Population England: 5 million. Scotland, Wales and Ireland: about 2 million (1603).

Government Absolute monarchy 1603-49; republic 1649-60; restored monarchy 1660-88; constitutional monarchy 1688-1714. See Timeline for details.

Dynasty The Stuarts: James I (1603-25), Charles I (1625-49), Charles II (1660-85), James II (1685-88), William III and Mary II (1688-1702), Anne (1702–14)

NB: During the interregnum, after a republican Commonwealth (1649-53), Oliver Cromwell rules as Lord Protector (1653-58), followed briefly by his son Richard.

Religion The official state religion is Protestant (Anglican, Church of England). There are still Roman Catholics, mainly among the upper classes. With the Civil War, numerous Protestant sects arose including Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Baptists and Quakers.

Money

Currency

English currency comprises pounds, shillings and pence, or £sd. The £ (a fancy 'L') means 'pounds' (from the Latin libra meaning 'pound weight'), the 's' means 'shilling' (an ancient English value) and 'd' means 'penny' (from the Latin denarius).

The penny is the basic unit of currency. Twelve pence make a shilling and 20 shillings a pound, with 240 pence to the pound.

Coins

A huge variety are in circulation: farthing (four to a penny), half-penny, half-groat or tuppence (two pence), thruppence (three pence), groat (four pence) and the sixpence. There are also crowns (five shillings), half crowns (two shillings and six pence), florins (six shillings), gold sovereigns (one pound) and guineas (one pound and one shilling). The names of coins are often used in common sayings, such as 'I don't give a groat for that' (meaning 'I don't care').

The coinage is further confused by rich landlords or industrialists minting their own private tokens.

Until Charles II standardises the production of coins in the 1660s, most are hammered into shape by craftsmen and tend to come in all shapes and sizes.

After 1660, you may also catch a glimpse of rarer gold coins, such as the half laurel (10 shillings), half guinea (10 shillings and sixpence), two guinea (42 shillings) or five guinea (105 shillings).

Forgery

The penalties for tampering with coins – by cutting off their edges and using the metal to make new coins – are severe, but do not stop people from doing it.

What is money worth?

• £1 in 1650 is worth about £73 in 2001.

• A typical labourer earns 1 shilling a day, but demand for work fluctuates. The most he can earn is about £13 a year.

• A typical small farmer makes about £15 a year, of which £11 feeds a couple and four children.

• A pauper gets 4 to 5 shillings a week poor relief.

• A yeoman is defined as someone who owns freehold land worth at least 40 shillings – this is a qualification for voting. Most yeomen have incomes of £40-50 a year.

• Many of the gentry live well on incomes of £200 to £500 a year.

• To be a baronet, you have to have lands worth at least £1,000 a year.

• In 1625, a penny can buy a quart of the best ale, three large loaves of bread or a bed for the night in an inn. Six pence buys a couple of chickens or rabbits, or a quart of claret. One shilling buys a pig or a goose.

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