Hello All, Due to the paucity of data on this time I'll transcribe the whole of the sections concerned with British and Romano-British Rulers from the Collins Gem Guide to Kings and Queens of Britain. Ancient British Kings and Queens ================================ Elaborate burials hint at paramount chiefs in Britain as much as 4700 years ago. But our first clear proofs of kings in Britain are the Romans' 2000- year-old accounts of contemporary male and female rulers of Iron Age British tribes. These were migrants from mainland Europe who spoke Celtic tongues akin to modern Gaelic, Irish, and Welsh, and used coins based on those of Greece and Rome. After the Roman invasions, begun in 55 BC, certain British monarchs became the Roman's submissive client kings. Here are brief details of some major Celtic British tribes and monarchs. Most names are romanized, and dates are scarce. Atrebates. This tribe emerged in what are now Hampshire and Sussex, and became allies of the Romans. Commius, its likely founder, had fought Julius Caesar in Gaul (France) and fled to Britain about 50 BC. His sons Eppillus, Tincommius (recognized by Augustus c15 BC), and Verica divided his kingdom, issued Roman- type coins, and used the Roman title Rex ('king'). Having lost Calleva (Silchester) to Cunobelinus, Verica fled his remnant of territory in Sussex and sought help at Rome. Brigantes. These founded Eboracum (York) and their northern kingdom became the largest in all Britain. Apparently successive rulers included Volisios, Dumnocoveros, and the pro-Roman (Queen) Cartimandua, flourishing about AD 50-69. Catuvellauni. This expansionist tribe lived in and around what is now Hertfordshire. King Caswallon (Julius Caesar's Cassivellaunus) fought rival tribes and became a high king of the British. He united several tribes against the first Roman invasions of 55 and 54 BC and later ruled from Verulamium (St Albans). Successors included Androco and Tasciovanus (recognized by Augustus c15BC, died cAD 10), both perhaps sons of Caswallon, and Tasciovanus's son Cunobelinus (the Shakespearean Cymbeline) (died about AD 43). This ally of the Romans ruled from Camulodonum (Colchester), and his son Adminius fled to Rome even before his father's death. Cunobelinus's other sons Caradoc (the Romans' Caractacus or Caratacus) and Togodumnus (probably mortally wounded at the Battle of the Medway, 43), resisted Roman onslaughts (AD 43-47), but eventually fled north from Wales to the Brigantes. Their queen, Cartimandua, betrayed him (51) to the Romans who displayed Caradoc and his family in chains at Rome. Iceni. Their Norfolk and Suffolk lands became a client kingdom under Prasutagus. When he died (AD 60), Roman troops seized his lands and daughters, provoking rebellion by his widowed queen Boudicca (Boadicea). Joined by the Trinovantes, her forces took Londinium (London) before suffering a major defeat. She killed herself by poison (61). Hers was the last really dangerous native revolt in Roman Britain. Regni. Formerly subordinate to the Atrebates, this tribe's centre was Noviomagnus Regnensium (Chichester, Sussex). Cogidubnus or Cogidumnus (mid 1st century AD), a 'client king' of the Romans, styled himself legate of the emperor in Britain and, after about 75, built a vast palace at nearby Fishbourne. