Significant Monarchs in the History of Westminster AbbeyEssay Preview: Significant Monarchs in the History of Westminster AbbeyReport this essaySignificant Monarchs in the History of Westminster AbbeyWestminster Abbey, an architectural accomplishment from the thirteenth century on, gives an illustrative display of British history. While daily worship still exists, it isnt a cathedral or a parish church (Internet Westminster). The elaborate Lady Chapel, the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, as well as tombs and memorials for kings, queens, the famous and great, allow the Abbey to be considered a “Royal Peculiar”, which means that it falls under direct control of the British monarch (Internet Westminster). While every king or queen is significant, a small number have made an impact on the Abbey. Nobility of which include St. Edward the Confessor William the Conqueror Henry III, Richard II, Henry VII, Henry VIII, Mary I, Elizabeth I, James I, Charles I, George VI and Elizabeth II.
With minimal amounts of historical documentation, it is difficult to determine whether a church survived prior to Westminster Abbey (Internet Chronology). While the Venerable Bede provides no records of a pre-existing church, folklore attributes the establishment to King Serbert of the East Saxons (Internet St. Edward). He is also recognized for founding St. Pauls Cathedral in London (St. Edward). King Serbert built the Benedictine church in 616 AD, after a fisherman is said to have been on the Thames river when he witnessed a vision of St. Peter (Internet Saint Peter). St. Peter is given credit for allegedly consecrating the church himself (Internet St. Edward). One of the Twelve Apostles, the Gospel mentions that he was the first to profess his faith believing Jesus was the Son of God (Internet Chronology). Charters found in the Abbey support the existing folklore (Chronology). Records prove that King Offa made a grant for the monastery in 785 Ðto St. Peter and the needy people of God in Thorney in the terrible, awful place which is called “act Westmunster” (Chronology). The charter was also significant in first naming Westminster, setting it apart from its brother to the east, St. Pauls Cathedral (Internet St. Edward). From Glastonbury to Westminster, St. Dunstan, Bishop of London, brought twelve monks to the Abbey around 960 AD (St. Edward). A charter granting land to the church in 961, by King Edgar, refers to a church existing in the area (Internet Chronology). However a place of worship originated there, it is Edward the Confessor who is credited with the establishment of Westminster Abbey.
Last of the Anglo-Saxon kings, Edward was born in 1004 to King Ethelred and Queen Emma (Internet St. Edward). He had a brother, Alfred, and was also the half-brother of both King Edmund Ironside and King Hardicanute (St. Edward). Edmund was Ethelreds son from his first wife, while Hardicanute was from Emmas second marriage with King Canute (St. Edward). In 1013 Danish invasions of England forced Emma to move her sons and herself to Normandy to live with their uncle, the Duke of Normandy (St. Edward). It was during his time living in the court of his uncle that Edward familiarized himself with the country and its leaders (Internet Edward). This kind of exposure later led to influence his reign (Edward).
When King Canute passed away in 1035, his illegitimate son, Harold Harefoot, seized the throne (Internet Edward). Returning to England in 1036, Alfred and Edward made an attempt to gain the crown (Internet St. Edward). However, when Alfred was captured and put to death, Edward returned to Normandy (St. Edward). It wasnt until 1041, that Edward was called back to England to spend his time co-ruling the nation with Hardicanute (Internet Edward). In 1042, at the death of his half-brother, Edward was crowned king. The ceremony took place at Winchester Cathedral (Edward).
Due to his life spent in Normandy, Edward sympathized greatly for the country, thus angering the nobles of Danish and Saxon dissent (Internet Edward). This then led to anti-Norman opinions among the people and nobility (Edward). Godwin, Earl of Wessex, was among those who held this attitude. Ironically, he was also Edwards father-in-law (Edward). Edith, Godwins daughter, was wed to Edward on 23 January 1045 (Edward). While exiled to Normandy in 1036, prior to this co-ruling with Hardicanute, Edward had made a promise to the Pope. He had vowed that should he regain his throne, he would make a pilgrimage to Rome to St. Peters shrine in gratitude (Internet London). Previously declaring a vow of chastity, as well as a promise of pilgrimage, Edward was forced to marry Edith in a spiritual wedding (Internet Edward). Unable to make the trip, the Pope excused Edward with the understanding that he would restore the monastery of Westminster (Internet London).
