I have a family tree that a genealogist cousin put together over many years, which goes right back to 1410. Just yesterday I was sorting through some papers in my grandfather’s bureau and found some ancient letters and newsprint from the 1830s.
The 1410 ancestor claimed direct descent from Edward Ist’s eldest daughter Elizabeth, born in 1284.
So my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was King of England.*
Kneel you peasants, kneel !!!
[sub]* Since the randy old goat sired no less than 19 children, I suspect I may be far from alone in being able to say this[/sub]
Well presumably my mother and grandfather have greater claim than I, and since I’m disinclined to murder them for my own advancement (from #100,002nd in line to #100,000th no doubt) I’m probably not royal enough in attitude.
My SO is rabidly anti-monarchy, and it’s proving great fun to wind her up with this…
Funny, my grandfather did the same thing. He took the time to extend the list back to Alf the Great. The question, though, was whether he did all this work before or after he went senile…
Ah, well. Uh, welcome to the family. Or something.
I am descended from William the Conquerer, Edward I of England, David I of Scotland, 13 of the Magna Carta signers and a whole bunch of other famous dead folks. And where did it get me!? Where, I ask!
Now, this is the advantage to coming from Polish peasant stock - I can only do better than my ancestors! They may have been peasants, but I’m an engineer!
I’m a direct descendent of Edward I as well. I was all excited when I found out.
Unforunately for the lording-it-over-everybody factor, I later found out that something like 2/3 of Americans of English descent are directly descended from Edward I. He had like 12 children, and they had 12, and so on, and so on. (Ooh, I’m flashing on that Faberge shampoo commercial from the 70s, anybody else?)
Once saw a local newspaper feature section on this geneology buff family. They were obviously very snooty and loved to tell people about their Edward I connection. Commoners [snort].
Oh dear. That’s what my dad told me, honest… sigh
[sub]Damn. That pedigree of Sussex farmers going back to 1606 isn’t going to impress anyone here…[/sub]
change of tune I’m Canadian. My ancestors abandoned their ancestry on the boat coming over. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Blast you all! Everywhere I look in my tree farmers, farmers and more farmers with only a couple minor merchants and one county clerk. There are a few tantalizing leads but I’ve yet to hit the freeway of genealogy. Sigh.
Well I do like my farmers. I’d just like a little more variety.
Sorry, Rueben, Anne of Cleves (assuming you’re talking about Henry VIII’s 4th wife) didn’t have any children. In fact, none of Henry VIII’s six wives has surviving descendents, though there’s a possibility that randy ol’ Harry fathered a daughter by Mary Boleyn (yes, Anne’s sister) who has descendents today.
As for me, my most recent ancestor to sit his tuckus on the English throne was King Edward III (grandson of Edward I). I’m descended from his son, John of Gaunt (of “this plot of land, this sceptered isle, this England” fame) three times, thanks to the cousin marriages. Among my ancestors are Charlemagne, William the Conqueror, Harold Godwinsson (so I’m descended from both the winner and the loser of the Battle of Hastings!), Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Lady Godiva (I kid you not).
**I am descended from William the Conquerer, Edward I of England, David I of Scotland, 13 of the Magna Carta signers and a whole bunch of other famous dead folks. And where did it get me!? **
Join the club. I think I read somwehere that there are 4 million descendants of the Plantagenet Kings. One important note: the only SIGNER of the Magna Carta was King John (and he “signed” with his great seal). What you should say is that you are descended from 13 “Magna Carta Sureties” – the barons there at Runnemede whose job it was to enforce the Magna Carta.
