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Article: Denied their crowning glory; Answers to correspondents.
- Article from:
- Daily Mail (London)
- Article date:
- October 27, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Solo Syndication Limited. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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QUESTION How many firstborn sons of English kings failed to succeed to the throne?
SINCE William the Conqueror, no fewer than 15 monarchs - 14 kings and one queen - have not been succeeded by their firstborn sons.
In fact, King John (1199-1216), the seventh king from the Conquest, was the first one to be succeeded by his eldest boy.
Of those early kings, William II and Richard I had no issue, but the others all had firstborn sons who did not succeed to the throne.
The 15 monarchs are: * William I (1066-87): Robert, his eldest son, became Duke of Normandy - the premier title.
* Henry I (1100-35): William, his only son, drowned ...