Gaveston, Piers (d.1312) - Favorite of Edward II. Angered the barons, was eventually seized and killed.
Geoffrey of Brittany (1158-1186) - Son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. One of the "Devil's Brood", rebelled against Henry II, died still plotting.
Geoffrey Plantagenet (d.1212) - Illegitimate son of Henry II, joined his half-brothers in unsuccessful rebellion in 1173, later became Archbishop of York.
Giffard, Walter (d.1279) - Chancellor and Archbishop of York, regent to Edward I.
Glendower, Owain (1359-c1416) - Welsh national hero, rebelled with reasonable success against the English in 1400, disappeared in 1415).
Grosseteste, Robert (1175-1253) - Scholar, Bishop of Lincoln, upheld church against secular authority, but also preached against abuses by the clergy.
Grufudd ap Cynan (1055-1157) - King of Gwynedd, forced to submit to the Normans.
Hamon, Robert Fitz (d.1107) - Norman lord of Glamorgan, built Cardiff Castle.
Henry I (1068-1135) - Son of William I, seized the crown after the death of his brother William II. Henry united the Norman and English royal houses by marrying Matilda, niece of Edgar the Atheling.
Henry II (1133-1189) - Son of Matilda, married Eleanor of Aquitaine. Came to the throne on the death of King Stephen in 1154. Terrible temper; when he quarreled with Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, his knights murdered Becket. Reformed the legal system. His sons rebelled against him.
Henry the Young King (1155-1183) - Son of Henry II, optimistically crowned in 1170. Rebelled against his father in 1173.
Henry III (1207-1272) - Son of King John, king from 1216. Unpopular, barons under Simon de Montfort rebelled and captured him in 1264. Restored by his son, Edward.
Henry IV (1367-1413) - "Bolingbroke", son of John of Gaunt. Exiled 1398, he invaded in 1399 and seized the crown from Richard II. Put down rebellions in Wales.
Henry V (1387-1422) - Son of Henry IV, won the Battle of Agincourt, forced King Charles to acknowledge him as heir. Married Charles' daughter Catherine.
Henry VI (1421-1471) - Son of Henry V. Bouts of insanity rendered his reign ineffective. Constant conflicts with his barons. Deposed by Edward IV, reinstated by Warwick the Kingmaker, eventually murdered in the Tower of London after the Battle of Tewkesbury.
Henry VII (1457-1509) - Son of Edmund Tudor, invaded England and defeated Richard III at Bosworth in 1485. United the houses of Lancaster and York by marrying Elizabeth of York, effectively ending the Wars of the Roses. A strong administrator, he restored stability and the authority of the crown.
Henry of Grosmont (1300-1361) - Counselor and friend of Edward III.
Herbert, William, Earl of Pembroke (1423-1469) - Counselor to Edward IV, later executed.
Hereward the Wake (lived late 11th century) - English leader, rebelled against William I in 1070. His stronghold was at Ely in the Fens. Perhaps bought off by William.
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (1391-1447) - Son of Henry IV, regent for Henry VI. Died suspiciously while awaiting trial for treason in 1447.
Isabella of France (1292-1358) - Queen to Edward II, estranged from her husband, she led a revolt with her lover, Roger de Mortimer, deposing Edward in 1327, and (probably) instigating his murder. Isabella ruled as regent with Mortimer until 1330. She was pensioned off by her son, Edward III, when he seized power in that year.
Isabella of France (1389-1409) - Daughter of Charles VI of France. Married Richard II in 1396.
John I )1166-1216) - Son of Henry II, king from 1199. Lost most of the English possessions in France. John was forced to sign the Magna Carta 1215 after conflict with his barons.
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399) - Son of Edward III, father of Henry IV. Virtual ruler in the last years of Edward's reign and under Richard II.
John of Salisbury (1115-1180) - Ally of Thomas a Becket, writer and scholar.
Lanfranc (1005-1089) - Archbishop of Canterbury, supported William I in his struggle with the pope. One of the most learned men of his age.
Langland, William (1330-1400) - Author of "The Vision of Piers Plowman", critical of the worldly nature of clergy.
Langton, Stephen (d.1228) - Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by the pope, but King John refused his nomination. Helped draw up the Magna Carta.
Llewelyn the Great (1173-1240) - Welsh ruler, held much of Gwynedd and the Marches, brought stability to Wales.
Lovell, Viscount Francis (1454-1487) Supporter of Richard III, rebelled against Henry VII. Disappeared, probably killed in the Battle of Stoke.
Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482) - Queen to Henry VI, fought numerous battles on his behalf. Finally lost the Battle of Tewkesbury to Edward IV, and was captured. Later ransomed by Louis of France.
Margaret of France (1282-1318) - Queen to Edward I.
Marshall, William, Earl of Pembroke (d.1219) - One of the most powerful and respected knights of the Middle Ages. Made his fortune at tournament jousting. A crusader, Marshall served under four kings.
Matilda (Maud), Queen (1102-1167) - Daughter of Henry I. She was named Henry's heir, but the throne was seized by her cousin Stephen when Henry died. She invaded England, precipitating years of ruinous civil war. To settle the war her son Henry was named Stephen's successor.
Montfort, Simon de, Earl of Leicester (1208-1265) - Leader of the barons against Henry III, defeated Henry at Lewes (1264), captured the king. Held peculiar notions for his time about democracy and the rights of the individual. Called the first Parliament to include representatives from the newly important towns. Defeated and killed by Prince Edward at Evesham (1265).