Regnal number
Ordinal numbers or regnal numbers are used to distinguish between persons with the same name who held the same office. Most importantly, they are used to distinguish monarchs. An ordinal is the number placed after a monarch's regnal name to differentiate between a number of kings, queens or princes reigning the same territory with the same regnal name.
It is common to start counting either since the beginning of the monarchy, or since the beginning of a particular line of dynastic succession. For example, Boris III of Bulgaria and his son Simeon II were given their regnal numbers because it was decided that the medieval kings (between 679-1018 and 1186-1393) would be included, even though their dynasty only dated back to 1887 and had no connection to the previous monarchies. On the other hand, the kings of England were counted starting with the Norman Conquest. That's why the son of Henry III of England is counted as Edward I, even though there were three Edwards before the Conquest.
In any case, it is usual to count only the monarchs or heads of the family, and to number them sequentially up to the end of the dynasty. Sometimes, such as in the case of the Swedish kings, mythical or semi-mythical persons are included. A notable exception to this rule is the German House of Reuss. This family has the particularity that every male member during the last centuries was named Heinrich, and all of them - not only the head of the family - were numbered. While the member of the elder branch were numbered in order of birth until the extinction of the branch in 1927, the members of the younger line were (and still are) numbered in sequences which began and ended roughly as centuries began and ended. This explains why the current head of the Reuss family is called Heinrich IV, his son Heinrich XIV and his son Heinrich XXIX.
Examples
- Kings Umberto I and Umberto II of Italy used the ordinals I and II to distinguish between themselves.
- Queens Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II are distinguished between by their ordinal.
- Popes John Paul I and John Paul II are distinguished between by their ordinal.
- Princes Rainer II of Monaco and Rainier III of Monaco are distinguished between by use of their ordinal.
Use of ordinals
Almost all monarchs and popes after mediaeval times have used ordinals. Ordinals are also retrospectively applied to earlier monarchs in most works of reference, at least as far as they are not easy to distinguish from each other by any other systematical means. In several cases, various sorts of "semi-regnal" members of dynasties are also numeraled, to facilitate their individuality in works of reference - in cases such as co-regents, crown princes, succession-conveying consorts, prime ministers and deputy monarchs. In the first centuries after Middle Ages, the use was sometimes sporadical, but became established until 18th century. In the past cuple of centuries, European monarchs without an official ordinal have been rarities.
Popes were apparently the first to assume official ordinals for their reigns, although this occurred only in last centuries of the Middle Ages.
As a rule of thumb, medieval European monarchs did not use ordinals at their own time, and those who used were rarities and even their use was sporadical. Ordinals for monarchs before 13th century are actually anachronisms, as are also ordinals for almost all later medieval monarchs, too.
It is quite clear, concluded from renumberings of Popes John XV-XIX and Popes Stephen II-IX, that at the 11th century the Popes did not yet use established ordinals. Whereas from the official, self-confirmed numbering of John XXI, means that at latest from 13th century the Popes did take official ordinals in their accession.
Emperor Frederick II and king Charles II of Naples evidently used ordinals sometimes during their reign. Whereas most of their contemporary monarchs did not. In 14th century, Emperor Charles IV used sometimes that ordinal. Presumably, use of the ordinal of king Frederick III of Sicily also is contemporaneous.
In British Isles, the tradition of consistently and prevalently numbering monarchs dates back to Henry VIII and Mary I, however sporadic use has occurred at least as early as the reign of King Edward III of England.
In British English and Hiberno-English ordinals, though they officially exist, are not used where only one monarch has used that reign name. Thus, though Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom was officially Victoria I her ordinal is not used except in formal legal documents. The ordinal for King Juan Carlos I of Spain is used in both Spanish and English, though the British tradition of not using "I" as an ordinal until there is a "II" is sufficiently strong that he is sometimes simply called King Juan Carlos of Spain in English.
Non-consecutive ordinals may indicate dynastic claims for non-regnant monarchs. For example, legitimists believed that, after Louis XVI of France was executed during the French Revolution, he was succeeded by his young son, who they called Louis XVII. Although the child died in prison a few years later and never reigned, his uncle, coming to the French throne after the revolution, took the name Louis the XVIII in acknowledgement of his dynasty's rights. Similarly, when Emperor Napoleon I's regime collapsed, he abdicated in favor of his four-year-old son, who was proclaimed Napoleon II. The young emperor was deposed only weeks later by the Allies and was never recognized internationally; but when his cousin Louis Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed himself Emperor in 1852, he declared himself Napoleon III of France in recognition of his predecessor.
The length of time that that the Catholic Church and the Papacy have existed have led to difficulties in some cases. For example, Stephen was only Pope for three days before dying of apoplexy, and was never consecrated. Because not all list-makers count him as having been pope (as Stephen II), there has been some confusion in regard to later popes who chose the name Stephen. Later Stephens are sometimes numbered with parentheses, e.g., his immediate successor (in name) is denoted either Stephen (II) III, or Stephen II (III). The church did consider Stephen II a Pope until 1960, when he was removed from the list of Popes in 1961. Another example of this is that there has never been a Pope John XX.
The first
In some monarchies it is customary not to use an ordinal when there has been one holder of that name. For example, Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom is not called Victoria I. This tradition is applied in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden and Norway. It was also applied in most of the German monarchies.