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Again I shall copy the whole of this section from the Collins Gem Guide to Kings and Queens of Britain. Roman and Romano-British Rulers =============================== Roman rule of Britain, following major summer raids by Julius Caesar in 55 and 54 BC, began in AD 43 with the Emperor Claudius I's invasion. Claudius himself paid a triumphal 16-day visit to his new province. Roman rule eventually embraced England, Wales, and much of Scotland (where in 84 the province's 11th governor Agricola defeated 30,000 Caledonians under Calgacus or Galgacus at Mons Graupius, near ?Aberdeen), but the core of Roman Britain was the rich farmland of the south-east. Roman emperors ruled Britain as a province (after 197 as two provinces and after 196 as four) under Roman governors (49 are known, up to AD 242) with full civil and military powers. Early on these rulers tolerated British client kings like those mentioned on the preceding pages. Hadrian (reigned 117-138, visited 122), Antoninus Pius (reigned 138-161, built the Antonine Wall), and Septimius Severus (reigned 193-211; visited and campaigned, with his son Caracalla 208-11) were among several Roman emperors who visited Britain or struck coins with a British emphasis. Severus died at York (4 Feb 211) and his palace may recently have been discovered there. One reason Severus came to Britain was because the outlying province had become a powerful enough base for its governor Clodius Albinus (192-7) to proclaim himself emperor - until defeated and killed by Severus near Lyons. Albinus was the first of no fewer than eight Roman emperors proclaimed in Britain. During the Empire's near 3rd-century collapse Britain formed part of the regional Gallic Empire of six successive usurper emperors (259-73). Aurelian restored central control in 274, but in 287, the rebel naval commander of the Classis Britannica and probable main architect of the new Saxon Shore coastal forts, Marcus Aurelius Carausius proclaimed a British Empire, including Boulogne and other cross-Channel areas until 293. He ruled until murdered in 293 by his finance minister and successor Caius Allectus. In 296 the junior Emperor Constantius Chlorus I invaded, killed Allectus and restored legitimate imperial authority, Constantius' son Constantine the Great was proclaimed emperor at York after his father's death there (35 July 306). After Constantine reunited the Empire during the longest reign since Augustus, his son Constans paid Britain a winter visit in 342/3. Constans may have built the Saxon Shore fort of Pevensey. In 383 Magnus Maximus, perhaps victorious against the Picts (382), removed much of Britain's garrison to pursue the purple in Gaul. Theodosius I the Great restored central authority for the last time in 388. By 400 attacks from Scotland, Ireland, and northern Europe were sapping the province's defences, already undermined by troop withdrawals and Hadrian's Wall's abandonment. On the last day of 406 Rome's Rhine frontier collapsed before a barbarian migration across the frozen river into Gaul. Britain's remaining legions were withdrawn to Boulogne by Constantine III (proclaimed by his troops a century after his namesake and supposed ancestor) to support his usurping imperial claims and intervention in Gaul (407-11). In 410 the legitimate Emperor Honorius, himself at bay behind Ravenna's marshes, wrote to Britain's cities telling them they were on their own. In 446 Britons made a final vain appeal for Roman help as the Western Empire crumbled. The next century and a half constitute the impenetrable Dark Ages, especially from a Romano-British viewpoint. Local romanized kings appear to have replaced the late imperial four-province structure. The supreme military post of Dux Britanniarum, created after 296 and based at York, may have continued in the new role of temporarily uniting local British forces against the invading Saxons, Angles, Jutes, Frisians, Franks, Picts, Scots and Irish. Twentieth century scholarship sees this as the role of Ambrosius Aurelianus and his possible son Artorius (Arthur), but the task of late Roman cavalry commander need not exclude kingship or indeed emperorship. According to one of the few reliable and early sources (Bed in the 7th century), Ambrosius' parents, killed by Saxons, were of royal birth and title. Ambrosius apparently