Who invented the and "House of Windsor and " as a royal name? Who founded Westminster Abbey? Which King had 21 illegitimate children? This engaging volume offers a continuous history of the English monarchy that shows how nine dynasties rose and fell, and uncovers the more unusual incidents of royal history. From Egbert - crowned in 802 - to Elizabeth II, the histories of each monarch's reign, as well as the extraordinary lives of their spouses, consorts, mistresses, and bastard children, are all addressed.