Stuarts

The House of Stuart (also Stewart in Scotland) is a royal dynasty of Scottish origin that ruled Scotland from the late 14th century. The lineage began with Robert II, who ascended the Scottish throne in 1371, establishing the Stewart line. The name derives from the office of High Steward of Scotland, a hereditary position held by the family for generations. The spelling varied over time, with Stuart becoming common in the English-speaking world.

The Stuarts expanded their influence beyond Scotland in the early modern period. In 1603 James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne as James I, creating a personal union of the crowns of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Although the two kingdoms remained legally distinct, they shared a monarch and certain policies, a situation known as the Union of the Crowns. Parliaments did not unite until the Acts of Union in 1707, forming the Kingdom of Great Britain.

The 17th century was marked by religious and constitutional conflict. Charles I’s reign ended with his execution in 1649 and a subsequent Interregnum under Oliver Cromwell. The monarchy was restored in 1660 with Charles II. James II’s Catholicism and belief in prerogative rule sparked opposition, leading to the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which brought William III and Mary II to the throne. The Bill of Rights (1689) set limits on royal power. The main Stuart line in Britain ended with Queen Anne in 1714, though James II and his descendants continued to press for restoration.

The Acts of Union of 1707 united England and Scotland into a single kingdom. Jacobite uprisings in 1715 and 1745 sought to restore the Stuarts, culminating in the defeat at Culloden in 1746. The Stuart dynasty thus ended its rule in Britain, while its legacy remains a central element of British and Scottish history.