Although famous for their James’s, the Stewart royal dynasty actually began with Robert II in 1371. For Robert to get things off to a flying start he would need to find a way to deal with the threat of invasion by Edward III, a rebellious nobility in Scotland and the relentless ambition of his own sons. To find out how he got on, listen to his podcast episode here or read on to find out more.
As the son of Robert the Bruce, David II had a very high bar to reach. In taking the throne as a child with a young Edward III determined to avenge English humiliation and put Scotland back in its place, the bar was threatening to disappear into the clouds. With a rival for the throne in the form of Edward Balliol and the impending drama of the Hundred Years War, could David II keep his throne and save his country, or would the hard work of the Bruce be undone? To find out, you can listen to his podcast episode here or read on to find out more.
Robert the Bruce is one of the most famous names in Scottish history, but can the real man live up to the legend? There was certainly a lot on his plate with Scotland bereft of a king and under the rule of Edward I of England, but could Robert the Bruce restore liberty to Scotland? Listen to his podcast here or read on to find out more.
As of about 17:30 today (9 September 2015), Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history. To mark her achievement, we take a look at the top 10 reigns in English history and see how the Queen compares to her (not always) illustrious predecessors.
Despite being dead for over 500 years, King Richard III just keeps on delivering scandal, and now he’s even brought the Queen into the spotlight! A new report on Richard and what we can learn from his DNA initially began with headlines that it is “99.999%” certain that the body is that of Richard III, with the inevitable spoil-sport rejoinder that, on the other hand, they still might not be Richard. However, this was soon upstaged by the revelation that, somewhere in Richard’s family tree, there are confirmed instances of illegitimacy, bringing into question a good five-hundred years of royal succession and even whether the wrong person now sits upon the throne.
Now what have you done, Richard?
The battle to reach the grand final has been hard fought but now the day of reckoning is upon us. Alfred the Great, Athelstan, Henry II, Edward I, Edward III, Henry V, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Victoria: nine monarchs, but only three will make it through to the final. To find out the results, watch the video or click for the stats but beware – spoilers!
The voting for the Semi-Finals of the Rex Factor play-offs is nearly finished – you have until the close of play on Thursday 12 June to cast your vote for the three monarchs who you think should make it through to the final. If you’re not sure who to vote for and don’t have time to listen to the three play-off episodes, here’s a quick guide to the 9 monarchs competing for a place in the final as well as links to all the surveys.
In the third and final play-off, some personal favourites come to blows in the battle for the final place in the Grand Final. Alfred the Great flies the flag for the Anglo-Saxons while Edward I and his grandson Edward III hold their swords aloft for the Plantagenets. Read on for more information about the three contenders and how you can help to decide who will go through to the final.
The third and final first round tie of the play-offs is now live. Doing battle in Group C are William the Conqueror, Edward III, Henry V, William IV, Victoria and George V. Read on for a quick introduction to the six contenders and details on how you can vote to decide the outcome.
There were 18 monarchs to receive the Rex Factor and who are now competing for the Rex Factor crown. Each of them has their own dedicated podcast but as a quick (re)introduction, here’s a guide to England’s greatest monarchs and their greatest achievements:
Continue reading
Rex Factor 