Who invented the "House of Windsor" 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.