................57 After Alfred......................................................................................................59 Marriages and marauders: Edward....................................................59 Crowning glories: Aethelstan..............................................................61 King and victim: Edmund....................................................................62 The unready king: Aethelred...............................................................65 Table of Contents xiii Chapter 5: Danes versus Saxons...............................67 There Is Nothing Like a Dane........................................................................67 Change your partners..........................................................................68 Cnut and the Saxons............................................................................69 Cnut the astute: England prospers.....................................................70 Cnut in Europe......................................................................................71 An all-powerful king?............................................................................71 A cruel legacy: Cnut’s sons.................................................................73 Pious Potentate: Edward the Confessor......................................................74 Earls and nobles...................................................................................75 Trouble in bed.......................................................................................76 In search of an heir...............................................................................77 Part III: The Middle Ages.............................................79 Chapter 6: Conquering Kings...................................81 Conqueror: William I......................................................................................81 One in the eye: The Battle of Hastings..............................................82 The feudal system................................................................................83 Jobs for the boys..................................................................................84 Domesday Book....................................................................................85 A sticky end...........................................................................................86 Ruthless Rufus: William II..............................................................................86 Money-making schemes......................................................................87 Beastly bishops....................................................................................88 Was he murdered?................................................................................89 Lion of Justice: Henry I..................................................................................90 Curthose curtailed...............................................................................91 Well advised?........................................................................................91 Shipwrecked succession.....................................................................92 Scramble for the Crown: Stephen................................................................94 Too good by half: The chivalrous king..............................................94 Warring Matildas: Queen versus empress.........................................95 Political ping-pong................................................................................96 Chapter 7: Plantagenet Power Struggles........................97 Succession Sorted: Henry II..........................................................................97 Marrying well: Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine......................................98 Enter the Plantagenets.........................................................................98 Turbulent times....................................................................................99 A legal mind.........................................................................................101 Family fortunes...................................................................................102 xiv The British Monarchy For Dummies Missing Monarch: Richard I........................................................................103 The absentee king..............................................................................103 Hero or villain?....................................................................................104 Missing Land, Missing Treasure: John.......................................................105 Royal murderer?.................................................................................106 King versus barons.............................................................................106 Lord of Misrule: Henry III............................................................................108 The art of making enemies................................................................108 Royal power reduced.........................................................................109 Chapter 8: More Plantagenets.................................111 Longshanks: Edward I..................................................................................112 A devoted couple...............................................................................112 Moving in on Wales............................................................................113 The Hammer of the Scots..................................................................114 New laws, model parliaments...........................................................115 Law reforms........................................................................................116 Cruel Fate: Edward II....................................................................................116 King and favourite..............................................................................117 Defeat in Scotland..............................................................................118 Dispensers of power..........................................................................119 A gruesome end..................................................................................120 Chivalry Rules: Edward III...........................................................................120 Showing who’s boss...........................................................................121 The Hundred Years War.....................................................................122 The Order of the Garter.....................................................................123 Parliamentary questions...................................................................125 Sad, not Bad: Richard II...............................................................................126 Revolting peasants.............................................................................127 Protesting Parliaments......................................................................128 A broken-hearted king?......................................................................129 Chapter 9: Lancaster and York: Fighting Families................131 Strongman: Henry IV....................................................................................132 Grabbing the throne...........................................................................132 The ailing king.....................................................................................134 Superking: Henry V......................................................................................136 Agincourt and all that........................................................................136 A big mistake: Dying young...............................................................138 Musical Thrones: Henry VI and a Pair of Edwards..................................139 Protection racket................................................................................140 Henry on the throne...........................................................................140 The Wars of the Roses.......................................................................141 Table of Contents xv Marrying a commoner: Edward IV...................................................143 Scandal! The princes in the Tower...................................................144 Much Maligned: Richard III.........................................................................145 Crook or crookback?..........................................................................146 My kingdom for a horse!....................................................................147 Part IV: The