By the Face of Lucca!

S:    "Queen Elizabeth's the oldest-ever monarch?"

M:    "No, she's the oldest queen."

S:    "It says she's the oldest U.K. monarch."

M:    "Oh. Longest reign for a queen, then?"

S:    "No, that's still Victoria."

M:    "I thought George was ahead of her in something."

S:    "George? Which George?"

M:    "Her father?"

S:    (scoffing!) "Noooo.... not her father. He wasn't around that long."

M:    "There was some George ahead of her."

S:    "Oh yes, here it is, at the end. She has to pass Henry III and George III before she can take on Victoria."

M:    "Ah."

S:    "Henry III? Henry III? I know Henry I, Henry II, Henry IV, but Henry III?

And so, I will now Google for 90 seconds (or Wiki for 60) and share what I learn about Henry III:

• He was the weedy (or maligned, if you prefer) King John's son. And I was just thinking, as we sit here watching the Attenborough remake of Miracle on 34th Street, that's it's just that time of the year for The Lion in Winter again. Best. Christmas. Movie. Ever.
• He became king when was nine years old.
• He called England's first Parliament.
• Like his namesake and grandfather, he also married an Eleanor. (And she was also French, but who wasn't?)
• He made Jews wear a badge of shame.
• He idolized Edward the Confessor.
• People became impatient with how many times a day he heard mass, especially when traveling.
• Due to one thing and another, the monarchy was nearly ended when Simon de Montfort's men got Henry under house arrest.
• His son was Edward I - "Longshanks" - the king (somewhat) portrayed in Braveheart.
• Oath: "By the face of Lucca!"