Stuart dynasty
The Stuart dynasty ruled both England and Scotland from 1603 to 1714. Before that, they had ruled Scotland since 1371. They came to the throne in the person of Robert II, the only child of Marjorie Bruce, who died shortly after he was born, and Walter, the Steward - the hereditary High Steward of Scotland. Robert succeeded his uncle, Marjorie's brother David (David II), the son and heir of Robert the Bruce.
In their Scottish days, the conventional spelling of the name of this dynasty is Stewart: since Mary Queen of Scots, who was brought up in France, the conventional spelling is Stuart. (See Stewart - Stuart for more.) Preceding the Stuarts as rulers of England were the Tudors; the Hanoverian dynasty came after them. In Scotland, they were preceded by the Bruces. The end of the Stuarts as rulers in Britain came in 1714, when the childless Queen Anne died, and was succeeded by George I, the first Hanoverian king. Two of the last three Stuart monarchs were the sisters Anne and Mary
The monarchs of the Stuart dynasty are:
Name (and number) of monarch | year of accession | year of death or deposition | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Robert II | 1371 | 1390 | succeeded his uncle, David II, a Bruce. |
Robert III | 1390 | 1406 | |
James I | 1406 | 1437 | |
James II | 1437 | 1460 | |
James III | 1460 | 1488 | |
James IV | 1488 | 1513 | killed at the Battle of Flodden |
James V | 1513 | 1542 | |
Mary Queen of Scots | 1542 | 1567 | executed by Elizabeth I of England, 1587| |
James VI and I | 1567 (James VI of Scotland) 1603 (James I of England) | 1625 | First king of Great Britain. |
Charles I | 1625 | executed 1649 | His death ended the first phase of the Civil War.
His supporters call him 'Charles King and Martyr'. |
Charles II | 1660 | 1685 | His accession is the year of the 'Restoration'.
From 1649-1660, during the Commonwealth, in exile. |
James VII and II | 1685 | 1688 | Ousted in 1688 by 'The Glorious Revolution' |
William III [and II] 'of Orange' | 1688 | 1702 | mother a Stuart
Ruled jointly with his wife (& cousin). Commonly William and Mary. |
Mary II | 1688 | 1694 | daughter of James II; cousin & wife of William III |
Anne | 1702 | 1714 | daughter of James II. From 1702, Queen of England and of Scotland;
from the Act of Union, 1707, Queen of the UK |