The Stuart Kings and the Road to Civil War - The History of Great Britain, #13

The Stuart age began with the peaceful accession of James VI of Scotland to the English throne as James I, creating the historic Union of the Crowns. Yet beneath the promise of unity lay deep religious tensions, political suspicion, and unresolved questions about the limits of royal authority.

From the shock of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 to the growing conflict between monarchy and Parliament, this volume explores how fear, faith, taxation, and the belief in the divine right of kings pushed Britain toward crisis. Under Charles I, disputes over ship money, religious reform, and government without Parliament hardened into open resistance. The Scottish opposition, the Bishops' Wars, and the return of the Long Parliament finally shattered the fragile balance between crown and country.