Kings of Scotland....................................149 Chapter 10: Picts, Scots, and Others...........................151 Celtic Confusion...........................................................................................151 Strange but true: Scots from Ireland................................................152 The Britons of Strathclyde................................................................154 The northern Picts.............................................................................154 A new kind of king..............................................................................156 All Together Now..........................................................................................158 Canny Ken: Keeping Scotland together...........................................158 Sons, brothers, nephews...................................................................160 King of Alba: Constantine II...............................................................160 More Kens and Cons..........................................................................161 Mighty Malcolm..................................................................................162 Delightful Duncan?.............................................................................163 Macbeth – villain or hero?.................................................................163 New Brooms: The Canmore Kings.............................................................165 Malcolm: War lord, new style............................................................165 Feudal kings........................................................................................167 David: Devout and determined.........................................................168 The legacy: Malcolm IV......................................................................170 William the Lion sleeps tonight........................................................171 Chapter 11: Troublesome English, Troublesome Islanders........173 Attacking the Neighbours...........................................................................173 Qualified success – Alexander II.......................................................173 Golden age – Alexander III.................................................................176 All at Sea – Queen Margaret and John I.....................................................178 The lady of Scotland..........................................................................178 John Balliol..........................................................................................178 Robert I..........................................................................................................179 Fighting for the throne.......................................................................180 Murmurs against the king.................................................................181 Dark and Drublie Days.................................................................................182 David comes and goes.......................................................................182 David on the throne...........................................................................184 Wife trouble, heir trouble..................................................................185 xvi The British Monarchy For Dummies Chapter 12: The Stewart Story.................................187 Trouble with the Barons..............................................................................187 Robert II...............................................................................................188 Robert III..............................................................................................189 Jim in a Jam: James I....................................................................................189 Picking Up the Pieces: James II..................................................................191 Deadly Douglases...............................................................................192 Explosive ending................................................................................192 People Trouble: James III............................................................................193 Looking to Europe..............................................................................193 Nobles versus favourites...................................................................193 Strong-man: James IV...................................................................................194 Money and government.....................................................................194 The bed-hopping king........................................................................195 The Renaissance man........................................................................196 Floundering at Flodden......................................................................196 King and Queen Mother: Margaret.............................................................197 Ruthless Ruler: James V..............................................................................198 Mary, Queen of Scots...................................................................................199 Rough wooing, smooth wooing: Young Mary.................................200 Catholic versus Protestant................................................................201 Too hot to handle...............................................................................202 Mary versus Elizabeth.......................................................................203 New Hope: James VI.....................................................................................204 Royal paranoia....................................................................................205 James the scholar...............................................................................205 Part V: Kingdoms United: Tudors, Stuarts, and Hanoverians.......................................................207 Chapter 13: The Tudors: The Monarchy Triumphs................209 New Broom: Henry VII.................................................................................209 Bakers and fakers...............................................................................210 New monarchy?..................................................................................211 Punching above His Weight: Henry VIII.....................................................212 With friends like these.....................................................................213 Spend, spend, spend..........................................................................213 No hope from the Pope......................................................................214 Head of the church.............................................................................215 Bad habits: The monasteries are closed.........................................216 The six wives.......................................................................................217 The last years......................................................................................220 Boy-King: Edward VI....................................................................................220 Prayer Book in... Mass out.............................................................220 Nine-day wonder................................................................................221 Table of Contents xvii Bloody Mary: Mary I....................................................................................222 The Spanish question........................................................................222 Long-distance loving..........................................................................223 Gloriana: Elizabeth I.....................................................................................223 Troubled childhood...........................................................................224 High-maintenance monarch..............................................................224 Like a virgin?.......................................................................................225 Rivals and spies..................................................................................226 Blown away: The Spanish Armada...................................................227 Past and future....................................................................................229 Chapter 14: The Stuarts.......................................231 The Wisest Fool: James I.............................................................................232 A Scotsman in England......................................................................232 A moral maze......................................................................................234 