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Reign of James VI and I
James VI, ruler of Scotland since 1587, inherits the crown of England in 1604 after the death of Elizabeth I. The Crown of England and Scotland become one, but the countries remain separate. His reign is marked by his theory of absolute and divine monarchy, and his beliefs in religious toleration. He wrote treatises regarding divine monarchy : "The True Laws of Free Monarchies" published in 1597 and Basilikon Doron -
Gunpowder Plot
Despite his policies of religious toleration, James VI and I faced a Catholic opposition. It culminated in the Gunpowder Plot, an assassination attempt organized by a group of Catholics under the leadership of Guy Fawkes who put barrels of gunpowder under the House of Lords in order to blow it up and provoke the death of the sovereign.
It led to growing anti-catholicism in the British population. -
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James VI and I's rule without Parliament
Period during which James VI and I ruled without Parliament, following his belief in the theories of Divine right and absolute monarchy -
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Reign of Charles I
Charles I's rule is marked by the Civil Wars, caused by political and religious reasons, which led to the beheading of the King and the start of a Republic. -
Petition of Rights
An English constitutional document passed by Parliament to confront Charles I's attempts to raise taxes by other means than Parliament and his imprisonment without trial of those who were not paying. -
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Charles I's Personal Rule
Also known as the Eleven Years of tyranny, the period of Personal rule is the one during which Charles I ruled without the Parliament, following the Petition of Rights and according to his beliefs in divine and absolute monarchy. -
Publication of a new book of Common Prayer in Scotland
Publication of a new edition of the book of Common Prayer, as an attempt by Charles I and the Archbishop of Canterbury William Laud to reform the Kirk (Presbyterian Church of Scotland) and return it to episcopacy, installing religious uniformity favoring Arminianism. -
"The Covenant" Agreement
In response to the publication of a new book of Common Prayer, Scottish lords issued an agreement entitled "The Covenant" to reject the King's reforms. -
Abolition of episcopacy
As the tensions with the Crown increase, the Scottish lords abolished episcopacy as a further opposition to the attempts to reform the Kirk. -
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The Bishops' War
The Scottish Covenanters challenged the power of the King and raised an army, facing the Crown in a conflict that lasted one year. -
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Long Parliament
Charles was forced a second time to summon the Parliament, desperately needing to raise money. Once again the Parliament tried to leverage concessions from the sovereign in a delicate position but it didn't work. This time however the Parliament refused to be dismissed and continued sitting until 1660. -
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Short Parliament
Charles I, facing the need to raise new taxes and gather more money to wage the war in Scotland, was forced to summon the Parliament. The Parliamentarians refused to accept his requests unless he listened to their grievances. Charles therefore dismissed the Parliament. -
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Irish rebellion
As Charles I had the objective to achieve religious uniformity and political obedience, the Old English and Gaelic elites in Ireland feared the invasion of the Protestant Parliamentarians opposed to Catholicism and Scottish Covenanters. They rose up in 1641 and it led to a confessional war that resulted in the massacre of the New English elite, composed of Protestants. -
Grand Remonstrance
The Parliament issued a long set of grievances entitled the Grand Remonstrance, as the tensions and polarization were increasing with the King. The Parliamentarians' objective was to change the relationship between the Crown and the Parliament, for the latter to gain more power according to the theory of Parliamentary power. -
Arrest attempt regarding leading Members of Parliament
Charles I attempts to arrest 5 members of the Parliament who were opposed to him. But it doesn't work and leads the Parliament to take over power, forcing the King to flee London. -
Outbreak of the first Civil War
Charles I raised his standards at Nottingham. He gathered an army with the intent on marching on the Parliament. But the Parliament raised an army as well, which led to the start of the Civil War. -
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First English Civil War
Period during which England faces a deadly Civil War with more than 80 000 deaths in the fightings. -
Charles surrenders to Scotland
Charles I, after several years of war surrenders to Scotland, hoping to negotiate with the Scots, who faced tensions with the Parliament and are more likely to sympathise with a Stuart Monarch -
"The Engagement" - A secret agreement
Charles I negotiated with Scottish Lords, attempting to find a compromise in order for them to support his attempt at retaking power. -
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Second Civil War
Charles rallied his forces thanks to his secret alliance with Scottish lords, "The Engagement" and it led to the outbreak of a second Civil War, which he lost much more quickly. -
Pride's Purge
Some officers of the New Model Army, facing tensions with the Parliament, decided to arrest the Members of Parliament who decided to settle with the king after his second defeat. -
Execution of Charles I
Following the Pride's Purge, Charles faced trial and he decided not to plea guilty, which provoked death penalty. It caused him to be beheaded. -
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Period of Interregnum - Commonwealth
Following the beheading of Charles I and the start of a Republic, this period of interregnum is characterized by the instability of the new regime. Puritanism is unpopular and Parliament only represents a commercial elite. The Commonwealth and the Protectorate until 1660 are not successful in consolidating the Republic, as it is followed by the Restoration. -
The Instrument of Government
Cromwell tried to establish a constitution centered around a single person executive, the Lord Protector, as well as a single House of an elected Parliament which in turns elect a Council of State. It is estimated unacceptable by the Presbyterians. -
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Rule of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector
As the Commonwealth was marked by tensions, Cromwell tried to find compromises and ended up taking power. He ruled through his own executive, even if at first he claimed not to be interested in centralizing the power to himself. -
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Richard Cromwell's rule as Lord Protector
Richard inherited the title of Lord Protector from his father, as it had been made hereditary during his father's rule, but resigned less than a year after, as he lacked his father's authority and charisma. -
The Declaration of Breda
Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda, according to which those who had supported the Parliament could be pardoned if they swore loyalty, the land acquired during the Commonwealth wouldn't be taken away from their owners and most importantly it affirmed religious toleration. The Parliament then passed several acts over the course of Charles II's reign to oppose him and religious toleration, such as the Corporation Act in 1661. -
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Reign of Charles II
Charles II's rule is associated with the period of the Restoration, marking the return of the monarchy after the interregnum. Culturally flourishing, it was also marked by the growing anti-catholicism and the Exclusion Crisis, with attempts to remove Charles'Catholic brother James from the line of succession. -
Fake "Popish Plot"
The English priest Titus Oates pretended to have uncovered a plot organized by Catholics to assassinate the king. It was invented but the Parliament believed it. It led to the execution of 35 people. -
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Exclusion Crisis
The Parliament attempted to remove James, Charles II's Catholic brother, from the line of succession through three Exclusion bills but it didn't work. It led the King to rule without Parliament between 1681 and 1685, until his death. -
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Reign of James II
The short rule of the Catholic monarch was marked by the religious opposition with the Parliament and ended because of the Glorious Revolution. -
Birth of James Edward Francis Stuart
James II's son was born on the 10th of June, 1688. The Catholic succession was therefore consolidated which upset the Parliament who spread the rumors of his illegitimacy. -
The "Immortal Seven" invitation of William of Orange to invade England
Seven English lords resorted to sending a letter to William of Orange, a notorious Protestant ruling over the Netherlands with Mary II, daughter of James II. They invited him to invade England and take the crown from James II. According to them William would be welcomed and would win easily, because James II was loosing power over his army. -
William of Orange lands in England - Outbreak of the Glorious Revolution
William of Orange landed in Brixham, Devon, accompanied with 20 000 soldiers. He was ready to fight but as promised he did not face huge battles, only a few skirmishes. James II ended up fleeing the country, knowing he did not have the support necessary to fight.