Which event led to the union of the English and Scottish crowns?

• A. The death of Elizabeth I
• B. A political marriage between England and Scotland
• C. The Act of Union
• D. The death of Elizabeth I and the accession of James VI of Scotland as James I of England

Answer: (D)

Unifying the crowns is about one monarch ruling both kingdoms. This happened in 1603 when Elizabeth I died without an heir and James VI of Scotland became James I of England, creating a personal union as the same person wore both crowns. The two kingdoms remained legally separate but shared the same sovereign, a situation that lasted until the later Act of Union united Parliament and state into Great Britain. The other options don’t fit because Elizabeth’s death alone doesn’t bring a monarch to rule England from Scotland, a political marriage wouldn’t by itself unite the crowns, and the Act of Union refers to a political, not merely a royal, unification that occurred later.