Kingdom of England down. By 1588, her new navy was strong enough to defeat the Spanish Armada, which had sought to invade England to put a Catholic monarch on the throne in her place. The House of Tudor ended with the death of Elizabeth I on 24 March 1603. James I ascended the throne of England and brought it into personal union with the Kingdom of Scotland. Despite the Union of the Crowns, the kingdoms remained separate and independent states: a state of affairs which lasted for more than a century. The Stuart kings overestimated the power of the English monarchy, and were
The Merry Monarch for several minutes before being caught. Both Alarm and Flatman were injured, but took part in the race when it eventually got under way. The Merry Monarch was among the leading group from the start, and was in fourth place at the turn into the straight, where one horse fell and several others were badly hampered. Approaching the final furlong, Bell sent The Merry Monarch to the front and he established a clear lead before staying on well to win "in clever style" by a length from Annandale, with Old England a neck away in third. The result was a