won first victory over the Angles about 493. The last and most decisive of Arthur's twelve victories over the Saxons was Mount Badon, usually dated about 516 and identified with sites in Wiltshire and Dorset. Artorius is said to have died in a typical Romano-British civil war at the battle of Camlan(n) in 537, but Mount Badon checked the Saxons for 40 years. One of Artorius' battles has been located at Cat Coit Celidon in Southern Scotland, a reminder that Romano-British kingdoms also existed in the north spanning the two Roman walls and including the old border tribes. Rheged,, focused on Carlisle and the Solway Firth, was one of these kingdoms. Its last rulers Urien and Owain fought the Northumbrian Angles until the 590s. They were descendants of Old Coel the Splendid (Old King Cole of nursery rhyme fame) who may have held sway in the entire lowland frontier zone during the early 5th century. At the Lothian core of this area was the British Kingdom of Gododdin, eventually annexed by Northumbria in the mid-7th century. The last British kingdom in this region, and perhaps Coel's neighbour, was Strathclyde (see separate king list) which survived over half a millenium of vicissitudes to be peacefully incorporated into Scotland (c1016). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the list of the Anglo-Saxon Kings and have been sorted into groups of the principal kingdoms of England up to the Norman invasion, I've also included the Scandinavian kings of Britain in this message. Many of the dates are only guestimates. Portions where no ruler is given is either due to the ruler not being known, not considered important enough by Collins or, mostly, due to being conquered by a neighbouring kingdom. KINGS OF KENT Hengest 455-488 (founder of Kent) Aesc (Oisc) 488-512 Octa 512-540 Eormenric 540-560 Ethelbert (Aethelbert) I 560-616 Eadbald 616-640 Earconbert 640-664 Egbert (Ecgberht) I 664-673 Hlothere 673-685 (with Suaebhard of East Saxon 676-) Eadric 685-687 (with Suaebhard of East Saxon) Oswini 688-690 (with Suaebhard of East Saxon) Wihtred 690-725 (with Suaebhard of East Saxon -692) Ethelbert (Aethelberht) II 725-762 (with Eadbert I 725-748) (with Alric 748-747) (with Eardwulf 747-) Egbert (Ecgberht) II 765-780 Ealhmund (subking to Offa of Mercia 784) Eadbert II Praen 796-798 Cuthred Coelwulf Beornwulf Egbert (Ecgberht) III KINGS OF SUSSEX Aelle (Ella) 477-514 (founder of Sussex) Cissa 514- (unknown) Ethelwalh -685 Berhtun 685-686 Cadwalla (Caedwalla) of Wessex 686-688 Nothelm 692 (exact years unknown) Nunna 710-725 Aldwulf 765 (exact years unknown) Osmund 765-770 KINGS OF ESSEX Aesewine 527-587 (founder of Essex) Sledda 587-604 Saebert 604-616 Sexred and Saeward 616-617 (Saebert's sons ruled with another) Sigeberht I the Little 617-653 Sigeberht II the Good 653-660 Swithhelm 660-665 Sighere (Sigheard) 665-683 (with his uncle, Sebbi) Sebbi (Sebbe) 665-695 (with Sighere) Sigeheard 695-709 (with Swafred, his brother) Offa 709 Saelred 709-746 Swithred 746-758 Sigeric 758-798 Sigered 798-825 KINGS OF EAST ANGLIA Wuffa 571-578 (first king of East Anglia) Tytila 578-593 Redwald (Raewald) 593-617 (Sutton Hoo burial may be for him) Eorpwald (Earpwald) 617-627 Sigeberht (Siegeberht) 631-634 Ecgric 634-635 Anna 633-654 (he was installed by Penda) Ethelhere (Aethelhere) 654 Ethelwold (Aethelwald) 654-663 Aldwulf 663-713 Aelfwald (Alfwold) 713-749 (client of Mercia 740-) Hun Beonna 749 (exact years unknown) (St) Ethelbert 792 (exact years unknown) Athelstan I 828-837 Ethelweard 837-850 (St) Edmund (Eadmund) 855-870 KINGS OF MERCIA Creoda 585-593 (first named king of Mercia) Pybba 593-606 Ceorl 606-626 Penda 632-655 Wulfhere 657-675 Ethelred (Aethelred) 675-704 Coenred 704-709 Ceolred 709-716 Ethelbald (Aethelbald) 719-757 Beonred 757 Offa 757-796 Egfrith 796 (co-ruled with Offa 787-) Coenwulf 