Question

How did royal power in England progress from William to Henry II to John to Edward I ?

Answer 1

Well, William was succeeded by his son William II (William Rufus), who was succeeded by his brother, Henry I, who should have been succeeded by his only surviving legitimate child, Matilda. 

However, England wasn't ready for a female monarch, so Matilda's cousin, her father's nephew Stephen, managed to take the throne and fought it out with Matilda during a period known as "the Anarchy". The eventual result was that Matilda's son became Stephen's heir and succeeded him as Henry II. 

Henry was succeeded by his son Richard (the Lionhearted), who died with no children, so he was succeeded by his brother, John. John was succeeded by his son, Henry III, who was succeeded by HIS son Edward I.
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