The Stuart McDouble: Admitting our Mistakes

One of the hardest things to do in life is say sorry.  Let's all admit it, it's embarrassing, it almost feels like your pride is going down the drain.  Admitting that you did something wrong is very difficult, but it ultimately makes things better.  This reigned true in seventeenth century Britain as well, but it wasn't just one person, it was the whole country.

This week, I'm going to talk about what my high school European History professor called the "Stuart McDouble".  (The order of the rulers is James-Charles-Cromwell-Charles-James, hence the McDouble reference)  When Lizzy I kicked the bucket, she left the throne without an heir (because she was a strong, independent woman who didn't need no man.  But that kind of messed up the whole monarchical system).  So, the throne went to the closest living relative, which was the son of Mary Queen of Scots, whom she had beheaded (she was reluctant about it, don't get me wrong, but she did it nonetheless).  This happened to be James VI of Scotland, who then became James I of England, so he was known as James VI and I.  Monarch naming systems, gotta love 'em.  He was also bisexual, but that doesn't matter, it's just a fun fact.

James and the English did not get along well.  Traditionally, the Engish were always the progressives of Europe.  Parliament wanted to give the people more rights, but James was a pretty absolute monarch, so they disagreed on that front.  Tensions grew, and when he died, his son, Charles, took over.  In addition to the already existing hatred, his wife was Catholic, which so did not fly with the Protestant English.  To make a long story short, he started a civil war, lost that war, was tried for treason, found guilty, and then beheaded.  He did have a son, who was exiled.

Oliver Cromwell, an English Civil War hero, was named Lord Protector of the kingdoms of England, Ireland, and Scotland.  He became a crazy Puritan dictator who enforced ridiculous laws on the British Isles, such as making cursing illegal.  He also started unnecessary wars with the Spanish and the Dutch.  He died on September 3, 1658.

The English realized they messed up.  They realized that having a Stuart on the throne would be better than Cromwell.  They were so upset about what went down with Cromwell, they travelled to continental Europe to ask Charles II (the son of Charles I) to come back to England and restore the house of Stuart to the throne.  Now that is an embarrassing apology.  And, as they say, the rest is history.

People have been apologizing for centuries!  This is one thing that hasn't changed: people mess up!  Even better, they admit they were wrong!  People are still messing up today, and they are still apologizing.  Keep apologizing, people.  It'll do ya good.