Who do you consider to be the greatest English monarch and why?

Answer 1

I'd have to say Queen Victoria! She was so alive! What i mean to say is that she was a fantastic monarch if she was also very much a human being, had emotions, and didn't worry about showing them! Look at how much she loved Albert! How through him Christmas tree became so much part of our tradition! Look how the British Empire was so strong then! She was a fantastic monarch because such a fantastic personality! I always found her way ahead of her time. She was one of Britain's greatest monarchs and one everyone look upon as a great one. So no! Victoria first and foremost.

Answer 2

It makes a change to have a good question on here rather than... "what colour are your eyes"

Its a difficult one to choose..... but i have 4

1. Alfred the great - for kicking out the danes and started to unite the English Counties into one Kingdom under one king...He also started schools and wanted anyone who could afford to go to one as he knew that education was the way forward.

2. Elizabeth I - Making the Empire great again after it was falling apart and keeping out all the invaders at the time as every catholic nation wated us dead.

3. George VI - Great leadership and love for the people during WWII

4. Victoria - Expanding the Empire and 64 years on the thown she must be a contender

Answer 3

I think Elizabeth Tudor tops the list, she made a bankrupt small island into a world power by her courage and political savvy. She turned her drawbacks into strength, and had the foresight to direct the energies of her kingdom into peaceful pursuits, rather than wasteing resources on wars.

Not the greatest, but one monarch remembered for her charity, good works and concern for her people is Queen Anne. She had a tragic personal life in many ways, she was not clever, she suffered from illness all her life, and was unfortunate in having friends who took advantage of her good nature. But she truly cared for her country and people, and is remembered as "Good Queen Anne" to this day.

Isn't it strange that we remember the female rulers, rather than the males.

Answer 4

The two greatest women stick out although they have their flaws.
Queen Elizabeth the first was great but she was too obsessive about people trying to overthrow her that she didnt produce an heir to the throne, which meant Scotland lost its monarchy. People now forget that James the first was actually James the 6th of Scotland primarly.
Also Queen Victoria was a great queen but again she lost herself in grief. Because of her reign, most of the powers of government were lost from the monarch and which means that people dont understand why we actually have/had a royal family.

Answer 5

Ditto on Aphrodities answer Eliz 1st was a woman before her time. She is said in history books to be Britains greatest monarch. Watch the movies Young Bess followed by Elizabeth ( the one with Cate Blanchett) to get a glimpse into this truly amazing womans life.

Answer 6

That's tough - Edward VIII is thought to be great because he put love before the crown, others vilified him for it. Queen Victoria however ruled for so long that it puts her at the forefront. Personally? I thought Mary Queen of Scots was a pretty interesting monarch.

Answer 7

mutually because it extremely is actual that Henry geared up up the army , and land fortifications. it is likewise actual even regardless of the undeniable fact that , that England could no longer undergo the fee of Henry`s expenditure . For a couple of minutes the sales of the monastery`s lands and the melting down of church plate helped to fill the hollow in his great spending and later wars . Later in 1540`s Henry had to motel to financial expedients which includes extreme taxation , distant places loans and the debasement of the distant places money which heavily harmed the financial equipment , coming up an inflationary style . In France ,Boulogne grew to become right into a high priced stone around England`s neck , it had no strategic value and grew to become into too high priced to safeguard . Even for the period of Henry`s lifetime his Ministers reported its return to France. lots replaced in England and Wales as a consequence of Henry . Wales grew to become into integrated into the administrative equipment of britain , eire grew to become into styled a kingdom and ruled greater from London . Henry for greater efficient or worse . left an prolonged-lasting legacy on British background , yet i in my view does no longer classification him because of fact the main suitable English monarch . Henry grew to become into brutal and tyrannical , under his reign the monasteries no longer existed , their libraries dispersed and maximum of their homes demolished as have been the shrines that attracted pilgrimages and money

Answer 8

Queen Elizabeth I. She was a genius and very cunning woman when it came to public relations. Check out her speeches and some of the literature that she financed. She manipulated the patriarchal system, postured herself as the Virgin Queen, and got to the forefront of politics. England still refers to her time on the throne as the "Golden Age."

As for the comments about Mary Tudor, I cannot view her in such a positive light. Certainly she was justified in disliking her father Henry VIII for divorcing Catherine, but she did relatively little in comparison to her Protestant successor, Elizabeth, whose mother Ann was murdered by Henry. Mary seemed obsessed with her own infertility and Catholicism, but less in building empire. I could be wrong, as I am approaching this as an American outsider.

Answer 9

Elizabeth Tudor. She was a brilliant politician and managed to control and manipulate both church and state. The fact that she remained alive to actually succeed to the throne was remarkable in itself. One of her biggest threats was from the Vatican, the super power of the age.
She new the power of publicity and public image. She chose her counsel well and was able to use the fact that she was "just a woman" to her advantage.
Even her choice of successor was politic uniting, for the first time, the English and Scots nations.

Answer 10

Henry the 8th- he stood up for what he believed in and this is how it is possible for us all to divorce- not pleasant but important none the less.

I would just like to point out that many participants have cited British Monarchy -after1707 wheaeras the question asks specifically for english monarchy.