List of royal saints and martyrs

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This list of royal saints and martyrs enumerates Christian monarchs, other royalty, and nobility who have been beatified or canonized, or who are otherwise venerated as or conventionally given the appellation of "saint" or "martyr". Their names are in English and, where known, in their own language. When the status of a nominee is dubious the whole entry is italicized. Popes are not included in this list, unless they came from nobility themselves. Although they may be considered sovereigns, a list of Papal Saints is enumerated elsewhere.

Monarchs

This section enumerates Christian sovereigns, as opposed to mere consorts, who are enumerated in "Other royalty and nobility" below.

Saints

More information Image, Name ...
Image Name Recognized By Sovereignty Notes
 Abgar V of Edessa Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Osroene[1] The first Christian monarch in history.
 Æthelberht II of East Anglia Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of East Anglia
Brychan Brycheiniog[2][3] Catholic,[4][5] Eastern Orthodox[6] King of Brycheiniog
Canute IV of Denmark Catholic King of Denmark
Ceolwulf of Northumbria Catholic, Anglican King of Northumbria
Clovis I Catholic King of the Franks
Constantine of Strathclyde Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Strahclyde
Constantine I Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor Constantine is not revered as a saint but as “the great” in the Latin Catholic Church.[7][8] Eastern Catholic Churches such as the Ukrainian Catholic Church recognize him as a saint.[9]
Cynehelm Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican Kingdom of Mercia His status as co-ruler of Mercia is usually considered to be legendary
 Dagobert II Catholic King of Austrasia Son of Sigbert III
 Eberhard of Friuli Catholic[10] Duke of Friuli Son-in-law of Frankish emperor Louis the Pious and ancestor of all contemporary royals (Catholic)
 Edmund the Martyr Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of East Anglia
Edward the Confessor Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of England
Edward the Martyr Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of England Martyr
 Edwin of Northumbria Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Deria & Bernicia
Eric IX of Sweden Catholic King of Sweden Martyr, feast day of May 18.
Ezana of Axum Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox King of Axum 4th century King of Axum[11][12]
 Ferdinand III of Castile Catholic King of Castile and Toledo Known as "Ferdinand III the Saint", in Spanish "San Fernando" and "Fernando III el Santo"
 Guntram Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Orléans, King of the Franks Merovingian king of Burgundy (Catholic); The Catholic Church celebrates his feast day on 28 March.
 Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Holy Roman Emperor Husband of Cunigunde of Luxemburg (see under "Other royalty and nobility" below), known as "Saint Henry II", in German "Heinrich II. der Heilige" ("Henry II the Holy")
Hermenegild of the Visigoths Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Martyr
 Hoel, King of Cornouaille Catholic, , Anglican King of Cornouaille Hoel appears in Welsh mythology and the Matter of Britain as a "king of Brittany". Mythology states that he was a relative of the legendary King Arthur.
 Jadwiga of Poland Catholic Queen of Poland Known as "Saint Hedwig of Poland", "Saint Jadwiga, Queen of Poland" and "Saint Hedwig, Queen of Poland", in Polish "Św. Jadwiga Królowa Polski"
 Judicael of Brittany Catholic King of Domnonée
Justinian I Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran Byzantine emperor Died 565, known as "Justinian the Great"
 Kaleb of Axum Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox King of Ethiopia Also known as Saint Elesbaan
 Ladislaus I of Hungary Catholic King of Hungary
Leo I the Thracian Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor
Leopold III Catholic Margrave of Austria
Louis IX of France Catholic King of France in French "Saint Louis"
 Magnus of Orkney Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Church of Sweden, Church of Norway Earl of Orkney 12th century Earl of Orkney, and Martyr
 Olaf II of Norway Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Norway
Oswald of Northumbria Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Northumbria Martyr; feast day is August 5.
 Oswine of Deira Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Deira Martyr, died 651.
Pompeia of Langoat Catholic Queen of Brittany, perhaps legendary.
Salomon Catholic King of Brittany 9th century Martyr and King of Brittany
 Sigebert III Catholic King of Austrasia Merovingian king of Austrasia, father of Dagobert II (Catholic)
 Sigismund of Burgundy Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of the Burgundians
Stephen I of Hungary Catholic, Eastern Orthodox King of Hungary
Tiridates III of Armenia Catholic, Oriental Orthodox, Armenian Church King of Armenia [13][14]
Vladimir I of Kiev Eastern Orthodox Grand Prince of Kiev First Christian ruler of Kiev, in the Russian Orthodox Church his title denotes "equal to the Apostles", in Russian "Владимир Святой", in Ukrainian "Володимир Святий" and "Святий рівноапостольний князь Володимир" ("Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Duke Volodymyr") (Catholic,[15] Eastern Orthodox)
 Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Duke of Bohemia Died 28 September 935, Martyr, patron of the Czech Republic, in Czech "Svatý Václav", in German "Heilige Wenzel"
Wigstan of Mercia King of Mercia Later became a monk.
 William of Gellone Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Count of Toulouse
Yaroslav the Wise Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Grand Prince of Kiev [16]
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Saints exclusively in Eastern Orthodox religion

