The Century of the Three Kingdoms
David Stevenson looks at the three-kingdom state in the seventeenth century.
For the British Isles the seventeenth century was very much 'the Century of the Three Kingdoms'. On the one hand the three kingdoms were, for the first time, ruled by a single monarch. On the other, the century saw intermittent attempts by the lesser kingdoms, Scotland and Ireland, to escape English domination by adjusting their relationships with their great neighbour in their favour. These attempts failed – and indeed had the opposite effects to those intended. By the early years of the eighteenth century England had triumphed, the lesser kingdoms had been subdued.
To continue reading this article you need to purchase a subscription, available from only £5.
Start my trial subscription now
If you have already purchased access, or are a print & archive subscriber, please ensure you are logged in.
Please email digital@historytoday.com if you have any problems.
