Kingdom of Great Britain
Great Britain was created by the merger of the Kingdoms of Scotland and England in 1707 (see Act of Union 1707). A single parliament and government, based in Westminster in London, ran the entire kingdom. They had shared a monarch since King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England in 1603.
From 1707, a joint 'British' throne replaced the English and Scottish thrones and a joint Parliament of Great Britain replaced the Scottish and English parliaments. Scotland and England were given seats in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords of the new Parliament, although Scotland's representation in both houses was smaller than her population indicated that it should have been. Scotland was only permitted to elect forty-five members to the Commons and to send sixteen representative peers to the Lords. (A devolved Scottish Parliament was re-established on 1 July 1999 following a referendum on September 11 1997.)
The United Kingdom of Great Britain was superseded by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801 when Ireland was absorbed.
Monarchs of Great Britain
See also