A wife and a war.................................................................................235 Losing Your Head: Charles I........................................................................236 Right royal mess.................................................................................237 King versus Parliament......................................................................238 Head under heels................................................................................240 England as a Republic..................................................................................241 Commonwealth...................................................................................241 Protectorate........................................................................................242 Merry Monarch: Charles II..........................................................................243 Bed, bawd, and the finer things in life.............................................243 Gimme the money!.............................................................................244 Trouble Ahead: James II..............................................................................246 Zeal of the converted.........................................................................246 The king in exile..................................................................................247 Joint Rule: William and Mary......................................................................248 Glorious revolution?...........................................................................248 Going Dutch........................................................................................250 All Together Now: Anne...............................................................................250 My hero................................................................................................250 Britain: A United Kingdom at last.....................................................251 Chapter 15: The House of Hanover.............................253 Fish Out of Water: George I.........................................................................253 The German king................................................................................254 Up he rises: The Old Pretender........................................................255 Yes, Prime Minister!............................................................................255 Selfish but Successful: George II.................................................................256 King and consort................................................................................257 War, war, and more war.....................................................................258 A proper Charlie: The Jacobite Rising.............................................258 xviii The British Monarchy For Dummies Poor Fred.............................................................................................259 Building an empire.............................................................................260 Farmer George: George III...........................................................................261 Right and proper?...............................................................................261 Losing America...................................................................................262 Ruling the waves.................................................................................262 Mad or sad?.........................................................................................263 Prince of Pleasure: George IV.....................................................................264 Lord of luxury.....................................................................................264 The secret wife....................................................................................265 The coronation scandal.....................................................................266 King and public...................................................................................266 All Change: William IV..................................................................................267 Sailor Bill..............................................................................................268 Vote, vote, vote: Electoral reform.....................................................268 Loathed and Then Loved: Victoria............................................................269 Trying to be good...............................................................................270 King without a crown: Prince Albert................................................270 Families and peace.............................................................................271 Ministerial manoeuvres.....................................................................272 Jubilee!.................................................................................................273 Unlikely Success: Edward VII......................................................................274 Playboy prince....................................................................................274 The king as ambassador....................................................................275 Part VI: Modern Royals: The House of Windsor............277 Chapter 16: Monarchs at War.................................279 What’s in a Name: George V........................................................................279 Crisis in the Lords..............................................................................280 War and the monarchy......................................................................281 Turbulent times..................................................................................282 All in the family...................................................................................283 Health worries....................................................................................284 The wider world.................................................................................284 Love or Monarchy: Edward VIII..................................................................286 A long apprenticeship........................................................................286 Trouble and strife...............................................................................287 The abdication crisis.........................................................................288 Aftermath of abdication....................................................................289 Reluctant King: George VI...........................................................................290 A personal problem............................................................................291 A prince at war...................................................................................291 Table of Contents xix Finding a role......................................................................................292 Queen Elizabeth..................................................................................292 Adjusting to kingship.........................................................................294 Wartime................................................................................................295 Helping Britain recover......................................................................296 Chapter 17: Thoroughly Modern Monarch: Elizabeth II...........297 Education of a Princess...............................................................................298 Prince Philip..................................................................................................299 Philip’s background............................................................................299 The royal couple.................................................................................300 The New Elizabethan Age............................................................................301 The coronation...................................................................................301 The beginning of the reign................................................................302 Public Monarch............................................................................................305 The Royal Family programme...........................................................305 The new Prince of Wales...................................................................306 The Silver Jubilee...............................................................................307 Annus Horribilis: A Truly Horrible Year....................................................308 Royal