The Normans
Kings and Queens of the United Kingdom from 1603 to the present day
Until 1603 the English and Scottish Crowns were separate.
The Normans King William I, the Conqueror 1066 – 1087 Invaded England from Normandy. Defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings. In 1085 the Domesday Survey was begun and all England was recorded so William knew exactly what his new kingdom contained. The Domesday Book was, in effect, the first national census. When William died his lands were divided between his eldest two sons. Robert inherited Normandy, while William became king of England. King William II, Rufus 1087 – 1100 Son of William I. He was called William Rufus or William the Red because of the reddish colour of his hair and complexion. He was killed in the New Forest by a stray arrow while out hunting, maybe accidentally, there is some doubt about this. The Rufus Stone in The New Forest marks the spot where he fell. King Henry I 1100 – 1135 The fourth and youngest son of William I. Henry's two sons were drowned so his daughter Matilda was made his successor. When Henry died the Council considered a woman unfit to rule so offered the throne to Stephen, a grandson of William I. King Stephen 1135 – 1154 Nephew of Henry I and grandson of William l. The Welsh and Scots invaded. Civil war followed between King Stephen and Matilda, Henry I's daughter. A compromise was decided, Matilda's son, Henry Plantagenet, was to be king when Stephen died. Empress Matilda 1141 Daughter of Henry I England's first female monarch. She was called the Empress because her dead husband had been the German Emperor. She had a very bad temper and wasn't very popular.
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