(1660–1707): The Final Chapter of Scotland’s Royal Dynasty
List of Monarchs of the Restored House of Stuart
| Monarch | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Charles II | 1660–1685 | Restored after the Interregnum; consolidated royal authority |
| James VII (James II of England) | 1685–1688 | Deposed during the Glorious Revolution |
| Mary II and William III | 1689–1702 | Joint monarchs after the Glorious Revolution |
| Anne | 1702–1707 | Last Stuart monarch; oversaw the Act of Union in 1707 |
Introduction
The Restoration of the House of Stuart in 1660 marked the return of monarchy to both Scotland and England after the turbulent years of the Third Interregnum (1651–1660), when Scotland was under the military occupation of Oliver Cromwell’s English Commonwealth. The Restoration promised not only the revival of the monarchy but also the re-establishment of Scotland’s political and religious institutions. Yet the final decades of the Stuart reign would be defined by political turmoil, religious conflict, and the growing pressure for political union with England.
The restored Stuart monarchs — Charles II, James VII, William III and Mary II, and Anne — navigated one of the most transformative periods in British history. The collapse of the absolute monarchy during the Glorious Revolution (1688) fundamentally altered the balance of power between the monarchy and Parliament. The final years of Stuart rule culminated in the Act of Union in 1707, which merged the kingdoms of Scotland and England into the single state of Great Britain.
Historian Michael Lynch described the restored Stuart monarchy as “a dynasty burdened by the shadow of past failures and haunted by the threat of rebellion — yet one that ultimately reshaped the political destiny of Britain.” The last chapter of the Stuart dynasty was marked by both triumph and tragedy — the restoration of royal power, the establishment of constitutional monarchy, and the painful surrender of Scottish independence.
The Restoration of Charles II (1660–1685): The Return of the King
The restoration of Charles II to the throne of Scotland and England in 1660 was orchestrated by General George Monck, the military governor of Scotland during the Interregnum. After the death of Oliver Cromwell in 1658, Cromwell’s son Richard proved politically inept and was quickly forced to resign as Lord Protector.
Sensing the collapse of the English Commonwealth, Monck marched his army from Scotland to London and opened negotiations with Charles II, who had been living in exile in France and the Dutch Republic.
On 29 May 1660, Charles II entered London to the cheers of jubilant crowds. Scotland quickly followed England’s lead in restoring the monarchy. The Scottish Parliament convened in 1661 and passed the Rescissory Act, which nullified all laws passed during the Commonwealth period and declared Charles II the legitimate king of Scotland.
Consolidating Royal Authority
Charles II sought to strengthen royal authority in Scotland, but his efforts were met with mixed success. His policy toward the Scottish Church — particularly his attempts to restore episcopacy (rule by bishops) — provoked fierce resistance from the Covenanters, who had fought to establish a Presbyterian church during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
- In 1662, Charles II reintroduced bishops into the Church of Scotland, reversing the Presbyterian settlement established by the Covenanters in the 1640s.
- The Test Act (1673) required all public officials to swear allegiance to the king and the episcopal church, further alienating the Presbyterian majority.
- The Pentland Rising (1666) was the first armed rebellion against royal interference in the Scottish Kirk; it was crushed by government forces.
Despite these tensions, Charles II maintained political control through a combination of military force and political patronage. His policies reflected a broader trend toward absolutism and centralized authority.
The Killing Time (1679–1685)
The period between 1679 and 1685 became known as the “Killing Time” due to the brutal persecution of Scottish Covenanters who refused to accept royal supremacy over the Kirk.
- In 1679, the Covenanters scored a rare victory at the Battle of Drumclog but were decisively defeated at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge later that year.
- Government forces, led by John Graham of Claverhouse (known as “Bluidy Clavers”), executed hundreds of Covenanters and transported others to forced labor camps in the colonies.
Charles II’s harsh repression of religious dissent created a legacy of bitterness in Scotland, particularly among the Lowland Presbyterians.
James VII and the Glorious Revolution (1685–1688): The Fall of the House of Stuart
Upon Charles II’s death in 1685, his younger brother James VII (James II of England) ascended the throne. Unlike Charles, who was politically flexible and pragmatic, James was a staunch Catholic and committed to restoring Catholic influence in both Scotland and England.
James’s religious policies immediately provoked resistance:
- He appointed Catholics to high government and military positions, violating the terms of the Test Act.
- He allowed open Catholic worship, which alarmed the overwhelmingly Protestant population of Scotland.
- In 1687, he issued the Declaration of Indulgence, which granted religious freedom to Catholics and Protestant dissenters, further alienating the Presbyterian establishment.
In 1688, James’s wife, Mary of Modena, gave birth to a son, raising the prospect of a Catholic succession. This triggered a political crisis in both Scotland and England.
The crisis culminated in the Glorious Revolution:
- Protestant nobles invited William of Orange, James’s Protestant nephew and the husband of James’s daughter Mary, to invade England.
- James fled to France, effectively abdicating the throne.
William III and Mary II (1689–1702): A Constitutional Monarchy
In 1689, the Scottish Parliament formally deposed James VII and offered the crown to William III and Mary II as joint monarchs.
The Claim of Right (1689) established a constitutional framework for the monarchy in Scotland:
- The king was required to uphold Presbyterianism as the national religion.
- The Scottish Parliament was granted authority over taxation and legislation.
- The monarchy was prohibited from interfering with the judicial system.
William faced a rebellion by John Graham of Claverhouse (Viscount Dundee), who led the Jacobite forces in support of James VII. The Jacobite uprising ended at the Battle of Killiecrankie (1689), where Claverhouse was killed.
Queen Anne and the Act of Union (1702–1707): The End of the Stuart Era
Following William’s death in 1702, Mary’s sister Anne ascended the throne. Anne’s reign was dominated by the issue of Anglo-Scottish political union.
- The crowns of Scotland and England had been united since 1603 under James VI and I, but the kingdoms remained legally and politically distinct.
- In 1707, the Scottish Parliament passed the Acts of Union, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain.
- Scotland’s political independence ended, but the Scottish legal system, church, and education system remained separate.
The Act of Union was highly controversial, with riots in Edinburgh and widespread resentment among the Scottish population. Yet the economic and military advantages of union gradually became apparent.
Legacy of the House of Stuart
The restored House of Stuart left a profound legacy:
- The consolidation of Presbyterianism in Scotland.
- The establishment of constitutional monarchy.
- The creation of Great Britain as a unified state.
Historian Michael Lynch wrote:
“The House of Stuart, even in its decline, shaped the foundations of modern Britain — from the ashes of absolutism rose the constitutional state.”
Conclusion
The House of Stuart’s restoration marked the last flowering of Scottish political independence. Though the Act of Union ended the separate Scottish monarchy, the Stuart legacy endured in the fierce preservation of Scotland’s distinct national identity and cultural heritage.
References
- Barrow, G.W.S. (1981). Kingship and Unity: Scotland 1000–1306.
- Lynch, Michael. (1992). Scotland: A New History.
- Wormald, Jenny. (1991). Court, Kirk, and Community.