splits..........................................................................................309 The Windsor fire.................................................................................310 Paying for royalty...............................................................................311 Tragedy and Change....................................................................................312 Media and monarchy.........................................................................313 Threats and tensions.........................................................................314 Chapter 18: The Prince of Wales..............................315 The Young Prince: Prince Charles..............................................................315 Schooldays..........................................................................................316 After school.........................................................................................317 King-in-Waiting..............................................................................................319 Public duties.......................................................................................320 The Prince’s Charities........................................................................320 The Duchy of Cornwall......................................................................322 Charles and Diana........................................................................................323 Charles before Diana..........................................................................323 Fairytale gone sour............................................................................324 The media war....................................................................................326 Death of a princess.............................................................................328 Charles and Camilla.....................................................................................329 Non-negotiable relationship..............................................................329 Marriage...............................................................................................329 xx The British Monarchy For Dummies Part VII: The Part of Tens...........................................331 Chapter 19: Ten Royal Homes.................................333 Buckingham Palace......................................................................................333 Windsor Castle.............................................................................................335 The Palace of Holyroodhouse....................................................................336 Sandringham.................................................................................................337 Balmoral Castle............................................................................................337 St James’s Palace..........................................................................................338 Clarence House.............................................................................................338 Kensington Palace........................................................................................339 Highgrove House..........................................................................................339 Frogmore House...........................................................................................340 Chapter 20: Ten or So Royal Places............................341 The Tower of London..................................................................................341 Hampton Court Palace................................................................................343 The Banqueting House................................................................................343 Westminster Abbey......................................................................................344 Kew Palace....................................................................................................345 Horse Guards Parade...................................................................................345 Caernarfon Castle.........................................................................................346 Stirling Castle................................................................................................347 Osborne House.............................................................................................347 Runnymede...................................................................................................348 Bosworth Field.............................................................................................348 Chapter 21: Ten Princes of Wales..............................349 Llywelyn ap Iorweth....................................................................................349 Llywelyn ap Gruffydd..................................................................................350 Edward...........................................................................................................350 Edward, the Black Prince............................................................................351 Owain Glyndwr.............................................................................................352 Edward of Westminster...............................................................................352 Arthur, Duke of Cornwall.............................................................................353 Henry Frederick, Duke of Cornwall............................................................353 James Francis Edward Stuart.....................................................................353 Frederick, Duke of Cornwall........................................................................354 Chapter 22: Ten or So Charismatic Consorts....................355 Eleanor of Aquitaine....................................................................................355 Eleanor of Castile.........................................................................................356 Isabella...........................................................................................................357 Table of Contents xxi Margaret of Anjou.........................................................................................358 Elizabeth of York..........................................................................................358 Philip II of Spain............................................................................................359 Henrietta Maria.............................................................................................359 Catherine of Braganza.................................................................................360 George of Denmark......................................................................................360 Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen........................................................................361 Alexandra of Denmark.................................................................................361 Index........................................................................363 xxii The British Monarchy For Dummies Introduction B ritain is one of a number of countries today that is a monarchy – in other words, the head of state isn’t elected like the Presidents of the United States or France, but inherits the job from their parents. It sounds like an old- fashioned system, and it is – kings and queens have ruled in Britain for around 1600 years. Everywhere you go in Britain, you find evidence of this long history. When you visit a stately home, the guide will tell you that ‘Queen Elizabeth slept here’. If you travel around the country, you’ll see the castles that monarchs built as strongholds and the sites of battles where kings fought for power. And you’ll find towns and villages with royal names like King’s Norton, Charlton Kings, and, of all things, Queen Camel. And the royals are still very much around. The British press and TV news reports often feature items about Queen Elizabeth meeting foreign heads of state or Prince Charles extending his organic farm or speaking out about architecture or the natural environment. British soldiers still fight ‘for queen and country’, people who talk about the language sometimes refer to ‘the queen’s English’, and in courts of justice, the senior barristers are called ‘Queen’s Counsel’. The monarchy is still at the heart of British life. About This Book This book tells the colourful story of Britain’s monarchy, from the earliest times to the present day. It explains how the monarch’s role developed from that of warrior-king who had absolute power over his subjects and owned all the land in his kingdom to that of constitutional monarch with limited powers but considerable influence. It’s a story that features great personalities like King Edward I and Queen Victoria, national heroes such as Robert Bruce and Owain Glyndwr, and characters like Kings Stephen and Edward II, who were disastrous as rulers and whose reigns saw their country undergo strife and upheavals that changed the course of history. 