Stuart, house

Stuart, house of

 or house of Stewart or Steuart

Royal house of Scotland (1371–1714) and of England (1603–49, 1660–1714). The earliest members of the family were stewards in 11th-century Brittany; in the 12th century a member entered the service of David I (r. 1124–53) in Scotland and received the title of steward. The 6th steward married the daughter of King Robert I the Bruce, and in 1371 their son became King Robert II, the first Stewart king of Scotland (r. 1371–90). His descendants in the 15th–17th centuries included the Scottish monarchs James I, James II, James III, James IV, Mary, Queen of Scots, and James VI (who inherited the English throne as James I). The Stuarts (who eventually adopted the French-influenced spelling of their name) were excluded from the English throne after Charles I until the restoration of Charles II in 1660. He was followed by James II, William III and Mary II, and Anne. The Stuart royal line ended in 1714, and the British crown passed to the house of Hanover, despite later claims by James II's son James Edward (the Old Pretender) and grandson Charles Edward (the Young Pretender).