The Failure of the Stuarts, 1603–49

The Reign of James I (1603-1625)

James I was the first Stuart king, succeeding Queen Elizabeth I in 1603 and uniting the thrones of England and Scotland.
He believed in the Divine Right of Kings, asserting that his authority was granted directly from God, which caused tension with Parliament.
Despite his skilled diplomacy in foreign affairs, his pacifist policies and the 1604 peace treaty with Spain were unpopular.
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 marked an attempt by a group of radical Catholics to kill James and his relatives at the opening of Parliament.

The Reign of Charles I (1625-1649)

Charles I, James I’s son, ascended to the throne in 1625 and maintained his father’s belief in the Divine Right of Kings.
Conflict brewed between Charles and Parliament over matters of finance, religion, and governance. His refusal to grant Parliament fiscal control led to the Petition of Right in 1628.
His marriage to a Catholic, Henrietta Maria of France, alarmed the predominately Protestant Parliament and populace.
Charles dissolved Parliament in 1629, marking the start of his Eleven Years’ Tyranny, wherein he ruled without Parliament, implementing controversial fiscal and religious policies.

The English Civil War (1642-1651)

Wide-ranging tensions escalated into open conflict in 1642, triggering the English Civil War. Society was deeply divided, with Royalists (Cavaliers), supporting the king, and Parliamentarians (Roundheads), supporting Parliament.
The Parliamentarian army, the New Model Army, led by Oliver Cromwell, played a significant role in delivering Parliamentary victories in key battles, such as Naseby (1645) and Preston (1648).
After a short-lived second Civil War (1648–1649), Charles I was captured, tried, and executed in 1649. His death marked the first regicide in British history.

The Commonwealth and Protectorate (1649-1660)

Post regicide, England was declared a Commonwealth, effectively a republic, under the leadership of the Rump Parliament (the remainder of the Long Parliament after Pride’s Purge).
Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament in 1653 and installed himself as Lord Protector, ruling as a virtual dictator until his death in 1658.
This period saw various political experiments, most significantly the establishment of the Instrument of Government (1653), England’s first written constitution.

Note: Emphasis should be placed on the personalities of the Stuart monarchs, the changing relationship between monarchy and Parliament, and the ideological battles that ensued. Also, consider the eventual breakdown of the monarchy and the impact it had on British political history.