Which other English/British monarchs could be called "the Great"?

Which other English/British monarchs could be called "the Great"?

  • Athelstan

    Votes: 10 14.3%
  • William I

    Votes: 4 5.7%
  • Henry I

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Henry II

    Votes: 7 10.0%
  • Richard I

    Votes: 3 4.3%
  • Edward I

    Votes: 13 18.6%
  • Edward III

    Votes: 11 15.7%
  • Henry V

    Votes: 7 10.0%
  • Henry VII

    Votes: 3 4.3%
  • Henry VIII

    Votes: 5 7.1%
  • Elizabeth I

    Votes: 35 50.0%
  • George III

    Votes: 3 4.3%
  • Victoria

    Votes: 31 44.3%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 4 5.7%

  • Total voters
    70
  • Poll closed .
OK.
Cnut was "the great" because he was king of Denmark, Norway most of Sweden and conquered England. I don't think most Englishmen are particularly proud of him and in school (1970's) I don't think he was called "the great". (Although he certainly earned it!)
Alfred was never "the Great" until romantic Victorian historians decided he invented England. He was a clever and successful king but "great" I don't think so.

I suggest that no English/British monarch should ever be called the great.
 
The tradition of giving English monarchs nicknames seems to have gone away around the same time that regnal numbers became common. The Anglo-Saxon monarchs tended to get nicknames to distinguish between them (so you could tell whether someone was talking about Edward the Elder, Edward the Martyr or Edward the Confessor, for instance). Early Normans didn't use regnal numbers, so had nicknames for the same reason (e.g. William Rufus), but once numbering took over, they basically stopped; Edward Longshanks is the last one I can think of who has a nickname that gets used at all, and even that's probably less common than Edward I.
 
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The tradition of giving English monarchs nicknames seems to have gone away around the same time that regnal numbers became common. The Anglo-Saxon monarchs tended to get nicknames to distinguish between them (so you could tell whether someone was talking about Edward the Elder, Edward the Martyr or Edward the Confessor, for instance). Early Normans didn't use regnal numbers, so had nicknames for the same reason (e.g. William Rufus), but once numbering took over, they basically stopped; Edward Longshanks is the last one I can think of who has a nickname that gets used at all, and even that's probably less common than Edward I.
Virgin queen?
 
She has achieved nothing of note and the Empire has crumbled while Britain is more divided than ever before.
Cementing the modern monarchy? Also, despite what people say I doubt Britain has ever seen such prosperity than during her reign. And anyway, it's not her fault the politicians on both sides of the aisle are nuts...
 
OK.
Cnut was "the great" because he was king of Denmark, Norway most of Sweden and conquered England. I don't think most Englishmen are particularly proud of him and in school (1970's) I don't think he was called "the great". (Although he certainly earned it!)
Alfred was never "the Great" until romantic Victorian historians decided he invented England. He was a clever and successful king but "great" I don't think so.

I suggest that no English/British monarch should ever be called the great.


Actually, Cnut was King of England before all over titles. Let us not forget that despite his Danish-ness he was King of England alone for almost two years before the other proclamations/conquests.

Alfred did more than a little and given his achievements and long lasting reforms I think he deserves to be called "the Great".
 
I don't understand why you'd give Victoria this epithet when she did nothing of real consequence herself. Of course, this is from someone who knows little of British internal politics of the period.

I voted Athelstan because I remember he's the first to actually create the Kingdom of England. After him... eh. Henry VII was pretty good. I'd call him 'the Restorer' instead, though. :p

British monarchs... eh. Can't think of one who deserves the epithet.
 
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