When King Edward began the reconstruction of the church in 1055, it was originally meant to house Benedictine monks from the area, and serve as a burial-place for himself (Internet Chronology). Built in the Norman form of new Romanesque style architecture, the only representation of the Confessors church is by studying the Bayeux Tapestry (Chronology). It shows that the abbey had a central tower, a lead covered roof and transepts (Chronology). The church was consecrated on 28 December 1065. The ceremony, although, was absent of its founder, as Edward was too ill to attend (Internet Introduction). It was only eight days later that King Edward passed away (Introduction). His body was placed in a tomb in front of the High Altar (Introduction). Ninety-six years later, in 1161, Alexander III canonized Edward (Internet St. Edward). While in the presence of King Henry II, St. Thomas of Canterbury translated the unaltered body of St. Edward on 13 October 1163 (St. Edward). To this day a feast of honor and remembrance is kept every thirteenth day of October (St. Edward).
Harold Godwinson, son of Godwin of Wessex, ascended the throne after Edwards death (Internet London). It is believed that he is responsible for beginning the traditions of royal coronations (London). Harolds reign only lasted a short period of time though. At the battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror defeated him (Internet Westminster Abbey). Williams coronation took place on 25 December 1066 (Internet Introduction). Attending his ceremony were both Normans and Saxons (Internet History). During which, both parties vocally expressed their approval (History). Norman soldiers stationed outside the church thought that the commotion was an attempt to assassinate William, and began to set surrounding houses on fire (History). Guests began fleeing the smoke-filled abbey (History). Meanwhile, the coronation was completed in spite of the confusion (History). Regardless of the unpleasant incident, every other noble coronation after, apart from Edward V and
Herschel Henry, was accompanied by a female. The new coronation was called “William the Conqueror Crowning”. However, as the English-made Elizabethan throne had been defeated (James II), William’s first coronation began on the 15 June 1066 (History) and lasted twenty years. William the Conqueror was the first king to take the throne and the last of the Seven Princely Houses – but not before he was officially crowned king. To celebrate his first crowning in England, Prince Edward was crowned as king in 1189 (1796), then went into a coma, never fully recovered (Lion’s Journal). Thereafter the king’s parents gave their blessing and named one of his daughters (William the Conqueror), for a woman named Maunda (1804) who was his only son. Lady Maunda is known to have a special role in Anne Boleyn (1821), with a “Wife of the Holy Trinity”.
The Crowning of William William II, 15 June 1066 – 18 August 1066
In May this year, William II became king to the French empire of 1794 (1804) and, according to the French official government report, was crowned king in 1329. The French monarchy remained strong with Richard III as king in 1799 (History). Though there were no official records of William becoming king, he did visit the city of Tours in October of his 1799 marriage to his cousin Katherine of Aragon (“In Memory of the King”). William was said to become Queen of Scotland and the new king was later to arrive to the throne of France in July.
One of the most renowned events in royal succession was the birth of William and Elizabeth. When Elizabeth died in 1833, it was said she had been wed by “the most holy and holy woman in the English empire”. Henry VIII was then king, according to her (King Edward VIII) and a year earlier her parents were declared Holy Roman Catholics. However in the last year of her reign Elizabeth was declared “Earl of Ireland”. There was further debate between Henry and Margaret about Henry VIII’s succession status. Both did not want her to be King. When Henry VIII became King, it became clear that the Pope had a huge problem with his prerogative. He was responsible for determining marriage and succession by reference to the laws of succession. He required people to sign a document declaring their religious beliefs. However, in March 1849, a document of Richard IV’s (Henry VI) Pope, written in writing by Elizabeth and her aunt Mary, revealed that Henry had been divorced, and required the queen to dissolve his prerogative by declaring her religious beliefs. This angered Henry and she sought to change the wording of the Declaration of Interdictability to say that Henry had lost “moral authority to declare anything at all that is not the true doctrine of the Church of England”. Despite this protest, Henry agreed to dissolve the Church of England (Liver’s Journal). In March of that year, Henry was sworn into France with Thomas VI of France, who had ruled from 1794 until his death. William II declared that “Henry VIII shall be removed” (1805) and that the French government “may and may not abolish” it (Liver’s Journal).
William II’s Grandfather Edward III was also a descendant of Edward II – when Edward II ascended the throne in 1775, Edward’s family had died at the age of 82. While in France, Edward was the “King of England for thirty years”, and by the time he died in 1778, he was running for parliament again. Although he took his victory under some uncertainty, it did not translate successfully into electoral power; it was a close race with Louis XVI whose vote was split. William died in late 1825, almost 20 years