If you thought contemporary European maps were tough to keep straight, you need to check out this video, created by YouTube user Cottereau. It shows the progression of European rulers every year from 400 BC to the present, condensing over 2,400 years of history to a 20-minute video. It gives you a pretty powerful sense of continuity between the past and present, and a good idea of just how frequently borders have changed on the continent since the Roman Empire ruled the land.
Photo: Cottereau/YouTube
This Map Video Shows Every European Ruler Since 400 BC
You also can’t help but notice the rulers with staying power. Louis XIV, for example, was a fixture in France for 72 years while monarchs of adjacent countries changed every few years. For different reasons, the same is true of Queen Elizabeth II, who has worn the crown since 1952. 