F.A.Q.

23. Who became King after Elizabeth's death?


King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England when Elizabeth died.

James was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots and her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Elizabeth was the last Tudor to sit on the throne, James bringing with him the Stuart dynasty. James reigned until 1625 and was succeeded by his unfortunate son, Charles I. Like his grandmother, Charles was beheaded, following the English Civil War. For eleven years, Britain was without a sovereign, until the Restoration in 1660. Charles's son, Charles II, became King. However, the Restoration resulted in significant changes to the role of the monarch in government. Future monarchs did not have the absolute power of Elizabeth, James and Charles. The Restoration was the beginning of the shift of power from monarch to parliament.

For more information see my Tudors and Stuarts website.