Prince Harry Deploys to Iraq: Continuing a Twelve Century Tradition of Military Service

It looks like that Prince Harry will be going to war in Iraq after all. I, for one, am very happy that the British military establishment will ignore the threats of the jihadists and allow Prince Hal to serve his country in the War on Terror. He follows a long tradition of British royals going to war, even winning accolades in combat.

Most recently, Prince Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, saw action in the Falklands War on board the HMS Invincible. But the history of members of the British royal family, even Kings and Queens, leading men in battle goes back to the very beginning of England. Many British monarchs won their thrones at the point of a sword.

Alfred the Great, for example, was King of the Saxon country of Wessex when he lef his people against a Viking invasion, eventually winding up as King of a united England. Over a century and a half later, William Duke of Normandy, known at first as "that Bastard" but later as "the Conqueror" took the English crown in battle against the last Saxon King Harold Godwinson. After that very few English monarchs failed to go to war in person at least once in their reigns, as did many of their siblings.

Sometimes an English King would be overthrown in battle, like Harold, by another who would become King in his turn, like William. Later, Henry IV would take the throne from Richard II. Edward IV would seize the throne from Henry VI, then Henry VI from Edward IV and finally Edward IV from Henry VI once again during the Wars of the Roses. Henry VII took the throne from Edward IV's brother Richard III ("A horse! A horse! My Kingdom for a horse!") at the Battle of Bosworth, thus ending the Wars of the Roses and starting the Tudor Dynasty. Charles I was overthrown by Oliver Cromwell, fighting for the English Parliament. James II lost his throne in battle against William III and Mary II.

Some other British royals who distinguished themselves.