# I'm a direct descendant of Edward the First ! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 7, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175 "2002-10-07T12:30:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/1 "2002-10-07T12:30:51Z")
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] ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/2 "2002-10-07T16:05:43Z")
Zero replies? What a cheek! \ **WORSHIP ME YOU IGNORANT MASSES!!** \ ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/3 "2002-10-07T16:15:07Z")
So, are you going to challenge Lilibet for the throne? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/4 "2002-10-07T17:38:49Z")
If you want to challenge Her Maj, you’ll have to get past _me_. I’m a descendant of Anne Boleyn, so I outrank you. The Queen will be in Toronto on Thursday. I await your answer. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/5 "2002-10-07T17:46:11Z")
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… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/6 "2002-10-07T17:48:11Z")
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. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/7 "2002-10-07T18:03:16Z")
Another _welcome_ to the family. 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! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/8 "2002-10-07T18:27:31Z")
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! 😃 Worship you? \ ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/9 "2002-10-07T19:02:47Z")
Hmmm. Once again it seems appropriate to link to [Cecil’s column on pedigree collapse](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_083b.html). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tramp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tramp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tramp)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/10 "2002-10-07T20:40:29Z")
Um you can’t be a descendant of Anne Boleyn… Her only daughter Elizabeth I had no children… ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/11 "2002-10-08T04:17:55Z")
Greetings, cousins. 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]. ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/12 "2002-10-08T04:50:57Z")
Well the closest I come to english royalty… One of my Ancestors Died in an assassination attempt on Eddie I You want to keep barking orders now Reuben? Eh? Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/13 "2002-10-08T04:53:42Z")
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. _sigh_ [sub]Gotta go talk with Dad…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/14 "2002-10-08T05:18:36Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/15 "2002-10-08T09:25:04Z")
2/3rds of America eh? Not exactly the exclusive club one might have thought then 🙂 **Sunspace** : maybe your dad said or meant to say Anne of Cleves? ---
**Author:** ![Kamelion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8baadc/32.png) [@Kamelion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamelion)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/16 "2002-10-08T12:54:46Z")
I’m descended from Eve. Does that mean anything? ---
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/17 "2002-10-08T15:47:01Z")
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). .:Nichol:. ---
**Author:** ![KXL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KXL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KXL)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/18 "2002-10-08T17:24:22Z")
\*\*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. check out [www.magnacharta.net](http://www.magnacharta.net) if you’re not already a member. ---
**Author:** ![Lyllyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@Lyllyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lyllyan)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/19 "2002-10-08T17:46:05Z")
Thank you **KXL** , for the correction, and the link. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175/20 "2002-10-08T20:34:04Z")
I beg you, cousins. Please read [Cecil’s article on pedigree collapse](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_083b.html). Sample quote: > [@](#): > > Pedigree collapse explains why it’s so easy for professional genealogists to trace your lineage back to royalty–go far enough > back and you’re related to everybody. For that matter, you’re probably related to everybody alive today. Some geneticists believe that everybody on earth is at least 50th cousin to everybody else. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-a-direct-descendant-of-edward-the-first/131175.md?page=2)