2 The British Monarchy For Dummies The story of the monarchy is interesting enough for these characters alone. But it’s also the tale of how Britain has been governed – how rulers have worked with the people – nobles, Members of Parliament, and everyone else – and has sometimes tried to ignore the people’s wishes and needs. And it’s the story of how Britain gradually got more democratic, but managed to hang on to an inherited monarchy, too. Of course, not everyone likes the monarchy. It’s a bastion of privilege and doesn’t seem right in the modern age. There have been some very able kings and queens, but no matter how good they are, you can’t throw them out by voting for someone else, so they fail the ultimate test of democracy. But there they still are: They’ve lasted for 1,600 years or so with only one short break in the 17th century when there was an experiment with republicanism. If you’re going to understand Britain, you need to understand their story. Conventions Used in This Book People – even British people – get confused about the terms used to talk about the country of Britain. Or is it England, Great Britain, or the United Kingdom? Well, actually, it’s all three. The whole country is called the United Kingdom, or, to give it its more long-winded name, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That mouthful means the nation is made up of the separate former states of England, Scotland, and Wales, plus Northern Ireland and all the islands around the British coast from the Isle of Wight to Shetland. That’s the country over which the monarch reigns. But it hasn’t always been like this. For much of Britain’s history, the various ‘component countries’ had separate rulers. Many of the characters in this book were rulers of England or Scotland. England conquered Wales in the Middle Ages, so you see a few princes of independent Wales, too. So in the early part of this book, the text talks about kings of England or Scotland, not of Britain or the United Kingdom. In 1603, King James IV of Scotland became James I of England as well. From this point on, England and Scotland have had the same ruler. But only with the formal Act of Union in 1707 did the two countries come fully together – only after this date does it make sense to talk about kings and queens ‘of Britain’. Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom for still less time and the earlier history of Ireland, a complex subject that deserves a volume of its own, lies outside the scope of this book. Even so, this book touches on the history of Ireland in a few places – when the rulers of England tried to domi- nate Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries, for example, by encouraging Introduction 3 English settlers to live there. British monarchs ruled Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries, just as they ruled all kinds of other countries that made up their huge worldwide empire. But in the 20th century, the southern portion of Ireland became independent, and only the North remained as part of the United Kingdom. In addition, the dates I normally give for kings are the dates when they reigned. To discover the dates they were born and died, see the Cheat Sheet at the front of this book. What You’re Not to Read In this book, you’ll see many paragraphs accompanied by a small icon in the margin with the phrase Technical Stuff. The text next to this icon gives you interesting bits of technical information that will fill out the background of the main story. You don’t have to read these paragraphs in order to under- stand the rest of the text. But if you do read them, you’ll find out some inter- esting stuff about how the monarchy worked at different points in history. Foolish Assumptions It’s a funny job being an author, having to write books with readers in mind, but with no idea who those readers are or what they know. So writers make assumptions about their readers. When writing this book, I assumed that you’re vaguely familiar with the British monarchy, but don’t know that much about it. You know that Britain still has a royal family, and you know some of their names, but you’re not too clear about what they actually do all day or how much power they really have. In the words of the old song, you probably ‘don’t know much about history’, either. But you’ve likely come across some of the historical sites linked with the monarchy – places like Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle. You may even have visited them or seen pictures of them on the Web. How This Book Is Organised This book is arranged chronologically, starting with the first kings and queens in Britain and ending with the present day. I’ve divided the book into parts. Part I gives you basic information about what the monarchy is and how 4 The British Monarchy For Dummies it works. Each subsequent part deals with one period of history. Within the parts, the text is further split up into chapters. Most chapters tell the story of one ruling dynasty or family – for example, you’ll find chapters on the Normans, who ruled in the 11th and 12th centuries, and on the Tudors, who came to power in 1485 and stayed on the throne until 1603. You can read this book in one go, from start to finish, to get a broad history of the British monarchy. Or you can read just the chapters on the eras or monarchs you’re especially interested in. The following sections give a quick summary of the information you can find in each part. Part I: All About the Monarchy What do kings and queens actually do? And how much power do they really have? This part answers these questions. It tells you how, in the early cen- turies of the British monarchy, rulers had lots of power. They made the laws and everyone had to obey them. Partly because kings and queens were so powerful, lots of people wanted the job, and rulers often had to fight for power – and to fight some more to hang on to it. They also had to plan for the future, by making sure that they had a suitable heir to carry on their work when they died. But nowadays, things are different, so this part of the book also looks at how the modern monarchy works. Today Britain’s ruling family has nothing like the power it used to have. Laws are made by the democratically elected Parliament, and the queen simply advises the government and approves the new laws. But the ruler still has a busy time doing all kinds of work, from rep- resenting the nation as a ceremonial figurehead to supporting the activities of countless charities. Being monarch is certainly a full-time job. Part II: Early Rulers This part tells you about the first monarchs to rule in England during the period after the Romans, who’d been ruling Britain as part of their huge empire, got fed up, and left in the early fifth century. Most of these rulers were Anglo-Saxons and came over from northern Europe to fill the power-vacuum left by the departing Romans. Loads of these Anglo-Saxon monarchs ruled mostly quite small areas of the country, and they came and went quite quickly. Part II covers the most important and famous monarchs, especially those who were able to extend their territory and rule over a large region – or even, now and then, all of England. They were alive a long time ago, but some of Introduction 5 them had an amazing influence that lasted for centuries – King Edgar, for exam- ple, spearheaded a revival of monasteries that transformed England’s religion, while King Alfred promoted the English language, commissioning books and translations into English – and more or less inventing English literature. Part III: The Middle Ages In 1066, a dramatic change happened to the monarchy in England. William I, from Normandy in northern France, crossed the Channel, invaded, and became king. This part of the book looks at the 400-plus years that followed; the period known as the Middle Ages or medieval period. It was the time of knights and castles, which were the tools that medieval kings used to stay in power. It was a time when the Christian church became extremely influential, partly by play- ing a key role in king-making ceremonies, such as inaugurations and corona- tions, and effectively giving monarchs spiritual, as well as worldly, power. And it was a period when England had a special, but stormy, relationship with France – English kings either ruled large chunks of France at this time or spent much of their lives fighting to win power there. Many of the most famous medieval kings were warriors – William I who conquered England, Edward I who won control of Wales, Henry V who beat the stuffing out of France. It all sounds disreputable today, but in the Middle Ages, if you were a successful fighter, you became a hero. Part IV: The Kings of Scotland This part looks at Scotland, which was a totally separate country from England before the 17th century. Just like England, Scotland began divided into a number of miniature kingdoms until some rulers eventually lost power to their neighbours, and a united country emerged. But it wasn’t all plain sailing because the Scots had to protect their southern border from the English. Border scrapping occurred all through the Middle Ages. Some of it was just local trouble – local families stealing each other’s sheep and cattle. But sometimes the fighting was on a much larger scale – English kings Edward I and Edward II tried unsuccessfully to take over Scotland, and Edward III got involved in the dynastic trouble between two of Scotland’s most powerful families, the Bruces and the Balliols. Eventually one dynasty, the Stewarts, became Scotland’s most successful royal family, reign- ing from the late 14th to the early 17th century. 