Early Stuart England, 1603-1660
In 1603, Elizabeth I died and James VI, King of Scotland, became James
I, King of England, marking the first time that those two countries had
ever had the same ruler. (Because Wales and Ireland had been conquered
by England in the Middle Ages, James actually called himself "King of
Great Britain.") James's court was often entertained by elaborate
masques, many of which were arranged by Ben Jonson, who would later
inspire the Cavalier poets. James I inherited the religious problems
that had
plagued the monarchs before him, so in 1604 he attempted to reconcile
matters by calling a conference at Hampton Court between
representatives of the Puritan and Anglican causes. No reconciliation
was reached; James ordered a new translation of the Bible (which would
be published in 1611 as the Authorized Version), and the emigration of
Puritans from the British Isles increased. James also allowed previous
fining and banishment of Catholics to continue, which resulted in the
infamous Gunpowder Plot, an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic
conspirators to blow up the king and Parliament. James, an adherent to
the divine right of kings, had several conflicts with Parliament and
actually dissolved Parliament in 1611. He reassembled it in 1614, but
by the time he died in 1625, he had lost most of any support he may
have had there. During this era, John Donne's verses were inspiring
poets of the Metaphysical school.
He was succeeded by his son, Charles I. Like his father, Charles I
believed in the divine right of kings; in 1628, Parliament persuaded
him to agree (reluctantly) to the Petition of Right, a declaration
protecting the rights of his citizens against monarchical misdeeds.
Further clashes with Parliament resulted in the king dissolving it in
1629 and ruling without it for the next eleven years, which ultimately
led to the outbreak of Civil War in 1642, with the Royalists
(supporters of the king) fighting against the Parliamentary New Model
Army helmed by Oliver Cromwell. In 1649, Parliament tried Charles I for
waging war against his kingdom; the following year, he was found guilty
and executed. Theatres in England were closed during the Interregnum
(1642-1660), largely because of Puritan
objections to theatrical performances.
Following Charles I's execution, Parliament abolished the monarchy and
the House of Lords and established a Council of State led by Oliver
Cromwell, and all the luxury of the Royalists became a thing of the
past. Cromwell dismissed what was left of Parliament and replaced it
with the Barebones Parliament, which offered him the crown, but he
preferred the title "Lord Protector" to "King." Cromwell unified
England and Scotland with one Parliament. Cromwell died in 1658, and
his son Richard became Lord Protector, but he was not the strong leader
his father had been, and the army and Parliament turned against him,
favoring instead Charles II (son of Charles I), who had earlier fled to
France. In 1660, Parliament invited Charles II to return, and the
monarchy was restored.