James II (1685-88)
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James II
 | James II
acceded to the throne in 1685 because the support of the Tories had
enabled Charles II to prevent James being excluded because of his
Roman Catholicism. The Tories were deeply loyal to the Church of
England and James II's actions to restore Catholicism soon alienated
them.
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James II wanted to secure toleration for Catholics as a preliminary to England's re-conversion to Catholicism. He tried to gain the support of Protestant Dissenters by offering toleration to them in a Declaration of Indulgence (April 1687). However, very few trusted him. |
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In 1688, James II imprisoned seven bishops (including the Archbishop of Canterbury) who resisted his policy of toleration. Their acquittal by a London jury showed the weakness of James' position. |
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James' attempts to woo the Whigs and Dissenters and to bully Tories merely resulted in the opposition of both. However, open revolt might have been avoided were it not for the birth of a son to James and Mary (June 1688). England might put up with a Catholic king for a few years, but a line of Catholic kings was more than they could stomach. |
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Leading noblemen - both Whig and Tory - had
already (30 June 1688) invited William of Orange to come and save
England from "popery and slavery". |
The Glorious Revolution
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William of Orange (husband to James II's daughter, Mary) responded by landing with 10,000 soldiers in the Southwest of England. James' other daughter, Anne, promptly fled to join William along with John Churchill (later Duke of Marlborough). These desertions seem to have destroyed James' resolve entirely. Although he had a large army, well trained and equipped, he simply withdrew it before William's forces. In December, he fled to France. |
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| The only battle of the Glorious Revolution was fought not in England but in Ireland. James - with French support - went to Ireland to lead an uprising In July 1690 his forces were defeated by William at the Battle of the Boyne. |
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A new Parliament assembled, declared that James
had effectively abdicated and declared
William and
Mary joint rulers. Some believers in
hereditary succession feigned that James' son (James Francis Edward)
was not really his child, but effectively subsequent monarchs ruled
only by parliamentary consent.
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Mary's sister, Anne
succeeded after the death of William III but left no heir. Passing
over many claimants with better titles because they were Catholics,
Parliament made George (grandson of Charles I's sister
Elizabeth)
king. [See Family tree] |
The Revolution Settlement
| The Glorious Revolution made England a limited monarchy - never again would its monarchs be able to rule without the co-operation of Parliament. |
| The Bill of Rights placed strict limits on royal power, excluded all Catholics from the succession, and guaranteed individual rights. |
| The 1689 Revolution led to a limited degree of religious toleration - Catholics and Protestant dissenters suffered many civil disabilities (for example, being excluded from political power and higher education) but would no longer suffer criminal penalties simply for practicing their faith. |