796-821 Ceolwulf I 821-823 Beornwulf 825 (exact years unknown) Ludeca (Ludecan) 827 (exant years unknown) Wiglaf 827-840 Beorhtwulf (Berthulf) 840-852 Burgred 852-874 Ceolwulf II 874-880 (last Mercian king) KINGS OF NORTHUMBRIA (combined kingdoms of Bernicia and Deira) Ethelfrith (Aethelfrith) 592-616 (Bernician king seized Deira in 604) Edwin 616-633 (Deiran king gained power in Bernicia) Eanfrith 633-634 (St) Oswald I 634-641 Oswy (Oswin) 641-670 (formally united Bernicia and Deira) Egfrith 670-685 Aldfrith (Alfrid) 685-704 Osred I 704-716 Coenred 716-718 Osric 718-729 Ceolwulf 729-737 (temporarily deposed in 731) Eadbert 737-758 Oswulf 758-759 Ethelwald Moll 759-765 Alchred (Alhred) 765-774 Ethelred (Aethelred) I 774-778 Elfwald I 778-788 Osred II 788-790 Ethelred (Aethelred) I 790-796 (returned after being expelled) Osbald 796 (expelled after 27 days) Eardwulf 796-808 Elfwald II 808-809 Eardwulf 809 (recalled from exile) Eanred 809-841 Ethelred II 841-850 Osberht 850-863 Ella (Aelle) 863-867 Egbert I 867-872 (installed by Vikings) Ricshig 872-876 (installed by Vikings) Egbert II 876-878 (the last Viking puppet king) KINGS OF WESSEX Cerdic 519-534 (founder of wessex) Cynric 534-560 Ceawlin 560-591 Ceol 591-597 Ceolwulf 597-611 Cynegils 611-643 Cenwalh (Cenwedh) 643-672 Seaxburgh 672-674 (only known Saxon Queen to rule alone) Cenfus 674 Aescwine 674-676 Centwine 676-685 Cadwalla 685-688 Ine 688-726 Ethelheard (Aethelheard) 726-740 Cuthred 740-756 Sigeberht 756-757 Cynewulf 757-786 Beohrtric 786-802 Egbert (Ecgberht) 802-839 (ruled all England south of the Humber) Ethelwulf (Aethelwulf) 839-858 Ethelbald 858-860 Ethelbert (Aethelbald) 860-865 Ethelred (Aethelred) I 865-871 Alfred (Aelfred) the Great 871-899 (most famous Wessex king) Edward (Eadweard) the Elder 899-924 (last W. king to not rule all England) KINGS OF ENGLAND (pre Norman invasion) Athelstan (Aethelstan, Ethelstan) 924- 939 (first king of all England) Edmund (Eadmund) I 939- 946 (the Deed-Doer, the Magnificent, the Elder) Edred (Eadred) 946- 955 Edwy (Eadwig) 955- 959 (the Fair) Edgar (Eadgar) 959- 975 (the Peaceful, the Peaceable, the Great) (St) Edward (Eadweard) II 975- 978 (the Martyr) Ethelred (Aethelred) II 978-1016 (the Unready ["ill-advised"]) Edmund (Eadmund) II 1016 (Ironside) (England ruled by Danes) (St) Edward (Eadweard) 1042-1066 (the Confessor) Harold II 1066 (the last Anglo-Saxon King) SCANDINAVIAN KINGS IN BRITAIN ============================= NORSE KINGS OF EAST ANGLIA AND YORK (NORTHUMBRIA) 875-954 Guthrum 880-890 (King of East Anglia) Halfdan Ragnarson 875-883 (King of Jorvik [York]) Guthfrith (Guthred) 883-895 (King of Jorvik [York]) Ragnald I 919-921 (King of York) Sihtric Caoch 921-927 Guthrith -934 Olaf Sihtricsson 941-943 (Olaf the Red) Ragnald II 943-944 Edred 947-948 Eric (Erik) Bloodaxe 948-952 Edred 952-954 (regained throne by defeating Eric) DANISH KINGS OF ENGLAND Sweyn (Sven, Svein) 1013-1014 (Forkbeard "Tiugeskaeg") Canute (Cnut, Knut) 1016-1035 (the Great, the Wealthy) Harold I 1035-1040 (Harefoot) Hardecanute 1040-1042 (Hardicanute, Harthacnut) LATER NORSE RULERS IN THE BRITISH ISLES 1079-1329 Godred I Crovan 1079-1095 (King of Man) Somerled 1158-1164 (King of Man) Magnus II -1265 (last King of Man) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Collins Gem doesn't have a list of Irish Kings so I'll copy out the relevent parts of the article that they have in place of a king list. In the early centuries AD Ireland was divided into about 150 tiny kingdoms with warrior kings elected from a landowning upper class whose main source of wealth was cattle. In time the kingdoms formed into five groups each with one honorary overlord. From south to north these so-called Five Fifths were - Munster (Mumha, 67 known kings including 3 high kings, c45-1194); Leinster (Laighin, 68 known