More information Image, Name ...
Image Name Recognized By Sovereignty Notes
 Alexander Nevsky Eastern Orthodox[17] Prince of Novgorod, Grand Prince of Kiev, & Grand Prince of Vladimir
Andrey Bogolyubsky Eastern Orthodox Grand Prince of Vladimir
Archil of Kakheti Eastern Orthodox Prince of Kakheti[18] Martyr
 Ashot I of Iberia Eastern Orthodox Prince of Iberia Martyr
 Boris I of Bulgaria Eastern Orthodox[19] Knyaz of Bulgaria
Constantin Brâncoveanu Eastern Orthodox[20] Prince of Wallachia Martyr
 Constantine IV Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor
David IV of Georgia Eastern Orthodox King of Georgia
David of Trebizond Eastern Orthodox[21] Emperor of Trebizond
Demetrius I of Georgia Eastern Orthodox King of Georgia
Demetrius II of Georgia Eastern Orthodox King of Georgia Martyr, also known as "Demetre the Self-Sacrificer"
 Stefan Dragutin Eastern Orthodox King of Serbia
John III Doukas Vatatzes Eastern Orthodox Emperor of Nicaea Died 1254, known as "John the Merciful" and "John III Doukas Vatatzes"
John IV Laskaris Eastern Orthodox Emperor of Nicaea Died 1305, known as "John IV Laskaris" and "John IV Doukas Laskaris"[22]
Justinian II Eastern Orthodox Byzantine emperor Died 711, known as "Justinian Rhinotmetos" ("ὁ Ῥινότμητος", "the slit nosed")
Lazar Hrebeljanović Serbian Orthodox Church Knez ("Prince" or "Duke") of Serbia Died 1389, known as "Tsar Lazar", canonized by the Serbian Orthodox Church as "Свети Косовски Великомученик кнез Лазар" ("Holy Great-Martyr of Kosovo Prince Lazar"), known as "Свети Цар Лазар" ("Holy Tsar Lazar") (Serbian Orthodox)
Luarsab II of Kartli Eastern Orthodox King of Kartli Martyr
 Manuel II Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor Died 1425, known as "Manuel I Palaiologos" and "Manuel the Monk"
Marcian Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor Died 457
Mikhail of Tver Eastern Orthodox Grand Prince of Vladimir Martyr
Milutin Nemanjic Eastern Orthodox King of Serbia Martyr
Mirian III of Iberia Eastern Orthodox King of Iberia Died 361
Neagoe Basarab Eastern Orthodox King of Wallachia[23]
Nicholas II of Russia Eastern Orthodox Czar of Russia The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia canonized him in 1980 as a saint and martyr, the synod of the Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint and passion bearer on 14 August 2000, in Russian "Царь-Мученик Николай II" ("Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II") and "Святой Страстотерпец Царь Николай II" ("Holy Passion-Bearer Tsar Nicholas II") (Eastern Orthodox);[24] see Canonization of the Romanovs
 Nikephoros II Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor Died 969.
Peter of Murom Eastern Orthodox Prince of Murom Husband of Saint Fevronia of Murom
 Peter I of Bulgaria Eastern Orthodox Tsar of Bulgaria He was the Tsar of the First Bulgarian Empire.
 Solomon II of Imereti Eastern Orthodox King of Imereti
Stefan Lazarević Eastern Orthodox Despot of Serbia Known as "Stefan the Tall." He first ruled as a Prince of Serbia and then became despot.
Stefan Nemanja Eastern Orthodox Grand Prince of Serbia Canonized as Saint Simeon the Myrrh-streaming
Stefan Nemanjić Eastern Orthodox Grand Prince and King of Serbia Known as Stefan the First-Crowned
Stefan Uroš III Eastern Orthodox King of Serbia Known also as Stefan Decanski
Stefan Uroš V Eastern Orthodox Emperor of Serbia
Stephen the Great, King of Moldavia Eastern Orthodox repaused 2 July 1504
Tamar of Georgia (died 1213) Georgian Orthodox Church (Eastern Orthodox) Queen of Georgia
Theodosius I, Roman Emperor (died 395) Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor
Theodosius II, Roman Emperor (died 450) Eastern Orthodox Roman Emperor
Vakhtang I of Iberia Eastern Orthodox King of Iberia
Vakhtang III of Georgia Eastern Orthodox King of Georgia
Vladislav Eastern Orthodox King of Serbia [25]
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Catholic - Beati, Venerabili, and Servants of God

The Catholic Church classifies various holy persons who have not been canonized as saints in the lesser categories of beati, venerabili, and servants of God. These titles indicate grades on the path to canonization in that church.

