Monarchical Power In England This time span saw England ruled by a series of Angevin Princes; Henry, Richard and John- who could claim to be the most powerful rulers in the world by overseeing 'a large composite state which stretched from Scotland to the Pyrenees.'(1). Although England was only a small part of their so called 'empire' and despite the fact that none of the princes spent very much time here, they established to some degree, a centralisation of authority which radiated from the King and the Royal Household. The strength of the baronage and the church, which had held the balance of power in King Stephen's reign, was