Random history thoughts...
I was thinking about the Young King today.
I've discussed before why we have four royal individuals who were proclaimed and recognised as king/queen but never crowned - the Empress Matilda, Edward V, Lady Jane Grey and Edward VIII - and why the men are included in the generic lists of succession and the women aren't. Short answer: blatant sexism.
Although, hell, if proclaimed but never crowned is the definition, then Louis VIII of France ought to be in the list too! And I suppose it ought to be Philip and Mary, in the same vein as William and Mary.
And somehow I always forget about Henry the Young King, son of Henry II. And this one is even stranger, as he was crowned. He was officially King of England, Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Maine. I suppose because he died before his father he didn't succeed him, which may explain why he is left out, but it makes it historically inaccurate because he was King alongside Henry II; he was crowned and anointed.
I remember having a ruler as a kid with all the kings and queens on; you still see them in English Heritage gift shops etc and in all the mainstream textbooks - 'the lists of English kings and queens'. There should be a standard definition that either says no coronation = no monarch, in which case we have to bid farewell to Edwards V and VIII and do a spot of re-numbering, or we need to include those that were proclaimed, acknowledged but not crowned, which means Matilda and Jane and the Young King and good old Louis.
I've discussed before why we have four royal individuals who were proclaimed and recognised as king/queen but never crowned - the Empress Matilda, Edward V, Lady Jane Grey and Edward VIII - and why the men are included in the generic lists of succession and the women aren't. Short answer: blatant sexism.
Although, hell, if proclaimed but never crowned is the definition, then Louis VIII of France ought to be in the list too! And I suppose it ought to be Philip and Mary, in the same vein as William and Mary.
And somehow I always forget about Henry the Young King, son of Henry II. And this one is even stranger, as he was crowned. He was officially King of England, Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Maine. I suppose because he died before his father he didn't succeed him, which may explain why he is left out, but it makes it historically inaccurate because he was King alongside Henry II; he was crowned and anointed.
I remember having a ruler as a kid with all the kings and queens on; you still see them in English Heritage gift shops etc and in all the mainstream textbooks - 'the lists of English kings and queens'. There should be a standard definition that either says no coronation = no monarch, in which case we have to bid farewell to Edwards V and VIII and do a spot of re-numbering, or we need to include those that were proclaimed, acknowledged but not crowned, which means Matilda and Jane and the Young King and good old Louis.