The English monarchy has been around for a REALLY long time, like centuries. They have had a lot of good and bad monarchs over the years, but mainly they've had a few really bada** rulers who did something great or impressive. Here is a list of who I (and a British historian) think are the most bada** English monarchs!

1. Alfred the Great

He is the only English monarch to get "the Great" added to his name, and there is a reason for that. He defeated the vikings and unified England. That might not seem like a huge deal now, but at the time and compared to his contemporary peers, he was a bada** boss. He also encouraged a lot of scholarship and education after he fortified and defended his country, so that makes him pretty awesome, as well.

2. William the Conqueror

He conquered England! An entire country! And maintained and expanded his power on the continent in what would today be considered France. He did it all, from doing a massive survey across England to showing up the French king. Too bad he didn't really spend much time in England.

3. Henry II

To be brief, he took the throne that was rightfully his mother's, married a smart, rich woman (Eleanor of Aquitaine), and killed it in battle on both the continent and in England. He fought with the Pope. Yeah, the one in Rome. He kind of lost though, because of Archbishop Thomas Becket (the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time). Henry and Beckett used to be friends, but after Henry appointed him to be Archbishop, Becket started causing a lot of problems for Henry where Henry thought he would help. And then some of Henry's soldiers murdered Becket in the Cathedral, and then Henry had to suck up to the Pope to avoid excommunication.

4. Richard I

Also known as the Lionheart, this is the King Richard of Robin Hood tales. He hardly spent any time in England and spent most of his time on crusade. He managed to get himself captured and ransomed. This caused his brother John a lot of problems, but hey, Richard was the ideal knight king that people wanted then, so he is a little idealized.

5. Henry V

There are a lot of English kings named Henry. This Henry fought in the 100 Years War against France and did really well. He was the king that won Agincourt (a major battle where the French outnumbered the English, but the English archers ended up saving the day). He also scorched a good portion of the French king's territory. Too bad the good die too young as Henry died of dysentery in France.

6. Edward I

Also known as Edward Longshanks and Hammer of the Scots. Edward was called "Longshanks" because he was so tall for his time, and was called "Hammer of the Scots" because he declared feudal lordship over them. He did a lot for the administration of the country and for the development of common law. He is an administrative and military bada**.

7. Edward IV

He fought in the beginning of his reign in the Wars of the Roses for the House of York. He was put on the throne, then removed, and then took the throne back. He defied the Earl of Warwick who helped him gain the throne and married for love instead of politics. This later came back to bite his children and widow.

8. Henry VIII

I feel like everyone knows who Henry VIII is, either from the show "The Tudors" or from high school history class. Henry broke with the Roman Catholic Church to divorce his first wife then beheaded his second wife. He was married to six different people throughout his reign and had numerous mistresses. He drank, ate, and partied the country into bankruptcy. #frataf

9. Elizabeth I

She is my favorite. She went through a lot in life, especially during the reign of her half-sister Bloody Mary. She was an independent, powerful woman would never married, despite pressure to do so. She was fashionable and witty. Elizabeth was also a patron of William Shakespeare. She stood by her beliefs and kicked the Spanish Armada's butt.

10. William III and Mary II

They took over during the Glorious Revolution. They replaced Mary's father James II. With their taking over the throne, Parliament had them give the Lords and Commons more influence and rights politically. They also were encouraged to take the throne from James II because he was a Catholic and had recently had his first son with his Catholic second wife; fearing the return of Catholicism, Parliament worked to have the Protestant William and Mary come from the Netherlands and take the throne.

11. Victoria I

Before Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria was the longest reigning monarch. She lends her name to Victorian England. Her reign saw a great deal of reform and industrialization. It saw the expansion of the empire and a great growth in the wealth of the British. She also lost significant control over the power of the government as compared to her predecessors. Victoria has had numerous biographies written about her. She influenced an era and left a lasting impact on history.

12. Elizabeth II

Woo! The current monarch! Elizabeth has reigned the longest of any other English monarch. She has had over 30 corgis throughout her reign as queen. She has been queen of England for over 60 years and is great-grandmother! God Save the Queen!

Who is your favorite English monarch?