The British monarchy has a long history, and it has survived to the present day. With this form of government, Great Britain became a powerful state, expanding its territories, including through colonies. About the British Monarchy, the history of its origin, development and current state will be described in the article.
History of occurrence
The British monarch or Sovereign is the head of the United Kingdom, as well as overseas territories (colonies). The current monarchy of the United Kingdom can trace its roots back to the period when the Anglo-Saxons ruled.
In the 9th century, Wessex (the West Saxon kingdom), located in the south of Britain, began to dominate, and in the 10th century it already connected all the lands into a single kingdom. The vast majority of the rulers of Britain during the Middle Ages ruled like absolute monarchs. But at the same time, attempts were often made to limit their powers by the nobility, and then the House of Commons.
Roman period
Before the advent of the British monarchy, England was a colony of the Roman Empire. Already IV in the century BC. e. England was known to the rest of the world. Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Greeks bought Cornish tin here. The ancient Greeks mention the Cassiterites, or "tin islands", which are described as located off the western coast of Europe.
England was discovered by the Romans when Julius Caesar, being emperor, decided to make a campaign to the island in 55-54 BC. e. It should be noted that during this campaign, the territory was not conquered.
England was inhabited by Celtic tribes - Britons. In 43 A. D. e. A. Plautius came to Britain, and from that moment it became one of the Roman colonies and, accordingly, part of the Roman Empire.
Anglo-Saxon Seven Kingdoms
About 410, Roman rule in Britain ended. The monarchy in Britain began with the fact that the Anglo-Saxons conquered England. The Jutes, Angles and Saxons founded the so-called Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. This is the union of the seven dominant kingdoms, which included:
- Wessex.
- Northumbria.
- Murcia.
- Essex.
- East of England.
- Sussex.
- Kent.
Each of these kingdoms had its own monarch, who had broad powers. The kingdom of Wessex was led by King Egbert, who is often considered the first English monarch. The final stage in the formation of the British monarchy was the conquest of Britain by WilliamI Normandy (Conqueror). After capturing the territory, he establishes a single British kingdom and becomes its ruler.
An interesting fact is that "England", as a term, comes from the name of the ancient Germanic tribe of the Angles, who settled in Britain in the 5th century. Previously, it was used as a synonym for the name "Great Britain". However, it should be noted that in modern geography, the state is usually called Great Britain, and England is its administrative and political part. The states also include Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Abolition and restoration of the monarchy
Over the past 1500 years, European kings have been forced to adapt to the most difficult political situations, such as revolutions, civil wars, occupations and world wars. After various global events, today the monarchy has remained only in Spain, Great Britain, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.
The British monarchy turned out to be more stable than the French one, as you know, the latter disappeared after the French Revolution in 1789. However, Britain did not escape the revolutionary upheavals. So, in the 17th century, the English king Charles I demanded unlimited powers, pursuing a policy of absolutism. As a result, in 1642 Parliament rebelled against him, and a revolution took place, led by Oliver Cromwell. After that, the king was executed, and the monarchy was abolished and a republic was created.
However, after 18 yearsThe British Parliament has decided to restore the monarchy, but with much less power than before.
Constitutional Monarchy
Currently, a constitutional monarchy is the form of government in the UK. Under this form of government, the head of the executive branch, as well as a member of the legislature, is the prime minister. The monarch who occupies the throne performs only formal and ceremonial functions in relation to the government.
In the modern British monarchy, its head performs constitutional and representative duties that have developed over the long history of England. The sovereign also acts as the head of the nation, as a benchmark for national unity and stability.
For example, the current Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II represents the kingdom, receiving foreign ambassadors, heads of other states, and also makes state visits to other countries. This is done to support and improve economic and diplomatic relations.
Royal family
The Royal Family of Britain is the group of closest relatives of the monarch. In 1917, King George V (due to the war with Germany) was forced to renounce all his German titles, as well as those of his heirs. After which he renamed the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty into Windsor.
In Britain, there is no clear formal and legal definition that would indicate who exactly should be considered a member, which isfeature of the British monarchy. Currently, they are all close relatives in the line of the king and queen, such as children, grandchildren and their spouses, as well as cousins and cousins.
The Tree of the British Monarchy
Currently, Queen Elizabeth II "rules" in Britain. She has been on the throne since 1952. As you know, the power of the monarch is inherited. The heir to the British throne is her eldest son Charles, who bears the title of Prince of Wales. He, like the Queen's husband Philip, Prince of Edinburgh, performs only ceremonial functions.
As mentioned earlier, the heirs to the throne also include the spouses of the direct descendants of the monarch. Among them:
- the first son of Elizabeth II and Philip, Prince of Wales Charles, his wife - the Duchess of Cornwall Camilla;
- The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, and his wife, Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge;
- children of William and Catherine - two princes and a princess of Cambridge: George, Louis and Charlotte;
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Princess Meghan;
- second son of Elizabeth II and Philip and his wife, Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Andrew and Princess Beatrice;
- Andrew and Beatrice's children - Prince and Princess Andrew and Eugenia;
- the third son of Elizabeth II and Philip with his wife, the Earl and Countess of Wessex Edward and Sophie;
- children - Viscount Severn James and Louise Windsor;
- daughter of Elizabeth II and Philip, Princess Anne.
Cousins and cousins of the king and queen, as well as their descendants, are also considered heirs to the throne, for spouses of heirs thisthe rule does not apply.
British Parliament and Monarchy
Currently, the powers of monarchs are not as extensive as in the Middle Ages. However, the prerogatives (this is what the powers of the monarch are called) are quite large. In practice, most prerogatives are exercised by ministers. For example, the power to regulate civil services and issue passports lies with the respective ministries.
Other powers of the monarch are exercised by him nominally, in agreement with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers and in accordance with the constitutional convention. An example of the direct powers of the head of state, which he has the opportunity to use, is the right to dissolve parliament. With all the existing rights, the monarchy cannot claim new ones. That is, the Crown cannot impose prerogatives and execute them, therefore, its power is limited.
Personification of Great Britain
The Queen is the symbol of the British monarchy. It must be admitted that the English Crown is the most famous in the world, and its influence was and remains quite significant. The monarchy has now evolved into an institution that represents Britain as a whole. In the country itself, the queen and members of her family are very popular, and some of them even enjoy great love. For example, Princess Diana, the mother of Harry and William, who, even after her death, inspires admiration and respect from the British.
In general, it is quite difficult to meet an Englishman whoseparates itself from the Crown. This is not only a tradition, but also a way of life generally accepted by citizens, which has not changed for several centuries.
Today, tourists who come to the UK are of great interest both in the Queen herself and in everything connected with traditional power institutions. For a better acquaintance with the monarchy in London, various excursions are organized, including to Buckingham Palace. However, what happens behind its doors, tourists are not destined to know.
