We have seen that the Saxons, or Early English rulers, in the case of
Egbert and his successors, styled themselves Kings of the West Saxons
or of some other division of that race, and that finally they assumed
the broader title of "Kings of the English," or leaders of the entire
race or people (S49). The Norman sovereigns made no immediate change
in this title, but as a matter of fact William, toward the close of
his reign, claimed the whole of the country as his own by right of
conquest.
For this reason he and his Norman successors might properly have
called themselves "Kings of England," that is, supreme owners of the
soil and rulers over it; but this title of territorial sovereignty was
not formally assumed until about fifty years later, in John's reign.