What is Regnal year?
A '''regnal year''' is a year of the reign of a [[monarch]]. It is from the [[Latin]] ''regnum'' meaning [[kingdom]] or [[rule]]. Some of the oldest dating systems were in regnal years. A regnal year usually begins on the date of a monarch's [[accession]] to the throne.<ref name=Powell267>''Medieval Studies: An Introduction'', ed. James M. Powell (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1992), p. 267</ref> Year one is counted from day one to the end of the first year of a monarch's reign. Then a second year of rule, a third, and so on. They would not have a zero year of rule. It is displayed as an [[ordinal number|ordinal]], not a [[cardinal number]]. == Date problems == Every year of a monarch's reign falls within two calendar years, unless the reign began on the first day of the calendar year.<ref name=Nicholas272>Nicholas Harris Nicolas, ''The Chronology of History: Containing Tables, Calculations and Statements '' (London, 1833), p. 272</ref> When converting a regnal year in history to a calendar year, this can cause an error of one year.<ref name=Nicholas272/> In England, from the [[10th century]] until the late [[13th century]], the practice was to count the regnal year from the date of [[coronation]]. This was usually a later date than when a monarch was proclaimed [[king]] or [[queen]]. The current practice of dating from the date of accession began in the late 13th century when the heir was out of the country.<ref name=Powell267/> [[Henry III of England]] died on 16 November 1272 which some sources date as the beginning of [[Edward I of England]]'s rule.<ref name=Clionas27>Sir Harris Nicolas (pseudonym: Clionas), 'Commencements of the Reigns of John and Edward I', ''Gentleman's Magazine, and Historical Chronicle'', Volume 24 (London: John Nichols and Son, 1826), p. 27</ref> His reign actually began when he was proclaimed king at the [[Temple Church|New Temple]] on 20 November 1272.<ref name=Clionas27/> Here the date error between sources would be only four days. == Related pages == * [[Year]] * [[Juli