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 British Queens
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

● Background of the royal succession

● Mary I (r. 1553-1558)
● Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603)
● Mary II (r. 1689-1694)
● Anne (r. 1702-1714)
● Victoria (r. 1837-1901)
● Elizabeth II (r. 1952-present)
Let’s know more about
FACT FILE
British Queens!
The monarchy of England, and later the United Kingdom, has been largely
dominated by men. The rule of a Queen Regnant initially came with issues
of gender, marriage and succession, which sought an image that would
embody the conventional roles for women.

Queens Regnant of England and the United Kingdom: Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary II, Anne, Victoria and Elizabeth II

From the sixteenth century, there have been six recognised female
sovereigns in England and the United Kingdom, namely Mary I, Elizabeth I,
Mary II, Anne, Victoria and Elizabeth II. The reigns of female monarchs
featured some of most significant periods in British history. To alleviate
the discrimination against female heirs to the throne, the absolute
primogeniture system became the basis of the line of succession with the
passage of the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.
 Background of the royal succession

Male-preference primogeniture had been the basis of the lineage of

succession of the monarchy in England. However, in the absence of male
heirs, female rulers succeeded to the English throne. Such were the case of
the few Queens Regnant in England and later the United Kingdom.
● The title of ruling monarch was passed from the king to his first-born
son since the Norman Conquest of England.
● However, various factors such as war, political unrest and the inability
of some monarchs to produce a suitable male heir have sometimes
led to turbulent transfers in power.
● From the medieval era, there were two women whose rule in England
were never recognised.
● Empress Matilda was declared the rightful heir to the
English throne by her father King Henry I during the
civil war known as the Anarchy.
● She fought for her right upon the usurpation of the
throne by her cousin Stephen and her force even
won the Battle of Lincoln in 1141.
● However, she was never crowned due to opposition
of the London crowds and was instead titled Lady of
A depiction of Empress Matilda the English.
● Lady Jane Grey was another female ruler in England
whose rule was challenged. She was named as
successor by the young King Edward VI, a problematic
decision that disregarded the line of succession set by
an act of Parliament.
● She reigned for nine days in 1553 until Henry VIII's first
child, Mary I, won a rebellion against her.
Lady Jane Grey

● Whilst female heirs to the throne were This act modified the
discriminated against, England and later the line of succession
United Kingdom have had a few reigning laws changing the
queens since the sixteenth century. male-preference
● In an attempt to eliminate the English primogeniture system
common law which dictated male-preference into an absolute
primogeniture, parliamentary representatives primogeniture
of the four nations making up the United system.
Kingdom passed the Succession to the
Crown Act in 2013.
 THINK ABOUT THIS! ACTIVITIES FOR AGES 11-14

DEFINITION. Given your knowledge of the resource, give meaning

1 to the following terms. (X marks)

TERMS DEFINITION

ROYAL SUCCESSION

PRIMOGENITURE

BILL OF RIGHTS 1689

ACT OF UNION 1707

HEIR-PRESUMPTIVE
 THINK ABOUT THIS! ACTIVITIES FOR AGES 14-16

SYNTHESIS. Look for six images that best depict the rule of each
1 British queen. Write a synthesis using these images. (X marks)
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