kings, c436-1171); Meath (Midhe, 52 known kings including 8 High Kings, c450-1173); Connought (Connacht, 64 known kings including 4 High Kings, c459-1224); Ulster (Uladh, 72 known kings, c500-1201). Dominance could shift from one to another, and descendants of a king of Meath became High Kings of Ireland, ceremonially inaugurated on the hill of Tara, a mound-sanctuary on the River Boyne in Meath. But not all provincial kings acknowledged them as overlords. Old Irish king lists name scores of provincial kings and 136 pre-Christian high kings (Christianity arrived in the 5th century AD). Formost among them was the arguably historical figure of High King Cormac mac Art (reigned AD 227-266). Three undoubted Irish dynasties beared the names O'Brien (in Munster), O'Connor (in Connaught) and O'Neill (in Meath). The O'Neill clan was founded by Niall of the Nine Hostages (reigned 379-405) and continued by his son Loegure (429-458) who reigned in the traditional year of St. Patrick's mission to Ireland (432). The O'Neill dynasty produced a long line of high kings. Between 734 and 1002 the high kingship alternated between northern and southern branches of the O'Neill family. Two of Niall's other sons founded the Kingdom of Aileach in 400 (area of the later city of Londonderry) which had 52 known sovereigns until 1170 including 18 High Kings. Other local manarchs susch as Fergus of Dalriada (c500) crossed North Channel to seek wider domains in Scotland. The first Viking invasion of Ireland (795) foreshadowed nearly two centuries when Norse kings ruled many tiny coastal states such as Dublin (838, 25 kings known for 856-1170), Waterford (914) and Limerick (920-68). High King Aed Finnliath (862-879) drove them from Ulster. Turgeis (839-845) seized northern Ireland and styled himself King of Dublin. Olaf I 'the White' united Ireland's Vikings in 853 and for 20 years styled himself 'King of the northmen of all Ireland and Britain'. Ranald (died 927) became King of Dublin, Waterford, and York. King Olaf III Cuaran of Dublin made a sea pilgrimage to Iona in 980. Descendants of Ranald of Waterford (reigned 1022-31) included Scotland's Robert II, and ancestor of the present British royal family. Viking power in Ireland effectively ended in 1014 when Brian BOru, King of Munster from 976, and High King of Ireland (born in Thomond, near Killaloe, Co Clare 941; reigned 1002-1014) after ousting Mael Sechnaill II, th last O'Neill occupant of the Tara throne, assembled an army that won the decisive Battle of Clontarf (23 April 1014) near Dublin. Brian died in the fighting, but three O'Brien descendants, beginning with his son Donnchad (reigned 1014-1064) remained kings of Munster until the next century (1119). The main Munster kingship disappeared in 1194, but the O'Briens remained kings of north Munster (Thomond, later County Clare) until 1543. After Brian Baru's death there followed 150 years of internal fighting between petty kings claiming the high kingship of Ireland. This rivalry indirectly finished Irish royal rule in Ireland. Its downfall began in 1166 when the last High King (56th known since Niall) Rory O'Connor (Ruaidri Ua Conchobar), son of Turlough (Toirdelbach) More O'Connor (born 1088; reigned 1119-1153), expelled his rival Dermot Macmurrough (Diarmait mac Murchad), last King of Leinster (born ?1110; reigned 1134-1171).Dermot sought Anglo-Norman ehlp that led to an invasion begun in 1169. Cathal O'Connor succeeded as the last King of Connaught in 1201, resisting English advances until his death in 1224 as the last Irish provincial monarch, but his native dynasty endured until 1464. