Chronology of Polities in the European Atlantic Archipelago
Particularly for the earlier periods this table should only be taken as a rough guide. The names of the four major parts in the heading
merely indicate territories which at various times corresponded more or less to the modern entities. Small entities such as the Channel
Islands and the Isle of Man, which have never been part of any of the polities named but for most of their history have been
subordinate to one or the other of them, are not included here.
(England) (Wales) (Scotland) (Ireland)
Ancient British principalities "Pictland"/Alba/ Irish kingships
Caledonia
Roman Province of Britannnia 43-410
(including parts of "Wales")
?-9th C
British/Welsh principalities
Anglo- 5th C-1258
Saxon
kingdoms: 5th-10th C Kingdom of Scotland
(some parts under Norse/Danish rule in 8th &
843-1651
9th C)
Kingdom of England:
10th C-1536
High Kingship of
(l10th C partly under Danish
Ireland 1014-
occupation; 1175-1541 English Kings
1169
= 'Lords of Ireland'; for large parts of
the Middle Ages in personal union with
(Lordship of Ireland,
various parts of what is now the French
Principality of Wales 1258-
subordinate to
Republic; from 1603 personal union
1536
England)
with Scotland)
(conquered by Engl. 1283; nominally still
existent)
Kingdom of England & Wales 1536-1649
(personal union with Ireland, from 1603 with Scotland)
Kingdom of
Ireland: 1541-
1649
(personal union with
England, from 1603
with Scotland)
Commonwealth and Free State of England, Wales, and Commonwealth
Ireland 1649-1654 and Free State of
Kingdom of Scotland
England, Wales,
1651-54
and Ireland 1649-
(nominal)
1654
Commonwealth of Great Britain & Ireland 1654-1660
(Protectorate 1654-1659)
Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of England & Wales 1660-1707 1660-1707 Kingdom of
(personal union with Scotland & Ireland) (personal union with England &
Ireland: 1660-
Ireland)
1800
United Kingdom of Great Britain 1707-1800
(personal union with
England & Scotland)
United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland 1801-1922
United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland 1922- Irish Free
State 1922-
1937
Republic of
Ireland/Éire
1937-
James Fanning, Greifswald 2005