- Also spelled:
- Stewart or Steuart
house of Stuart
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What was the House of Stuart?
The House of Stuart was a royal house that ruled Scotland from 1371 and England from 1603. The family's original name was Stewart, but adapted the Stuart spelling due to French influence in the 16th century.
Their reign was interrupted in 1649 when the Commonwealth was established, but it was restored in 1660. The Stuart line ended in 1714, and the British crown passed to the house of Hanover.
The Stuart monarchs, including James I and Charles II, significantly influenced the visual arts and architecture of their time. Despite facing challenges such as the Jacobite rebellions and religious conflicts, the Stuarts left a lasting impact on British history.3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Which countries did the House of Stuart rule?
The House of Stuart ruled in Scotland from 1371 to 1714. In 1603, James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England and Ireland, uniting the crowns. After the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Stuarts were excluded from the throne until the restoration of Charles II in 1660.
The Stuart dynasty ended in 1714, when the British crown passed to the House of Hanover.
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When did the Stuarts first become rulers of Scotland and later England?
The Stuart dynasty's rule began in Scotland in 1371 with Robert II. James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne in 1603, becoming King James I of England. After Charles I's execution in 1649, the Stuarts were briefly excluded until Charles II's restoration in 1660. The Stuart line ended in 1714, when the British crown passed to the House of Hanover.
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Who was the first Stuart king of both Scotland and England?
James I (James VI of Scotland) was the first Stuart king to rule both Scotland and England. He became king of Scotland in 1567 and assumed the English throne in 1603 upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I, uniting the crowns of the two countries. Although he desired a closer union, his two monarchies remained distinct. He styled himself "king of Great Britain". James I was a proponent of royal absolutism, which led to conflicts with Parliament.
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What important events happened during the Stuart reign, like the English Civil War or Glorious Revolution?
During the Stuart reign (1603-1714), several significant events shaped British history.
- English Civil War: Beginning in 1642, it pitted Royalists against Parliamentarians, resulting in the king's defeat and execution.
- Glorious Revolution: In 1688–89, James II's overt Roman Catholicism led to his deposition and the accession of William and Mary. This permanently established Parliament as England's ruling power.
- Gunpowder Plot: In 1605, Catholic revolutionaries plotted to assassinate James I, his family, and leading supporters by bombing the Houses of Parliament.
- Bishops' Wars: In 1639 and 1640, Charles I attempted to subdue rebellious Scots, leading to military defeats and the recall of Parliament.
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How did the Stuart family’s rule come to an end in Britain?
The Stuart family's rule in Britain ended in 1714 with the death of Queen Anne. Anne, the last Stuart monarch, had no surviving children to succeed her.
The Act of Settlement of 1701 ensured a Protestant succession by designating the Hanoverian descendants of James I as heirs. This decision bypassed James II's son, James Edward, due to his Roman Catholic faith.
When Anne died, George I, the Elector of Hanover, ascended to the British throne, marking the end of the Stuart dynasty and the beginning of the Hanoverian era.
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house of Stuart, royal house of Scotland from 1371 and of England from 1603. It was interrupted in 1649 by the establishment of the Commonwealth but was restored in 1660. It ended in 1714, when the British crown passed to the house of Hanover.
The first spelling of the family name was undoubtedly Stewart, the old Scots version, but during the 16th century French influence led to the adoption of the spellings Stuart and Steuart, because of the absence of the letter “w” in the French alphabet.
The family can be traced back to 11th-century Brittany, where for at least four generations they were stewards to the counts of Dol. In the early 12th century they appeared in England, and Walter, third son of the 4th steward of Dol, entered the service of David I, king of Scots, and was later appointed his steward, an office that was confirmed to his family by King Malcolm IV in 1157. Walter (died 1326), the 6th steward, married Marjory, daughter of King Robert I (the Bruce), in 1315, and in 1371 their son Robert, as King Robert II, became the first Stewart king of Scotland. The royal Stewarts had an unlucky history, dogged by sudden death; and seven succeeded to the throne as minors.
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The direct male line terminated with the death of James V in 1542. His daughter Mary, Queen of Scots (died 1587), was succeeded in 1567 by her only son (by Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley), James VI.
In 1603 James VI, through his great-grandmother Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England, inherited the English throne as King James I. After the execution (1649) of James’s son Charles I, the Stuarts were excluded from the throne until the restoration of Charles II in 1660. Charles II was succeeded in 1685 by his Roman Catholic brother James II (died 1701), who so alienated the sympathies of his subjects that in 1688 William, prince of Orange, was invited to come “to the rescue of the laws and religion of England.” James fled, and by the Bill of Rights (1689) and the Act of Settlement (1701), which denied the crown to any Roman Catholic, he and his descendants were excluded from the throne. But Stuarts still ruled in England and Scotland, for William was the son of Charles II’s sister Mary, and his wife Mary was James II’s elder daughter. They became joint sovereigns as William III and Mary II. They left no issue, and the Act of Settlement secured the succession to Mary’s sister Anne (died 1714) and on her death without issue to Sophia, electress of Hanover, a granddaughter of James I; Sophia’s son and heir became George I, first of the British house of Hanover.
The last male Stuarts of the British royal line were James II’s son James Edward (died 1766), the Old Pretender, and his sons Charles Edward (died 1788), the Young Pretender (known as Bonnie Prince Charlie), who died without legitimate issue, and Henry (died 1807), Cardinal Duke of York.