The Early Stuarts. This period is also called the English Renaissance
Literacy increased greatly and by the 17th century half of the population could read and write. A lot of achievements were made in art development. In music England enjoyed its most fruitful period ever. It also developed its own special kind of painting, the miniature portrait. Literature, however, was England’s greatest art form. The first theatre appeared in 1576. Public theatres were attended by aristocrats and Elizabeth I. The 16th century was the age of transition from the medieval twilight to a more progressive age. When Elizabeth I died (in 1603) without an heir she was succeeded by Mary of Scots’s son, James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England, where he was the first of the Stuart dynasty to take the English throne. he Stuarts were less successful than the Tudor Monarchs. They preferred to struggle against the puritans. This angered people even more. The Parliament refused to give Charles I financial support, so Charles I dismissed it and ruled without it for 11 years. ames II came to the throne (in 1685) after his brother’s death and renewed the conflict between monarchy and Parliament, because he tried to give full rights to Catholics and to promote them in his government.
In this way it was established that a monarch could rule only with the support of Parliament.
