On 24 March 1603, following the death of Elizabeth I, James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne as James I, uniting the crowns of England and Scotland under a single monarch.
The son of Mary, Queen of Scots, James’s succession marked the beginning of the Stuart dynasty in England and laid the foundation for eventual political union.
Though the two kingdoms remained separate states with distinct governments and laws, James’s reign ushered in a new era of Anglo-Scottish relations, setting the stage for the later formation of Great Britain.
