The Stuart Era

On the death of Queen Elizabeth I, her cousin James VI of Scotland came to the throne, as Elizabeth had never married and left no children. He became King James I of England, Wales, and Ireland, while Scotland remained independent.

Ireland

Elizabeth I and James I both faced rebellions in Ireland during their reigns, as most Irish people were Catholic and opposed the rule of the Protestant government in England. The term "Plantations" refers to how the monarchs tried to deal with this: taking land from Catholic landholders and giving it to Protestant English and Scottish settlers. The Plantations had a lasting and significant impact on the history of England, Scotland, and Ireland.