Other monarchies do assign ordinals to monarchs who are the only ones of their name. This is a more recent invention and appears to be done for the first time when King Francis I of France issued testoons (silver coins) bearing the legend FRANCISCVS I DE. GR. FRANCORV. REX . This currently is the regular practice in Belgium, Spain and Monaco (at least for Prince Albert I, as Princess Louise Hippolyte, who reigned 150 years earlier, doesn't appear to have used an ordinal). It was also applied in Albania during the reign of King Zog, Brazil, Italy, Mexico, Montenegro, Portugal, Russia and by the Papacy under Pope John Paul I.
There are cases when the national traditions were not respected. For example, when Mary I of England acceeded to the throne, her regnal style was announced as "the most high, most puissant, and most excellent Princess Mary the First, by the Grace of God Queen of England, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and of the Church of England and Ireland Supreme Head".
Elizabeth Queen of Scots?
It is sometimes said that the present queen of the United Kingdom is not called Elizabeth II in Scotland, but simply Elizabeth, because she is the first monarch of her name to reign over Scotland. This is incorrect.
Between 1603, when the crowns were united in the person of James VI, and the union in 1707, the monarchs were numbered separately. After that, a single ordinal was used throughout Great Britain, and this has always been consistent with the English sequence of sovereigns. Hence, Edward VII of the United Kingdom was called Edward VII throughout the entire United Kingdom, even though he was only the second of that name to reign in Scotland.
In order to avoid controversy, it was announced [1] after the accession of Elizabeth II that, in the future, the highest numeral from each sequence would be used. So any future British King Edward would be given the number IX, even though there have only been three previous Edwards in Scotland, but any future King Robert would be given the number IV, even though he would be the first Robert to reign in England.
^ -Winston Churchill, House of Commons Official Report cols 199-201, 15 April 1953
Pretenders
It is traditional amongst monarchists to continue to number their pretenders, even though they have never reigned. Hence, a supporter of the Comte de Paris would call him Henri VII, even though only four Henri's have been King of France. This also explains why there was a Louis XVIII of France and a Napoléon III, even though France had never experienced the reign of Louis XVII or a Napoléon II.
Queens consort
While reigning monarchs use ordinals, ordinals are not used for queens consort and princesses consort. So whereas King George V of the United Kingdom used an ordinal to distinguish him from other kings in the United Kingdoms called George, his wife Queen Mary had no ordinal. Similarly while Prince Rainier III had an ordinal, his wife, Princess Grace of Monaco had no ordinal.
The lack of an ordinal in the case of queens consort and princesses consort complicating the recording of history, as there may be a number of consorts over time with the same name with no way to distinguish between them. For that reason, royal consorts after their deaths are recorded in history books and encyclopaedias through the use of their maiden name or pre-marital name.
Examples
- At least two English/British kings had wives known as Queen Mary:
- Queen Mary, the second wife of King James II/VI of England and Scotland is known historicially as Mary of Modena.
- Queen Mary, consort of George V, is known Mary of Teck.
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- King Henry VIII of England has two queens called '"Catherine:
- Queen Catherine, Henry's first wife is known as Catherine of Aragon.
- Queen Catherine, Henry's fifth wife is known as Catherine Howard.
- At least three English/British kings had wives known as Queen Elizabeth:
- Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King Edward IV of England, is known as Elizabeth Woodville
- Queen Elizabeth, the wife of King Henry VII of England, is known as Elizabeth of York.
- Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) is now increasingly referred to historically as Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (see below)
- At least three English/British kings had wives known as Queen Maud:
- Queen Matilda, the wife of King William I of England is known historicially as Matilda of Flanders
- Queen Edith or Matilda, the wife of King Henry I of England is known as Matilda of Scotland
- Queen Matilda, the wife of King Stephen of England, is known Matilda I of Boulogne - her regnal number being that belonging to a sovereign ruler of Boulogne.
- in addition to which, there is Empress Matilda whom quite many recognized as Queen Regnant of England
- At least three English/British kings had wives known as Queen Eleanor:
- Queen Alienor, the wife of King Henry II of England is known as Alienor of Aquitaine
- Queen Eleanor, the wife of King Henry III of England is known as Eleanor of Provence
- Queen Eleanor, the first wife of King Edward I of England is known as Eleanor of Castile
- At least three English/British kings had wives known as Queen Isabella:
- Queen Isabella, the third of King John I of England is known as Isabella of Angouleme
- Queen Isabella, the wife of King Edward II of England is known as Isabella of France
- Queen Isabella, the second wife of King Richard II of England is known as Isabella of Valois
- At least two English/British kings had wives known as Queen Margaret:
- Queen Marguerite, the second wife of King Edward I of England is known as Margaret of France
- Queen Margaret, the wife of King Henry VI of England is known as Margaret of Anjou
- Princess Grace of Monaco, the consort of Prince Rainier III, is known as Grace Kelly.
Changing back from consort name to maiden name
The changeover from queen consort name back to maiden name after their death is sometimes gradual, with many of those alive during the late consort's lifetime still using her consort name. Thus for a decade or two people still referred to George V's late consort as Queen Mary. However new generations who never knew her as Queen Mary now use Mary of Teck. Similarly while many still refer to Princess Grace of Monaco, people who did not know her as such now predominantly use Grace Kelly.
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Given the fact that she is only relatively recently deceased, people still refer to the widow of George VI by her last title, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. However in time she will come to be referred to (as is increasingly referred to in reference books and sources such as Wikipedia), as Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Similarly, though she is still widely referred to as Diana, Princess of Wales, her last title, the late first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales is increasingly being referred to in sourcebooks, and will eventually be generally known as, Diana Spencer.