17th century english history

  • James Stuart comes to power

    James VI of Scotland becomes James 1 of England.
  • Guy Fawkes tries to blow up Parliament

  • King James bible

  • Shakespeare dies

  • Charles I becomes King

    Charles Stuart becomes King after his father dies
  • Civil war starts

  • Isaac Newton is born

  • Charles starts a second civil war

  • Charles is executed

  • Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes is published

  • Oliver Cromwell becomes protector of England

  • Oliver Cromwell dies

    His son Richard takes over
  • Richard Cromwell resigns

    His fall from power is so swift he becomes known as tumbledown dick
  • Charles II returns and becomes King

  • Samuel Pepys starts his diary

  • The Royal Society

    Society of science set up
  • The Great Plague

    Many people in London died from catching the bubonic plague. It was spread by rats on fleas, but cats were blamed and so many were killed.
  • Great Fire of London

    London is consumed by a great fire which starts in a bakery and is made worse by strong winds. It lasts for several days.
  • John Milton publishes Paradise Lost

  • The act of Habeus Corpus is passed

    Imprisonment without trial is against the law
  • Heirs

    Charles II has no legitimate heirs. When he dies and his brother James II takes the throne, one of Charles's illegitimate heirs, the Duke of Monmouth, rebels. The rebellion is crushed and the Duke is executed.
  • Period: to

    The Glorious Revolution

    William (of Orange) and Mary are invited to lead a revolution against James II. King Bully fights the battle of the Boyne in 1690. Him and Mary eventually take power.