Queen Elizabeth granted a charter to the Earl of Cumberland and some two hundred more to trade exclusively with counties to the east of the Cape of Good Hope and West of the Straits of Magellan. Those adventurers who traded without permission were threatened with imprisonment. ^[1]

A great famine started in Russia and lasted for two years. It is thought to have killed 30% of the population and the crop failure may have been caused by the eruption of a large Peruvian volcano that created a volcanic winter a year earlier. ^[1]

The Spainish laid siege to Ostend where Dutch and English forces were encamped. The siege lasted for three years resulting in many deaths on both sides. Eventually the garrison inside the city surrendered after suffering famine.

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, having been found guilty of treason for his part in the revolt was executed as a traitor. ^[2]

In order to continue the fight against the English, Philip III of Spain sent his forces to help the Irish rebels that were rebelling against English rule in Ireland. Around 4,000 Spanish landed at Kinsale on the Irish coast and took over the town. But they were unprepared for the siege that the English forces inflicted upon them. The siege ended with an English victory and many of the Spanish were allowed to go home. ^[1]

A trading company was founded in the Dutch Republic to control trade between the country and the Indian Ocean.  ^[1]

The plague was back in England. Many died in London and thousands in Norwich. In Norwich there was also a scarcity of food. ^[3]

Elizabeth's health was failing and before her death she reportedly named James of Scotland as her successor. She was buried in the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

Within hours of the Queen's death, James VI of Scotland was declared King of England. He had three rights to the English throne, being a direct descendant of Henry VII, being the nearest relative to Queen Elizabeth and finally being chosen by Elizabeth herself.

Eleven days after the death of Queen Elizabeth, King James left Scotland and travelled to London.

The citizens of London welcomed their new King with entertainments.

A severe outbreak of the plague occurred in London and started a trend of yearly outbreaks during the summer months until 1610. ^[4]

Sir Walter Raleigh was accused of treason as part of a plot to remove King James I from the English throne and replace him with Arbella Stuart. Lord Cobham was the supposed ringleader and was planning to use Spanish money to put the plans into reality. Once the plot was discovered, both Cobham and Raleigh were arrested and found guilty. They were both transferred to the Tower of London.

King James proposed a union between Scotland and England and the name of the combined lands being known as Great Britain. Commissioners from both Scotland and England were appointed to agree the conditions of the union.

This supernova was visible to the naked eye and described by Johannes Kepler, a German astronomer. It is also known as Kepler's supernova and is the last supernova to have been seen with the naked eye.

Galileo Galilei, the astonomer, pointed his telescope at Jupiter and saw several bright points near it. Over subsequent nights he discovered that the points of light moved in such a way that they would be orbiting the planet. Up until this time many believed that all of the objects in the sky rotated around the Earth, but this showed objects orbiting another. The four moons he saw were Ganymede, Callisto, Europa and Io, later to be known as members of the Galilean moons. Copernicus had proposed the planets revolved around the Sun and these new observations supported that theory.

Galileo Galilei published his treatise on astronomy called Sidereus Nuncius (Sidereal Messenger). The publication contained information based on observations made through a telescope including details of the moon.

The English astronomer Thomas Harriot became the first person to observe sunspots through a telescope. Due the dangers of looking directly at the Sun, his observations were done shorty after sunrise or just before sunset or when there was a mist. Even in these conditions damage to the eyes was a great possibility.

Charles' elder brother Henry died of typhoid making Charles heir to the English throne. Elizabeth was Charles' elder sister and her descendants would become future kings of England.

Ownership of Goodrich Castle was transferred to Henry Grey, the Earl of Kent after the death of the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury who died without a male heir.

After many years imprisoned in the Tower of London, Sir Walter Raleigh was pardoned by the King and released. During this time locked up in the Tower of London he had keep abreast of events and had been working on a book entitled 'The History of the World'.

George Villiers was created Earl of Buckingham.

Oliver Cromwell was admitted into Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. ^[5]

On his journey to Scotland King James I visited Warkworth Castle. He found it in a state of disrepair and there were sheep and goats living within the rooms. ^[6]

George Villiers was created Marquis of Buckingham.

Oliver Cromwell married Elizabeth Bourchier, the daughter of Sir James Bourchier, a wealthy land owner and London merchant. They were married in St. Gile's Church, Cripplegate.

George Villiers was created Duke of Buckingham.

King Charles I became the first person to succeed to the crown of both England and Scotland. His father James VI the King of Scotland from 1567 and later James I King of England from 1603. James was buried at Westminster Abbey.

Proxy wedding of Charles & Henrietta in Paris.

Charles I called his first Parliament in June of 1625. His aim was to raise money for war against Spain although he did not tell Parliament what the money was for. Parliament refused to give the full amount and gave only limited funds. Parliament restricted Charles to collect 'Tonnage and Poundage' for only one year. Before this 'Tonnage and Poundage' was collected at any time. There were concerns over Charles' marriage to his Roman Catholic wife and favouritism shown to her religion. Further concerns related to the Duke of Buckingham and his influence over the King. Charles dissolved the Parliament in August without achieving his aims.

Charles marries Henrietta Maria de Bourbon in St Augustine's Church at Canterbury.

Britain was affected by another outbreak of the plague. A large number of people died in London, possibly 35,000 or more. ^[4]

A fleet of English warships was ordered by the Duke of Buckingham to sail to southern Spain to intercept Spanish ships bringing back treasure from South America. They failed to capture any ships and turned their attention to Cadiz. Although the troops landed and took the harbour they were poorly provisioned. Finding large amounts of wine the troops became drunk and the attack was reduced to a complete failure. The expedition returned to England in shame. ^[7]

The Treaty of the Hague was signed by England and the Netherlands agreeing to pay Christian IV of Denmark a large sum of money to maintain his campaign in Germany as part of the Thirty Years War. ^[7]