Historical Context
The Union of the Crowns occurred when King James VI of Scotland ascended to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I upon the death of Elizabeth I on March 24, 1603.
As Elizabeth died unmarried and childless, the English crown passed to the next available heir, her cousin James VI who was already King of Scotland. This resulted in the unification of some functions of state such as overseas diplomacy, as the two realms were under the same individual.
The union was personal or dynastic, with the Crown of England and the Crown of Scotland remaining both distinct and separate despite James's best efforts to create a single, enlarged and unified state.
England and Scotland continued as two separate states sharing a monarch, who controlled their domestic and foreign policy, along with Ireland, until the Acts of Union of 1707.
Drawing Info
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Related Events
- 1603-03-24 Scottish King James VI son of Mary Queen of Scots, becomes King James I of England in succession to Elizabeth I, thus joining the English and Scottish crowns
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