| has gloss | eng: There were 33 English and British monarchs who were also monarchs of Ireland from 1177 to 1949. Henry II of England first created the title of Lord of Ireland for his youngest son John Lackland in 1177. He had first sought to have John made King of Ireland. This would appear to have been a strategy of his father's to divide his Angevin possessions between his four sons. The approval of Pope Alexander III was sought to have John crowned King of Ireland. Disagreements with first Alexander III and then his successor Pope Lucius III caused this to be delayed and instead John went as only Lord of Ireland. When John arrived in Ireland the people grew to despise him, causing John to leave after only eight months. When he later unexpectedly inherited the English crown in 1199, the title Lord of Ireland would come to be held by the monarchs of England. |
