House of Stuart: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The House of Stuart or Stewart is a British/Scottish Royal House of Breton origin. The distinction is because the House started off ruling Scotland but after the death of Elizabeth I of England, last monarch from the House of Tudor, took over the whole of Britain. It was followed by the House of Hanover. The House began with the hereditary High Stewards of Scotland

History

Walter the Steward (died 1177) was born in Shropshire, the son Alan Fitz Flaad, a Norman conqueror. Along with his brother William, ancestor of the Fitzalan family (the Earls of Arundel), he supported Empress Maud during the Anarchy. Maud was aided by her uncle, David I of Scotland, and Walter followed David north in 1141, after Maud had been usurped by Stephen. Walter was granted land in Renfrewshire and the position of Lord High Steward. Malcolm IV made the position hereditary and it was inherited by Walter's son, who took the surname Stewart.

The sixth High Steward of Scotland, Walter Stewart (1293-1326), married Majory, daughter of Robert the Bruce. Their son Robert was heir to the House of Bruce; he eventually inherited the Scottish throne when his uncle died childless in 1371.

In 1503, James IV of Scotland attempted to secure peace with England by marrying Henry VII's daughter, Margaret Tudor. The birth of their son, later James V, brought the House of Stewart into the line of descent of the House of Tudor, and the English throne. Maragret Tudor later married Archibald Douglas, 6th Early of Anugs, and their daughter, Margaret Douglas, was the mother of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. In 1565, Darnley married his half-cousin Mary, the daughter of James V. Darnley's father was Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, a direct descendant of Alexander Stewart, the fourth High Steward, and Mary's heir presumptive, who had changed the spelling of his surname whilst at the English court. Therefore Darnley was also related to Mary on his father's side, and at the time of their marriage was himself second in line to the Scottish throne. Because of this connection, Mary's heirs remained part of the House of Stewart.

High Stewards of Scotland

• Walter the Steward, 1st High Steward of Scotland (died 1177)
• Alan Stewart, 2nd High Steward of Scotland (died 1204)
• Walter Stewart, 3rd High Steward of Scotland (died 1246)
• Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward of Scotland (died 1283)
• James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland (died 1309)
• Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland (died 1326)
• Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward of Scotland (afterwards, Robert II)

Scottish Monarchs

• Robert II (1371-1390)
• Robert III (1390-1406)
• James I (1406-1437)
• James II (1437-1460)
• James III (1460-1488)
• James IV (1488-1513)
• James V (1513-1542)
• Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1567)
• James VI (1567-1625)

British Monarchs

• James VI of Scotland and I of England (1603-1625) - Jacobean Age
• Charles I of England and Scotland (1625-1649 - Carolean Age
• Charles II of England and Scotland (1660-1685) - Restoration Age
• James VII of Scotland and II of England (1685-1688) (continued to claim the English and Scottish thrones after his deposition in 1688 until his death in 1701)
• Mary II of England and Scotland (1689-1694) - with William III of England and II of Scotland, of the House of Orange-Nassau, a descendant of Charles I
• Anne of England and Scotland (1702-1714) - Augustan Age

During the period between Charles I and Charles II, Britain was a Republican Commonwealth, and then a Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell.

Pretenders

• James Francis Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender, claimed throne as James VIII of Scotland and III of England, (1701-1766)
• Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, claimed throne as Charles III, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, (1766-1788)
• Henry Benedict Stuart, claimed throne as Henry IX of Britain, (1766-1807)