6 The British Monarchy For Dummies Part V: Kingdoms United: Tudors, Stuarts, and Hanoverians I cover three of the most influential royal dynasties – the Houses of Tudor, Stuart, and Hanover – in this part, which follows the history of the monarchy from 1485 all the way to 1901. This was a time of huge change, seeing England and Scotland united and the English crown playing a major part in the gov- ernment of Ireland, too. It was also the period in which Britain’s influence spread all around the world – a process that began with voyages of exploration under the Tudors in the 16th century and came to a climax with the growth of a huge British empire, which, in the 19th century, stretched from Canada to India. The rulers who presided over these changes were some of the most outsize personalities in the history of the monarchy – Henry VIII, who divorced and even beheaded his wives in his desperation to get a male heir; Elizabeth I, who was a multitalented Renaissance woman; Charles I who lost a war with Parliament, making his country a republic for a while; George III, who had an illness that affected his sanity but was much loved; and Victoria, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Part VI: Modern Royals: The House of Windsor The monarchs of the 20th and 21st centuries have had to adjust to the most rapid period of change in the history of the planet. Two World Wars, eco- nomic upheavals, the loss of the empire, and a more democratic system of government have brought huge changes for everyone in Britain – and huge challenges for the monarchy. This part tells the story of how the country’s rulers have coped with these challenges. It’s a story of the shrinking of royal power. But this shrinkage hasn’t meant that the monarchs have a less prominent part in the life of the nation – far from it. The monarchs of the 20th century gradually reinvented themselves, as advisers to their Prime Ministers, as national symbols and figureheads, and even as media personalities. The British monarchy is still highly traditional – it respects titles, old wealth, old-fashioned courtesies, and privileges rooted in centuries of history. But it’s also active in more ways, and in more corners of people’s lives, than ever before. Introduction 7 Part VII: The Part of Tens Here are some fascinating bits of royal trivia. This part covers royal homes and other places with links to royal history. They’re mostly places you can visit, so the story of the monarchy comes alive here. You also find out about groups of royals who don’t always get their time in the spotlight of history – the consorts (wives and husbands) of some of the rulers and the Princes of Wales. Some fascinating characters – some of whom are famous for eccentric- ities or special interests, some of whom were real ‘powers behind the throne’, men and women who influenced British history in their own right – reside in this part. Icons Used in This Book As you read this book, you’ll see little icons in the margin, symbols that high- light some paragraphs in the text. Text that’s accompanied by an icon gives you something extra to think about. Get used to icon-spotting, and you can see what kind of information is coming up as you read. The history of the monarchy is full of interesting stories about the kings and queens who’ve ruled in Britain – but not all of them are actually true! This icon highlights the myths. The text tells the stories, warns you that they’re false – and, where possible, explains why such tall tales came to be told in the first place. Many kings and queens are quite complicated characters, and history is full of twists and turns. So it’s not surprising that over the years, historians – most of whom like nothing more than a good argument – disagree about events and personalities. This icon highlights some of the main disagree- ments, and the text tells both sides of the story. This icon points to text that’s especially important because it helps you understand ideas and upcoming events. It helps to take special note of the text next to the Remember icon – and the icon can help you find the place in the text where you can find these explanations if you want to refer to them. This text explains all kinds of out-of-the-way facts and details about the role and work of the British monarchs. You don’t have to read this stuff if you’re in a hurry, but it will help you understand some of the background to the monarchy and how it works if you do read it. 8 The British Monarchy For Dummies Where to Go from Here Wherever you open this book, you’ll find it’s divided into small sections that are designed to be easy to find and give you access to information about sep- arate topics. So you don’t have to read the whole book. If you’re interested in the recent history of the monarchy, read Part VI. If you want to find out about the Tudors, you can just read Chapter 13. But whichever bit of British royal history grabs your attention, it’s not a bad idea to read Part I first. This part gives you a brief low-down on the background to monarchy, how the system has worked over the years, and what being a king or a queen actually entails. After that, read what you want – if you want to know the whole story, you can even read the whole book! Part I All About the Monarchy In this part... F or hundreds of years, Britain’s head of state has been a monarch – in other words, a king or a queen. But what does the monarch and the royal family actually do? Well, the role of the monarch has changed a lot over the years. The first kings wielded total power – they made all the laws, owned most of the land, and nearly everyone obeyed them unthinkingly. The situation of today’s queen is very different. She has a lot of influence, but very little real power. This part looks at how the job of the monarch has changed, what kings’ and queens’ priorities were in the early days, and how they differ from those of the ruler today. Chapter 1 Ruling Principles In This Chapter 䊳 Uniting the kingdom 䊳 Finding a successor to the throne 䊳 Funding the monarchy 䊳 Benefiting the people T he British monarchy has existed continuously since the seventh century, with only one short break when the country was a republic in the mid- 17th century. That’s around 1,400 years, during which the monarchy changed a lot. But a number of important concerns and principles have remained at the heart of the monarchy for most of this 1,400-year period. From the very beginning of the British monarchy, the island’s rulers had to fight to gain control, to keep their kingdom united, and to stay in power, facing challenges both from local rivals and invaders from beyond Britain’s shores. Many rulers became known as military leaders as a result. Once safe on the throne, they had to make sure that they had a suitable heir to take over after they died to carry on this leadership role. But the struggles faced by a ruler weren’t just military ones – paying for the monarchy became a challenge, too. To raise taxes, kings and queens had to secure the approval of at least some of their people. The people, in turn, realised that their taxability gave them some bargaining power with the monarch. They traded power for taxes, gradually curbing the authority of the monarchy and slowly tipping the balance of power in favour of the people. Eventually, the people gained power more formally through Parliament (the national assembly that eventually evolved into the country’s legislative body), which, by the 18th century, had taken over many of the monarch’s traditional powers. Nowadays, the power of the monarch is strictly limited by the various rules, both written and unwritten, that make up the British Constitution. In other words, Britain has what is called a constitutional monarchy, one in which the real power is in the hands of Parliament, but in which the monarch can still advise his or her government. 