The English Civil War & the Stuarts

Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Reviewed by the BritainTest editorial team

The English Civil War (from 1642) was a fight between King Charles I and Parliament that led to the king's execution in 1649, a short-lived republic, and, after the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution that put Parliament above the crown. This all happened under the Stuart kings. It follows on from the Tudors, and it is part of our history study guide.

Key facts

James I and the Gunpowder Plot

In 1603, James VI of Scotland also became James I of England, joining the two crowns under one king (the countries stayed separate for now). A famous English translation of the Bible, the King James Bible, dates from his reign. In 1605, the Gunpowder Plot, led by Guy Fawkes, tried and failed to blow up Parliament. It is still marked each year on Bonfire Night.

The English Civil War

James's son Charles I believed in the divine right of kings, the idea that a king answers only to God, and he clashed with Parliament over money and power. This led to the English Civil War from 1642. The two sides were the Cavaliers (supporters of the King) and the Roundheads (supporters of Parliament). Parliament won, and in 1649 Charles I was executed. England became a republic, the Commonwealth, led by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell's armies were also active in Ireland and Scotland. After he died, his son could not hold power, which opened the way for the monarchy to return.

The Restoration

After Cromwell died, the monarchy was brought back in the Restoration of 1660, when Charles II became king. His reign saw the Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of London in 1666. The principle of Habeas Corpus, which protects people from being imprisoned unlawfully, also dates from this time.

The Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights

The Catholic king James II was unpopular, and in 1688 Parliament invited William of Orange to take the throne. James fled, and William III and Mary II became joint monarchs. Because it happened with little bloodshed, it is called the Glorious Revolution. The Bill of Rights of 1689 then confirmed that the monarch could not rule without Parliament, could not raise taxes or keep an army without its agreement, and had to call regular Parliaments. This is the foundation of the UK's constitutional monarchy. Soon after, political groups that grew into the first political parties, the Whigs and the Tories, began to take shape.

Key events at a glance

What to remember for the test

• 1649: Charles I is executed after the Civil War; a republic under Cromwell follows.
• 1660: the Restoration brings back the monarchy (Charles II).
• 1688: the Glorious Revolution; 1689: the Bill of Rights.
• The Bill of Rights means the monarch cannot rule without Parliament: a constitutional monarchy.
• The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 is remembered on Bonfire Night.

For these dates alongside the others, see the UK history timeline.

Practise this topic

Test yourself on the Stuarts in the real format, then reread anything you miss. Next comes the Industrial Revolution and the British Empire.