English Regnal Dates
the year of the king's reign
In mediaeval England regnal dates were used in many documents. Although this method of dating slowly died out, it continued for dating Acts of Parliament until 1963. The regnal system uses the date on which the monarch came to the throne as a reference point, thus 4 August in the 15th year of his reign.
Some examples:
10th September 5 George I
= 10th September in 5th year of George I’s reign
George I came to the throne on
1st August 1714. The 5th year of his reign would have started on 1st August 1718, the date
therefore refers to 10th September 1718.
= 10 day of July Anno regni regis Edward IV one
= 10th day of July in the first year of king Edward IV’s reign
Edward IV came to the throne on 4th March 1461. This date is therefore 10th July 1461.
which Henry is not detailed, but only Henry III, Henry VI and Henry VIII reigned for
38 years or more. Henry VIII died in the January of his 38th year, ruling him out.
This leaves Friday 13th February 1254, in Henry III’s reign, or Wednesday 13th February
1460 in Henry VI’s.
(To prevent confusion and the need to explain two dating formats at once, the year numbers in the dates on this page have been rendered in modern style, thus 4th March 1460/61 is shown as 1461.)
King John's regnal years start on a different day each year, because he came to the throne on Ascension Day. It is always possible to make life more complicated, the page showing how Calisto displays regnal information illustrates some of these.
