THE STUART IN ENGLISH HISTORY

The Stuarts were the first kings of the United Kingdom.

The first Stuart monarch was James I, the son of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. He succeeded his aunt Elizabeth I when she died, in 1603, and was crowned with the title of James I of England and VI of Scotland. He believed in the Divine Right of Kings: monarch’s absolutism. During his reign he had to face religious problems: in England there were the Roman Church, the Church of England and the Puritanism on fight. Moreover he had political opponents who disliked his policy.

He was succeeded by his son, Charles I who followed his father’s line of government: the Absolutism. He embarked on war with Spain and France but he needed Parliament to grant him money. He demanded an increment of taxes but Parliament replied with the “Petition of Rights” (1628). It was a Parliamentary declaration of the rights and liberties of the people that demanded:

• that taxes could be imposed only with an accordance between king and Parliament;
• that no freeman should be imprisoned contrary to the laws of the land;
• the abolishment of martial law.

He decided to rule without a Parliament and did so for 11 years (1629 – 1640) but, consequently to the two Bishops Wars he had no choice but to recall the Parliament. It refreshed the Petition, causing its dissolution (“Short Parliament”). Financial problems led him to recall the Parliament once more and to accept his request. It was called “Long Parliament” because of its length.
The Parliament resolved to transform England into a constitutional monarchy.
The Civil War broke out in 1642 and Charles I fled in Scotland. In 1648 he was executed.

Oliver Cromwell toke control of the new formed republic, called Commonwealth. He was appointed Lord Protector. A group of brave soldiers, called Ironsides, fought by him side and he created the New Model Army. He was succeeded by his son Richard who was unable to control the situation.

The parliament restored the monarchy by the coronation of Charles II (Restoration). In order to restore Anglicanism as the established religion, Charles imposed the Test Act: it prevented Catholics from holding official position in the reign. Moreover, with the Exclusion Bill, the throne of England could not be hold by any catholic king.

Despite the just-passed Acts, James II came to the throne after his brother’s death: indeed he was Catholic. That troubled the Parliament: in 1688 English political leaders invite Mary, older daughter of James II, and her husband William of Orange to take the throne. This action was called Glorious Revolution and established monarch had to rule with people’s consent: it was born a constitutional monarchy.

It was request them to accept the Bill of Rights. It was a declaration that includes:

• guarantee of some civil rights
• required the English monarch to always be Protestant
• monarch could not overturn laws made by Parliament .

Anne I was the last of Stuart dynasty. She supported the Glorious Revolution. In 1707 the Act of Union formally united the Kingdoms of England and Scotland. She died in 1714.