Henry III

Henry III had even more longevity than his great-grandson Edward III. With a reign that stretched from 1216 to 1272, he managed 56 years and 29 days on the throne, despite not being as popular as his son Edward I (or Edward III, either). But he succeeded his father, King John, whose unpopularity is legendary so anyone must have seemed like a good king after that. He was another very young king, taking the throne at 9 years old, in the middle of a civil war between the King and the barons (the First Barons’ War). His reign started out in difficult times and continued to be difficult, with more trouble from the barons in 1263 (unimaginatively called the Second Barons’ War). He died at the age of 65, having been through 56 years of difficulties.