England

===Union with Scotland===
{{further|Union of the Crowns|Treaty of Union}}

The political structure of the island changed in 1603, when the [[King of Scots]], [[James VI of Scotland|James VI]], a kingdom which had been a long-time rival to English interests, inherited the throne of England as James I, thereby creating a [[Union of the Crowns|personal union]].<ref name="Britons">{{harvnb|Colley|1992|p=12}}; {{Cite web |title=Making the Act of Union |work=Act of Union 1707  |url=http://www.parliament.uk/actofunion/01_background.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609075346/http://www.parliament.uk/actofunion/01_background.html |archive-date=9 June 2008 |access-date=5 September 2009 |publisher=UK Parliament}}</ref> He styled himself [[King of Great Britain]], although this had no basis in English law.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hay |first=Denys |title=The term "Great Britain" in the Middle Ages |url=http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_089/89_055_066.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325061737/http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_089/89_055_066.pdf |archive-date=25 March 2009 |access-date=19 February 2009 |website=ads.ahds.ac.uk}}{{dead link|date=February 2024}}</ref> Under the auspices of James VI and I the Authorised [[King James Version]] of the Holy Bible was published in 1611. It was the standard version of the Bible read by most Protestant Christians for four hundred years until modern revisions were produced in the 20th century.

[[File:Charles II of England.jpeg|thumb|upright|right|alt=Painting of seated male figure, with long black hair wearing a white cape and breeches.|The [[English Restoration]] restored the monarchy under King [[Charles II of England|Charles&nbsp;II]] and peace after the [[English Civil War]].]]
Based on conflicting political, religious and social positions, the [[English Civil War]] was fought between the supporters of [[Long Parliament|Parliament]] and those of King [[Charles I of England|Charles I]], known colloquially as [[Roundhead]]s and [[Cavalier]]s respectively. This was an interwoven part of the wider multifaceted [[Wars of the Three Kingdoms]], involving [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]] and [[Kingdom of Ireland|Ireland]]. The Parliamentarians were victorious, [[execution of Charles I|Charles I was executed]] and the kingdom replaced by the [[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth]]. Leader of the Parliament forces, [[Oliver Cromwell]] declared himself [[Lord Protector]] in 1653; a period of [[the Protectorate|personal rule]] followed.<ref name="O Cromwell">{{Cite web |title=Oliver Cromwell (English statesman) |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/143822/Oliver-Cromwell |access-date=8 August 2009 |website=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]}}</ref> After Cromwell's death and the resignation of his son [[Richard Cromwell|Richard]] as Lord Protector, [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] was invited to return as monarch in 1660, in a move called the [[English Restoration|Restoration]]. With the reopening of theatres, fine arts, literature and performing arts flourished throughout the Restoration of the "Merry Monarch" Charles II.<ref>Lyndsey Bakewell, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20200212175057/https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5c52/dfd2b876951f2d9ca982a2aa2460f52c228f.pdf Changing scenes and flying machines: re-examination of spectacle and the spectacular in Restoration theatre, 1660–1714]" (PhD. Diss. Loughborough University, 2016).</ref> After the [[Glorious Revolution]] of 1688, it was constitutionally established that King and Parliament should rule together, though Parliament would have the real power. This was established with the [[Bill of Rights 1689|Bill of Rights]] in 1689. Among the statutes set down were that the law could only be made by Parliament and could not be suspended by the King, also that the King could not impose taxes or raise an army without the prior approval of Parliament.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Adler |first1=Philip J. |url={{GBurl|id=mPoqfoiIp4sC|q=with the restoration it was not constitutionally established that king and parliament should rule together|p=340}} |title=World Civilization |last2=Pouwels |first2=Randall L. |date=27 November 2007 |publisher=Cengage Learning |isbn=978-0-495-50262-3 |page=340 |access-date=24 December 2010}}</ref> Also since that time, no British monarch has entered the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] when it is sitting, which is annually commemorated at the [[State Opening of Parliament]] by the British monarch when the doors of the House of Commons are slammed in the face of the monarch's messenger, symbolising the rights of Parliament and its independence from the monarch.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/guides/newsid_81000/81909.stm "Democracy Live: Black Rod"]. BBC. Retrieved 6 August 2008; {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Black Rod|volume=4}}</ref> With the founding of the [[Royal Society]] in 1660, science was greatly encouraged.

In 1666 the [[Great Fire of London]] gutted the city of London, but it was rebuilt shortly afterward with many significant buildings designed by Sir [[Christopher Wren]].<ref>{{cite news |title=London's Burning: The Great Fire |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/great_fire_02.shtml |accessdate=25 September 2009 |work=BBC News}}</ref> By the mid-to-late 17th century, two political factions had emerged – the [[Tory|Tories]] and [[Whig (British political faction)|Whigs]]. Though the Tories initially supported Catholic king [[James II of England|James II]], some of them, along with the Whigs, during the [[Glorious Revolution|Revolution of 1688]] invited the Dutch [[Prince William of Orange]] to defeat James and become the king. Some English people, especially in the north, were [[Jacobitism|Jacobites]] and continued to support James and his sons. Under the [[House of Stuart|Stuart dynasty]] England expanded in trade, finance and prosperity. The Royal Navy developed Europe's largest merchant fleet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History Press {{!}} The Stuarts |url=https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/the-stuarts |access-date=11 April 2021 |website=www.thehistorypress.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> After the parliaments of England and Scotland agreed,<ref name="Union with Scotland" /> the two countries joined in [[political union]], to create the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] in 1707.<ref name="Britons" /> To accommodate the union, institutions such as the law and national churches of each remained separate.{{Sfn|Gallagher|2006|p=14}}