1. Religious Policies: The Stuarts were staunch supporters of the divine right of kings and had a strong allegiance to Catholicism, which put them at odds with a significant portion of the Protestant population. Their attempts to impose Catholic policies and practices, such as the appointment of Catholic advisors and the persecution of Protestant dissenters, led to growing resentment and conflict.
2. Arbitrary Rule: The Stuarts believed in absolute monarchy and often disregarded the constitutional limitations on their authority. They frequently ignored Parliament, ruled through proclamations and arbitrary arrests, and violated legal and property rights of their subjects. This arbitrary exercise of power eroded the trust and support of many nobles, landowners, and merchants.
3. Financial Mismanagement: The Stuarts faced chronic financial difficulties due to lavish spending and the inadequacy of traditional sources of revenue. Their attempts to raise funds through taxes and other unpopular measures, combined with their failure to address economic grievances, contributed to widespread dissatisfaction.
4. Mistrust and Conflict with Parliament: The Stuart monarchs had a contentious relationship with Parliament, the representative assembly of the realm. There was a constant struggle over power, with Parliament asserting its rights and seeking to limit the king's authority. The Stuarts' efforts to bypass or manipulate Parliament further strained their relationship with this powerful institution.
5. The English Civil War: The culmination of these grievances led to the English Civil War (1642-1651), a conflict fought primarily between the Royalist forces of King Charles I and the Parliamentarian forces led by Oliver Cromwell. The Parliamentarian victory resulted in the execution of Charles I in 1649, the establishment of a short-lived republic known as the Commonwealth, and the eventual restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
6. The Glorious Revolution: Despite the restoration, tensions between the Stuart monarchs and Parliament persisted. The Catholic leanings of James II and his attempts to promote religious tolerance sparked fears of a Catholic resurgence and led to the Glorious Revolution of 1688. James was deposed, and his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange were offered the throne jointly, subject to certain constitutional agreements and limitations.
7. Jacobite Rebellions: The deposition of James II led to the rise of the Jacobite movement, which aimed to restore the Stuart dynasty to the throne. Several Jacobite rebellions occurred in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, but they ultimately failed to regain power for the Stuarts.
In summary, the Stuarts lost control due to a combination of religious conflicts, arbitrary rule, financial mismanagement, tensions with Parliament, the English Civil War, the Glorious Revolution, and the failure of the Jacobite rebellions to restore their power. These factors collectively led to the decline of Stuart authority and the eventual establishment of a more constitutional and representative monarchy in Great Britain.