Kings of England and ruthless acts - Historum

JohnnyH · June 25th, 2009, 02:24 PM

From the many inhuman acts perpetrated by, on the orders of, or in the name of, Kings of England, which are the most repugnant to modern eyes?

Ethelred I - the St.Brice's Day massacre (of Danish settlers), 1002, and many blindings of his nobles?

Canute - the purges of 1017-20. Blindings and/or executions of many Anglo-Saxon nobles that sided/rebelled against him?

Harald 'Harefoot' - the brutal blinding of aetheling Alfred, 1036, often blamed on earl Godwin?

William I - Mutilating civilians at Alencon, 1051, Exeter 1067 and the "harrying" of the north of England, 1069-70?

Henry I - allowed one of his feuding nobles to put out the eyes of two of his own young grandaughters (the children of one of his illegitimate daughters)?

John - the suspected hands-on murder by him of his young nephew, Arthur?

Edward I- expulsion of the jews from England, 1290, and the horrific 3-day sacking of Berwick, 1296?

Richard I - the mass slaughter of 2700 war captives at Acre, 1191?

Henry IV - the murder of his cousin, King Richard II, suspected ordered by him?

Henry V - the cold-blooded execution of "hundreds" of French nobles?

Richard III - the murders of the two Princes, Edward and Richard, suspected ordered by him?

Or others?

Nick · June 25th, 2009, 03:06 PM

You left out Mary I's persecution of Protestants. Even women and children were burned.

JohnnyH · June 25th, 2009, 03:12 PM

True, Nick, and whilst we're on the Tudors-

Henry VIII's torturing and/or merciless wiping out of (two)wives, family, friends, those he'd previously pardoned and all Yorkist rivals to his Lancastrian throne?

Nick · June 25th, 2009, 03:44 PM

Indeed. Henry was well-known for his cruelty, especially in his later years.

**tjadams** · June 25th, 2009, 04:16 PM

I've never bothered to learned English history, but this thread helps. Thanks Ironaxe.

Jebusrocks · June 25th, 2009, 07:12 PM

William the Conqueror and his baron's harrowing of the north after the conquest.

**Toltec** · June 26th, 2009, 12:44 AM

Elizabeth I's massacres in the North.

juliaainscow100 · June 26th, 2009, 09:27 AM

henry viii passed an act that anyone caught poisoning would be boiled to death!!

**Chookie** · June 26th, 2009, 11:30 AM

I'll vote for the Rape of Berwick......

princessX · June 26th, 2009, 01:13 PM

I'd have to say that Elizabeth I of England must have been quite ruthless to have had her own cousin beheaded. Also, Henry Bolingbroke for the usurpation of his cousin's throne and for being suspected of his murder.