12 Part I: All About the Monarchy How the United Kingdom Came to Be United Today, when you talk about Elizabeth II being queen of the United Kingdom, you know roughly the size of her domain. Elizabeth is queen of the island of Britain (which includes England, Wales, and Scotland), plus Northern Ireland and various surrounding islands. She’s also head of state of various lands around the world, from Canada to Bermuda. For hundreds of years, national boundaries weren’t very well defined, and rulers were nearly always under threat of attack. Plenty of rivals wanted a slice of the royal action, either by taking over the whole kingdom or by grab- bing part of it. These rivals came from overseas or even from the ruler’s own backyard. Monarchs had to be able to defend themselves and often had to fight to show that they were in charge. Enemies within The story of the British monarchy begins back in the fifth century. A few hundred years earlier, Britain had been part of the Roman empire, but in the early fifth century, the Romans pulled out. They left behind a power vacuum that was filled by seven or so regional rulers, each of whom reigned over a chunk of Britain. These local kings fought with each other to try to gain control of more territory, until one ruler, the king of Wessex, became the dominant power throughout England (see Chapter 4). The eras of monarchy For convenience, historians divide the huge this period, from about 500 until 1066, is known time span of British history into broad periods. as the Anglo-Saxon (or just Saxon) period, after This division is especially useful in the early the Saxon sovereigns who ruled at that time. centuries of British history, when kings and After the Middle Ages, historical periods are queens changed quite frequently, and remem- most commonly named for the reigning dynas- bering where you are in the big picture is some- ties of the time. The most useful of these labels times hard. One of the most useful period labels are the Tudor period (1485–1603), the Stuart is the Middle Ages, or medieval period, which period (1603–1714), and the Hanoverian period runs roughly from 500 until 1500 – that is, from (1714–1901). the time of the first kings and queens until the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. The early bit of Chapter 1: Ruling Principles 13 For hundreds of years afterwards, monarchs had to fight to keep their thrones, and the challenge often came from inside Britain itself. No wonder the Saxon kings, who ruled from the departure of the Romans in the fifth cen- tury until 1066, gained a reputation as warriors. Monarchs have had to fight for power on their own soil at several points during British history. Here are a few examples: ⻬ Between 1135 and 1153, Stephen, grandson of William I, fought Matilda, daughter of Henry I, and her son Henry for the English throne (see Chapter 6). ⻬ Between 1455 and 1485, the rival families of Lancaster and York fought the Wars of the Roses (see Chapter 9). ⻬ Between 1642 and 1649, Charles I fought the army of Parliament. When Charles was defeated, England became a republic (see Chapter 14). So these battles over the monarchy ended up being serious stuff. As a result of these conflicts, one ruler, Charles I, was executed, and countless subjects lost their lives. Ruling the waves Challenges to royal power also came from outside. Britain, protected from the rest of Europe by miles of rough seas, hasn’t been successfully invaded that often. But the first Saxon kings arrived as invaders, and William I invaded from Normandy in 1066 (see Chapter 6). Because William came from what is now France, his family had lands there, too. This situation began a tradition that lasted throughout the Middle Ages: English rulers also ruled portions of mainland Europe, and some kings and queens spent more time overseas than in England. Even if many English rulers were actually French, Britain was still dear to them, and they did everything they could to defend it and hang on to it. Although attacks and invasion attempts sometimes occurred, the British navy, often combined with the changeable weather in the English Channel and North Sea, kept most challengers at bay. British sea power had another effect, too, which has changed world history and vastly increased the power of the monarchy – it helped create the British empire. 14 Part I: All About the Monarchy The British empire The growth of the British empire happened over a long period, as Britain’s ships travelled further across the globe. The empire at its height in the 19th century was enormous, taking in vast countries and tiny islands all over the world (see Chapter 15), but Britain’s monarchs ruled four major areas: ⻬ North America: The British empire established lasting English settle- ments from the 17th century onward, eventually spreading all over North America. Although Britain lost its power over a large chunk of this territory when the United States was created in 1776, the British remained in Canada. ⻬ India: English traders set up links with India in the 17th century, and the British governed much of the subcontinent by the early 19th century. Britain ruled through a series of officials called Viceroys, and Queen Victoria took the title Empress of India in 1876. ⻬ Australia: Explorers were followed by convicts when penal colonies were set up in Australia in the 18th century. Other settlers followed, coming to farm or mine for gold. ⻬ Africa: Britain was one of several European powers that grabbed large chunks of land in Africa in the 19th century. Being a British monarch between the 17th and 19th centuries wasn’t just about ruling Britain – it was also about being the sovereign over a diverse collection of states dotted around the world. The road to independence Today, the monarch’s worldwide connections continue. A British empire no longer exists. Most places that Britain conquered between the 17th and 19th centuries are now independent. But many of them keep their links with the monarch. They do so in two main ways: ⻬ Dominion status: Some of Britain’s former colonies govern themselves, but hang on to the British ruler as their own head of state. This curious state of affairs is called dominion status. Several of Britain’s largest former colonies became dominions. Canada was the first to be given dominion status, in 1867. Australia followed in 1900, New Zealand in 1907, and South Africa in 1910. South Africa now has its own elected President, but the other three nations still recognise the British sover- eign as their head of state. ⻬ The Commonwealth: Other former British colonies may have their own heads of state, but remain part of the Commonwealth – the family of allied nations that has replaced the empire. The Commonwealth was a concept that evolved gradually during the first half of the 20th century. It wasn’t founded on a specific day, but developed as many of Britain’s Chapter 1: Ruling Principles 15 colonies began to leave the empire after World War II. In 1958, the Commonwealth was recognised nationally when Empire Day became Commonwealth Day. The Commonwealth is held together by regular meetings between the ministers and leaders of its countries, and by the enthusiasm of the royal family, who value this extended world ‘family’ greatly. Britain and the countries of the Commonwealth also shared close trade ties, but these ties have been less strong since Britain joined the European Union. Uniting the kingdom Today Queen Elizabeth II is the head of a state called the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. For short, she’s known as the queen of Britain. But monarchs haven’t always ruled the whole of Britain. The Saxon kings mostly ruled small mini-kingdoms that often added up to just one English region each. Later, some of the more ambitious kings united England. But Scotland, Wales, and Ireland had separate rulers: ⻬ Wales: England and Wales were joined fairly early. Numerous English kings ruled Wales, or at least parts of it, in the Middle Ages (see Chapter 8). They often gave their eldest sons the title Prince of Wales (a title pre- viously held by native Welsh princes) to remind the Welsh that they were under the English thumb. The English Parliament put England’s government of Wales on a formal footing in 1536 and 1543, when the Principality was divided into administrative counties and justices of the peace were appointed. ⻬ Scotland: England and Scotland began to come together in a lasting union in the early 17th century, when James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England. But even then, although they had one monarch, the kingdoms of England and Scotland still had separate Parliaments and privy councils. Real union didn’t come until the Act of Union was passed in 1707 (see Chapter 14). ⻬ Ireland: Union of Britain and Ireland arrived with an act of Parliament that came into force on 1 January 1801, after centuries during which Britain’s rulers had tried to dominate the island. But a strong nationalist movement in Ireland developed, and Irish nationalists and Ireland’s British rulers had a series of disputes. In 1922, there was an attempt to patch up these differences by dividing Ireland in two. The Irish Free State consisted of the southern part of Ireland, a Dominion of Britain owing an oath of allegiance to the British crown; Northern Ireland was made up of the six northern counties and remained part of the United Kingdom. Eventually, the Free State became independent and is now known as the Irish Republic. 