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- BRITISH KINGS OF STRATHCLYDE (c450-1018) (Partial list) Ceretic (Coroticus) of Dumbarton c450 Rhydderch Hen - 603 Constantine son of (?) Rhydderch (?)Iundruis - 633 Owain (Eugein) [defeated Scots] - 642 Gwraid (Gureit) - 658 Dyfnwal (Domhnall), son of Owain - 694 Beli, son of Elphin [twice defeated by Scots] - 722 Tewdwr (Teudubr) son of Beli - 750 Dyfnwal (Dannagual), son of Tewdwr - 760 Cynan, son of Ruadrach - 816 Artgha [Vikings sack Dumbarton 870] - 872 Run, son of Artgha - 878? Dyfnwal (Donevaldus) - 908 Dyfnwal (Donevaldus), son of Ede (Aedh) Owain - 934 [submitted ot Edward the Elder of Wessex 935] Dyfnwal (Domhnall), son of Eoghain - 975 Malcolm, son of Dyfnwal - 997 Owain (Eugenius) the Bald -1018 [allied to Malcolm II of Scotland at Battle of Carham] KINGS OF THE PICTS c556-848 Bridei I [visited by St Columba] c556-586 Gartnart, son of Bridei I's sister c586-597 Nectu, son of Gartnart's sister Cinioch, son of Gartnat's sister -631 Garnard, son of Cinioch's sister 631-635 Bridei II, brother of Garnard 635-641 Talorc, brother of Garnard 641-653 Tallorcen (Talargan), son of Eanfrith of Bernicia 653-657 Gartnain, son of Talorcen's sister 657-663 Drest I, brother of Gartnait 663-671 Bridei III, son of Drest I's sister 671-692 Taran, son of Bridei III's sister 692-696 Bridei IV, son of drest I's sister 696-706 Nechton, brother of Bridei IV 706-724 [adopted Roman Catholicism 710] Drest II, son of Nechton's sister 724-726 Alpin I, brother of Nechton 726-728 Onuist, son of Taran's sister 728-761 Bridei V, brother of Onuist 761-763 Ciniod, son of Onuist's sister 763-775 Alpin II, son of Ciniod's sister 775-780 Drest III, son of Alpin II's sister 780-781 Talorcan, son of Alpin II's sister 781-785 Talorgen I, son of Onuist 785-787 Canaul, son of Alpin II's sister 787-789 Constantine, son of Alpin II's sister 789-820 Unuist, brother of Drest IV 820-834 Drest IV, son of Uen 834-837 Uen (Eoganan of Dalriada), son on Unuist 837-839 Uurad 839-842 Bred, son of Uurad 842 Kineth, son of Uurad 842 Brude, son of Uurad's sister 843-845 Drust, son of Uurad 845-848 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE HOUSE OF FERGUS AND LOARN 843-1058 Denneth I MacAlpin - 858 Donald I 858- 862 Constantine I 862- 877 Aedh 877- 878 Eocha and Giric I 878- 889 Donald II 889- 900 Constantine II 900- 942 (first Scots kind to pay homage to England) Malcolm I 943- 954 Indulf 954- 962 Dhubh (Duff) 962- 966 Cuilean 966- 971 Kenneth II 971- 995 Constantine III 995- 997 Kenneth III 997-1005 (co-ruled with his son Giric II) Malcolm II 1016-1034 (first king to rule all of modern Scotland) Duncan I 1034-1040 Macbeth 1040-1057 (yes, the one Shakespeare wrote about) Lulach 1057-1058 THE HOUSE OF DUNKELD 1058-1371 Malcolm III 'Canmore' 1058-1093 Donald III (Donald Bane) 1093-1094 Duncan II 1094 Donald III (Donald Bane) 1094-1097 (regained throne after deposed) Edgar 1097-1107 Alexander I the Fierce 1107-1124 David I the Saint 1124-1153 Malcolm IV the Maiden 1153-1165 (last gaelic speaking king) William I the Lion 1165-1214 (bought Scotland for #6600 from Richard I) Alexander II 1214-1249 Alexander III 1249-1286 Margaret 'the Maid of Norway' 1286-1290 (born 1283) John Balliol 1292-1296 Robert I 1206-1329 (Robert de Bruce VIII) David II 1329-1371 Edward Balliol 1332-1341 (Edward III's claimant to the throne) THE HOUSE OF STEWART (STUART) 1371-1567 Robert II 1371-1390 ("King Blearie" due to bloodshot eyes) Robert III 1390-1406 (formerly John Stewart, Earl of Carrick) James I 1406-1437 James II 1437-1460 ("Fiery Face" due to birthmark) James III 1460-1488 James IV 1488-1513 (married Margaret Tudor) James V 1513-1542 (reigned from age of 17 months) Mary, Queen of Scots 1542-1567 (reigned from age of 7 days) James VI 1567-1625 (also James I of England from 1603) Charles I 1625-1649 (Charles the Martyr) Charles II 1660-1685 (Old Rowley, the Merry Monarch) James VII 1685-1688 (also James II of England) William III 1689-1702 (King Billy) Mary II 1689-1694 Anne 1702-1714 (last Stuart monarch)