More information Image, Name ...
Image Name Status Sovereignty Notes
 Alfred the Great King of Wessex
Amadeus IX, Duke of Savoy Duke of Savoy
Baudouin of Belgium Servant of God King of the Belgians On 17 December 2024, the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints officially launched the cause for the beatification and canonization of Baudouin.
 Brian Boru High King of Ireland
Cormac mac Cuilennáin King of Munster
Causantín mac Cináeda Kings of the Picts (Catholic) [26]
 Charlemagne Blessed[27] King of the Franks, King of the Romans, & Emperor of the Romans Cultus fully permitted at Aachen;[28] beatified by Pope Benedict XIV.
 Charles the Good Blessed Count of Flanders
Charles I of England Cause partially opened King of England, King of Scotland, King of Wales and King of Ireland A Catholic chapter of the Society of King Charles the Martyr was established by a group in the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter with the blessing of Bishop Steven J. Lopes.[citation needed]
Constantine of Cornwall King of Dumnonia Martyr[29]
 Constantine XI Palaiologos Byzantine Emperor Not formally canonized, considered a "National Martyr" (unofficial)
 David I of Scotland King of Scotland Son of Saint Margaret of Scotland
 Edgar the Peaceful King of England Feast day is 8 July
 Æthelberht of Kent King of Kent Listed in the 1916 edition of the Roman Martyrology under February 24.[30]
 Ælfwald I of Northumbria King of Northumbria
Fedelmid mac Crimthainn King of Munster
Francis II of the Two Sicilies Servant of God King of the Two Sicilies In December 2020, Cardinal Sepe of Naples announced the opening of the process of beatification and canonization in the case of Francis II.
 Henry II the Pious Servant of God[31] High Duke of Poland The Roman Catholic Diocese of Legnica opened up his cause for beatification in October 2015.
 Henry VI of England Cause opened[32] King of England, Heir and Regent of France, & Lord of Ireland He has been declared martyr and wonderworker.
 Isabella I of Castile Servant of God Queen of Castile Declared Servant of God in March 1974 & cause initially stopped in 1991.[33] In April 2020, Pope Francis requested that her cause be reopened.[34]
 James I of Aragon Blessed[35] King of Aragon, King of Majorca, Lord of Montpellier, & Count of Barcelona Cult in the order mercedarian.
 James II of England Servant of God King of England, King of Ireland, & King of Scotland In 1734, spurred on by the English Benedictines of Paris, Archbishop Charles-Gaspard-Guillaume de Vintimille du Luc of Paris opened the Cause for the deposed and exiled James VII and II, who had died in France in 1701 after the Revolution of 1688; a 2019 article in the Catholic Herald provoked renewed interest in the possibility of the king's eventual canonization.
 Karl I of Austria Blessed Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, King of Croatia, & King of Bohemia Beatified by Pope John Paul II in October 2004.
 Lucius of Britain King of the Britons 2nd century British King, whose historicity is disputed
 Ludwig IV of Thuringia Landgrave of Thuringia Husband of Elisabeth of Hungary (see under "Other royalty and nobility" below), not canonized but revered as a saint in Thuringia, in German Ludwig IV., der Heilige (Ludwig IV the Holy) (Catholic)
 Malcolm III of Scotland[36] King of Scotland Scottish Gaelic: Máel Coluim mac Donnchada
 Malcolm IV of Scotland King of Scotland
Pabo Post Prydain King from Hen Ogledd Traditionally identified with St. Pabo (Catholic)[37]
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Catholic - Closed canonizations

More information Image, Name ...
Image Name Status Sovereignty Notes
 Humbert III of Savoy Pre-Congregation Count of Savoy Humbert was venerated right after his death, pre-congregation. In 1838, Charles Albert, King of Sardinia and his descendant, tried and failed to have him beatified by Pope Gregory XVI.[citation needed]
 Louis XVI Closed King of France Requested by Marie Thérèse of France, daughter of Louis XVI; declined by the Congregation of Rites in 1820.[38] In 1874, a Parisian Diocesan Commission was appointed to examine potential canonization, with the backing of Eugénie de Montijo and Prince Philippe, Count of Paris; no progress emerged following this.[39]
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Other royalty and nobility

This section enumerates Christian royalty, including consorts but not sovereigns, and nobility. Christian sovereigns, while also "royalty", are exclusively enumerated in "Monarchs" above.

Saints

Catholic Beati, Venerabili, and Servants of God

The Roman Catholic Church classifies various holy persons who have not been canonized as saints in the inferior categories of beati, venerabili, and servants of God. These titles indicate grades on the path to canonization in that church.

Biblical royal saints

Melchizedek, the King of Salem, is venerated as a Saint and appears to be among the earliest Royalty in the Bible. Joseph is venerated as a Saint, within Christianity, with one apocryphal text (Joseph and Asenath) suggesting he may have even become Pharaoh after his work as Vizier in Egypt.[57] Moses is also considered to have been saved, and is sometimes thought to have been a member of the Egyptian Royal family. King David of the Biblical Kingdom of Israel and his successors Hezekiah and Josiah of the southern Kingdom of Judah are traditionally considered to be Saints by Catholic teaching.[58][59]

In the New Testament genealogies, Jesus Christ is a descendant of King David and has been proclaimed by the Catholic Church as King of the Universe.[60] His mother, Mary, is also celebrated within Catholic teaching as Queen of Heaven. Within tradition, she too is a descendant of King David, as were both her parents - Sts. Joachim and Anne. Medieval traditions would include within this number some of the Apostles, as part of a broader kinship to Christ.[61]

See also

References

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