Why is Edward III the most recent possible royal ancestor?

+8 votes
355 views
I've been digging through the ancestors of the various "Gateway Ancestors" (of royalty) to New England (I'm a descendant of Elizabeth Alsop and Martha Bulkeley) and I've found that Edward III seems to be the most recent English king that any of them are descended from (though I may have come across one descended from Henry IV). Why is this so?
in Genealogy Help by Living Hall G2G Crew (380 points)

2 Answers

+5 votes
Hi Mathew,  It is my own opinion, other members might add here, that he had many descendants growing up at a time when travel to America was happening. Also, that, his father, Edward II had virtually no notable descendants and previous King's descendants intermarried needs to be considered. Studying the War of the Roses, succession, might further explain the situation.    Jack
by John Thompson G2G6 Pilot (352k points)
+10 votes
Henry IV has living descendants, not many, but 3 gateways, tnrough an illegitimate granddaughter.

Edward IV has descendants through 2 bastards, but no gateways.

Richard II, Henry V, Henry VI, Edward V, and Richard III have no descendants.

The next king with legitimate descendants was Henry VII, 150 years after Edward III, but his descendants were a much smaller and more exclusive class than Edward III's.

This list is very interesting

https://familypedia.wikia.org/wiki/Descent_of_Elizabeth_II_from_William_I

From William down to Edward III, every generation wore the crown, if you include Matilda.  From George I to the Queen, only 2 generations are skipped.  But between Edward III and George I, of 13 generations, only 2 wore the crown.

The rest of the time, the throne was occupied by branches which had the better claim, one way or another, but then fizzled out, one way or another.

This is fairly typical of how titles descend.  If you trace the direct line back from the current peer or baronet back to tne 1st, there can be a lot of generations that didn't have the title.  And if they brag about their illustrious "ancestors", often those "ancestors" weren't in their line.

Philippa of Clarence, #11 in tne list, has many gateways, but she died as heiress presumptive.  If she'd lived longer, the descendants of Queen Philippa would have had bragging rights over the only-Edward-III bunch.
by Living Horace G2G6 Pilot (634k points)
edited by Living Horace
RJ.....Could you identify the three gateways of Antigone.....please.    Jack
Thanks R.J.    Jack
Thanks, this makes a lot of sense now!

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