How did someone become a medieval king or queen?

Answer 1

To become a medieval king or queen you have to:

• war leader
• judge
• firm and fair
• good looking
• produce a heir {child}

• Have a relationship with the church - need to keep the bishops happy so it looks like gods on his side.
• Be religious

• Just be a generally nice person

Answer 2

Most medieval kings inherited their kingdoms from their fathers or other close relatives. The inheritance was usually governed by strict law, under which there would hopefully be no doubt as to who would inherit.

Laws were different in different lands. In some places a king was elected in one way or another. In Scotland, for much of the Middle Ages, the clan chiefs would try to come to some agreement on who should be king.

Some kings got their thrones by using available power to take it. Most of these are looked on as usurpers, but not all. The people who took power were usually powerful feudal lords, such as Charles Martel, who had inherited their power as a king would. There were exceptions, including a peasant named Ivaylo, who became King of Bulgaria in a revolt there. There were also a fairly large number of people who were in line for the throne after someone else, and became king by killing the person who was ahead of them to inherit. Richard III of England is popularly known for this.

Some kings were placed on thrones by other kings in other countries. The English kings tried on several occasions to choose kings of Scotland who would be allied to them. There were kings who invaded countries successfully and became kings of those other countries; Charlemagne, who was King of the Franks, conquered the Kingdom of Lombardy and became king of that country, too, while keeping it a separate kingdom.

Some kings were simply important military men who led armies into foreign lands and settled there, calling themselves kings. This happened during the Age of Migrations, when Germanic chiefs settled their people in Western Europe or North Africa and decided to be kings. It was also done by some of the leaders of the Crusades.

Not all monarchies were headed by kings. There were independent monarchies that were counties, such as the County of Barcelona. One of the counts of Barcelona decided one day to be a king instead of a count, and so he got himself crowned.

Answer 3

To become queen of England during the middle ages you either married the king (or a prince who later became king), or you were the oldest daughter of a king who had no sons.

Answer 4

You have to be the ruling king and queens daughter, without a brother.