List of English Monarchs - Titles

Titles

The standard title for all monarchs from Alfred the Great until the time of King John was Rex Anglorum ("King of the English"). In addition, many of the pre-Norman kings assumed extra titles, as follows:

• Alfred the Great: Rex Angulsaxonum ("King of the Anglo-Saxons") and Rex Anglorum et Saxonum ("King of the Angles and Saxons")
• Athelstan: Rex Anglorum per omnipatrantis dexteram totius Bryttaniæ regni solio sublimatus ("King of the English and for accomplishing every right raised to the throne of Britannia")
• Edmund the Magnificent: Rex Britanniae ("King of Britain") and Rex Anglorum caeterarumque gentium gobernator et rector ("King of the English and of other peoples governor and director")
• Edred: Regis qui regimina regnorum Angulsaxna, Norþhymbra, Paganorum, Brettonumque ("Reigning over the governments of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxons, Northumbrians, Pagans, and British")
• Edwy the Fair: Rex nutu Dei Angulsæxna et Northanhumbrorum imperator paganorum gubernator Breotonumque propugnator ("King by the will of God, Emperor of the Anglo-Saxons and Northumbrians, governor of the pagans, commander of the British")
• Edgar the Peaceable: Totius Albionis finitimorumque regum basileus ("Autocrat of all Albion and its neighboring realms")
• Canute: Rex Anglorum totiusque Brittannice orbis gubernator et rector ("King of the English and of all the British sphere governor and director") and Brytannie totius Anglorum monarchus ("Monarch of all the English of Britain")

In the Norman period Rex Anglorum remained standard, with occasional use of Rex Anglie ("King of England"). The Empress Matilda styled herself Domina Anglorum ("Lady of the English").

From the time of King John onwards all other titles were eschewed in favour of Rex or Regina Anglie.

In 1604 James I, who had inherited the English throne the previous year, adopted the title (now usually rendered in English rather than Latin) King of Great Britain. The English and Scottish parliaments, however, did not recognise this title until the Acts of Union of 1707 under Queen Anne (who was of course Queen of Great Britain rather than king).