16 Part I: All About the Monarchy Searching for an Heir The monarchy has always been bigger than any individual king or queen. Being part of a continuous succession of rulers is what gives monarchs their power. Kings and queens benefit from the accumulated experience (and accu- mulated conquests!) of those who went before them, and it’s in the interests of the institution of monarch to pass the throne on to a competent heir. As a result, having an heir has always been one of the top priorities of any ruler. In the early years, a successor was essential. Kings were usually mili- tary leaders, and a king could be killed in battle at any time. Even if times were peaceful, people didn’t live as long in the Saxon and medieval periods as they do today. A ruler had to be prepared with an heir – and often a ‘spare’ as well, for good measure. Keeping the monarchy in the family Most monarchies are family affairs, and the British one is no exception. Today, the crown passes from ruler to eldest son, through a clearly defined line of succession. Everyone in the royal family knows where they stand in the line to the throne. It hasn’t always been like this. The Saxons and Norman rulers usually chose their own heir and announced the lucky candidate publicly, so no one was in any doubt. But even then, the heir was usually a close family member – some- one the king or queen could trust – and someone who would be good at the job. The monarch usually chose a successor from amongst their most able relatives. Later, the custom developed of handing the crown to the ruler’s eldest male child, the first daughter if he had no sons, or to another close rel- ative if he had no children at all. The girls got a bad deal in this process, and in the early centuries of British history there were very few queens. The reason girls didn’t usually get to rule was because in early societies, it was the men who were expected to be the leaders – they may have to lead an army into battle, after all. This need for an heir has meant that when historians talk about the British monarchy, they don’t usually mean just the king or queen. They mean the whole royal family – sons, daughters, cousins, uncles, aunts, the lot. As well as a seemingly endless source of heirs, the royal family also makes up a big support network for the monarch. In the Middle Ages, the king’s sons might go into battle on behalf of their father, act as ambassadors, or occupy differ- ent royal castles to spread the family’s power around the kingdom. Even today, although kings no longer go into battle, ‘minor royals’ do all sorts of duties, from representing the country oversees to giving out awards. Chapter 1: Ruling Principles 17 The importance of this working family has meant that kings and queens have nearly always been keen to have lots of children. A medieval king sighed with relief when his queen produced a son and heir. Having a son was best, because in the Middle Ages men were seen as having the dominant role – women didn’t usually get a look when it came to positions of power. Several British rulers have hit problems, both personal and political, because they found it difficult to produce an heir: ⻬ Henry I (1100–1135) was a powerful and successful medieval king who had a reputation as a just ruler. But he ran into trouble when both of his sons were killed in a shipwreck in 1120. His wife, Queen Matilda, was already dead, and when Henry remarried, he had no more children. The result? After Henry died, two rival claimants to the throne (Henry’s daughter Matilda and his nephew Stephen) came forth, and a civil war ensured between the two (see Chapter 6). ⻬ Henry VIII (1509–47) and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, could not produce a male heir, so he divorced her (which caused a religious crisis) and remarried. But his second wife, Anne Boleyn, gave birth to a daugh- ter, too. Henry didn’t get a son until he married his third wife, Jane Seymour (see Chapter 13). ⻬ Queen Anne (1702–14) spent much of her life pregnant, but suffered a series of miscarriages and stillbirths. Her one surviving son only lived until age 11. The queen had a terrible time, and when she died, her German relatives, the Hanoverians, had to be invited to take over the throne (see Chapter 14). So the succession was a big issue that sometimes dominated the entire reign. Preparing the heir Just having an heir was never enough. You had to train for the job of ruler, just like any other. Royal princes usually had plenty of work to do. Back in the Middle Ages, their jobs included leading the royal army in times of war. In more peaceful times, a medieval prince might learn about leadership by run- ning his own dukedom – in other words, becoming overlord (or boss) of a chunk of the kingdom. Being a feudal overlord meant dealing with tenants, overseeing the regional economy, settling disputes in a local court, and turn- ing out with your men in times of war. Running a dukedom was like being a king on a small scale and was good preparation for becoming ruler. Another way medieval kings had of preparing their eldest sons for the job of monarch was to make them Prince of Wales. Edward I invented this title in the Middle Ages for his son Edward (see Chapter 7). Since the first prince, 18 Part I: All About the Monarchy there have been another 20 Princes of Wales, all of whom have used the role in different ways – from acquiring leadership skills to ceremonial duties – to prepare for kingship (see Chapter 19). Today, with the monarch playing a more symbolic part in government, the heir to the throne needs different skills. The heir still deputises for the sover- eign and still keeps in touch with affairs of state. But the tasks he performs are more likely to be going on official visits or reading government briefings than going into battle. Some royals, such as the queen’s second son Prince Andrew, have seen active service in war, but today’s royal family would not allow the heir to the throne to risk his life on the battlefield. Paying for the Monarchy Everyone knows that royal families are some of the richest people in the world, but where does their wealth come from? In the medieval period, the ruling king or queen owned all the land in the country. Land was the biggest kind of wealth you could have in those days, because you could enjoy the benefits of all the produce grown on the land. If you didn’t want the produce, you could allocate the land to tenants and collect rents in the form of either money or services. If a medieval ruler needed to go to war, he expected his tenants to turn out and fight for him. One of the main services that tenants gave in return for land was fighting for their sovereign. An early king’s tenants were usually members of the aristocracy, and these nobles were extremely important to medieval rulers. The aristocracy The British aristocracy began as the high-rank- to the next, like the crown itself. The nobles at the ing class of men and women who were close to top of the hierarchy were second only to the ruler the royal family, held land and castles as direct in power and prestige. The various ranks that tenants of the sovereign, and played a major part developed are, from top to bottom, Duke, in running the country. In the Middle Ages, these Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. These ranks nobles did everything from raising and leading still exist today, and still include people with a lot royal armies to keeping the peace in their local of money and property. But hereditary nobles no area. They were the ruling class an

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