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195-458: The Glorious Revolution was the deposition of James II and VII in November 1688. He was replaced by his daughter Mary II , and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange , who was also James's nephew. The two ruled as joint monarchs of England , Scotland , and Ireland until Mary's death in 1694, when William became ruler in his own right. Jacobitism as a political movement persisted into

390-515: A Stuart ever had". Although historians generally accept James wished to promote Catholicism, not establish an absolute monarchy , his stubborn and inflexible reaction to opposition had the same result. When the English and Scottish Parliaments refused to repeal the 1678 and 1681 Test Acts , he suspended them in November 1685 and ruled by decree. Attempts to form a 'King's party' of Catholics, English Dissenters and dissident Scottish Presbyterians

585-472: A rebellion in 1641 , which developed into ethnic conflict with Protestant settlers. The Irish Catholic Confederation , formed to control the rebellion, held most of Ireland in the ensuing war against the Royalists, Parliamentarians, and Covenanters. Although all three agreed on the need to quell the rebellion, none trusted the other two with control of an army raised to do so. In August 1642, failure to break

780-518: A " Popish Plot " to kill Charles and to put the Duke of York on the throne. The fabricated plot caused a wave of anti-Catholic hysteria to sweep across the nation. In England, the Earl of Shaftesbury , a former government minister and now a leading opponent of Catholicism, proposed an Exclusion Bill that would have excluded James from the line of succession. Some members of Parliament even proposed to pass

975-604: A "true Stuart", but one without the faults of either James or Charles II. Much of the "spontaneous" support for William on his landing was organised by Bentinck and his agents. William's key strategic purpose was creating a defensive coalition that would block further French expansion in Europe, an objective not shared by the majority of his English supporters. In 1672, an alliance with the Electorate of Cologne had enabled France to bypass Dutch forward defences and nearly over-run

1170-1029: A Catholic dynasty following the birth of his son James Francis Edward on 10 June led a group of domestic opponents to issue the Invitation to William , seeking Dutch support to remove him. The Dutch States General and William were concerned that James might support Louis XIV of France in the Nine Years' War . Exploiting unrest in England and claiming to be responding to the invitation, William landed in Devon with an expeditionary force on 5 November 1688. As William advanced on London, James's army disintegrated and he went into exile in France on 23 December. In April 1689, while Dutch troops occupied London, Parliament made William and Mary joint monarchs of England and Ireland. A separate but similar Scottish settlement

1365-496: A Catholic sympathiser named Anthony Farmer as president, but as he was ineligible under the college statutes, the fellows elected John Hough instead. Both Farmer and Hough withdrew in favour of another candidate selected by James, who then demanded the fellows personally apologise on their knees for 'defying' him; when they refused, they were replaced by Catholics. Attempts to create an alternative 'Kings Party' were never likely to succeed, as English Catholics made up only 1.1% of

1560-750: A Roman Catholic. With the assistance of French troops, James landed in Ireland in March 1689. The Irish Parliament did not follow the example of the English Parliament; it declared that James remained King and passed a massive bill of attainder against those who had rebelled against him. At James's urging, the Irish Parliament passed an Act for Liberty of Conscience that granted religious freedom to all Roman Catholics and Protestants in Ireland. James worked to build an army in Ireland, but

1755-443: A Whig; Henry Compton, Bishop of London, for the church; Shrewsbury and Lumley for the army, and finally Russell and Sydney for the navy. They promised to support a Dutch landing, but stressed the importance of acting quickly. The Invitation was carried to The Hague on 30 June by Rear Admiral Herbert , disguised as a common sailor. Meanwhile, William's ally Bentinck launched a propaganda campaign in England, which presented him as

1950-500: A brief Anglican service that did little more than recognise the marriage by proxy. Many British people, distrustful of Catholicism, regarded the new Duchess of York as an agent of the Papacy . James was noted for his deep devotion, once remarking, "If occasion were, I hope God would give me his grace to suffer death for the true Catholic religion as well as banishment." In 1677, King Charles II arranged for James's daughter Mary to marry

2145-752: A campaign against the Scots, they refused. They then declared themselves to be permanently in session— the Long Parliament —and soon presented Charles with a long list of civil and religious grievances requiring his remedy before they would approve any new legislation. During the English Civil War, the English overseas possessions became highly involved. In the Channel Islands, the island of Jersey and Castle Cornet in Guernsey supported

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2340-658: A captured Irish regiment in December 1652, then appointed Lieutenant-General in 1654. In 1657, France, then engaged in the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) , agreed an alliance with the Commonwealth of England , and when Charles responded by signing a treaty with Spain , James was expelled from France. James quarrelled with his brother over this choice, but ultimately joined Spanish forces in Flanders led by

2535-465: A father, and played with them "like an ordinary private father of a child", a contrast to the distant parenting common with royalty at the time. James's wife was devoted to him and influenced many of his decisions. Even so, he kept mistresses, including Arabella Churchill and Catherine Sedley , and was reputed to be "the most unguarded ogler of his time". Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary that James "did eye my wife mightily". James's taste in women

2730-516: A former naval commander, James appreciated the difficulties of a successful invasion, even in good weather, and as autumn approached, the likelihood seemed to diminish. With the Dutch on the verge of war with France, he did not believe the States General would allow William to make the attempt; if they did, his army and navy were strong enough to defeat it. Reasonable in theory, his reliance on

2925-653: A funeral oration by Henri-Emmanuel de Roquette . James was not buried, but put in one of the side chapels. Lights were kept burning round his coffin until the French Revolution . In 1734, the Archbishop of Paris heard evidence to support James's canonisation, but nothing came of it. During the French Revolution, James's tomb was raided. James's younger daughter Anne succeeded when William died in 1702. The Act of Settlement provided that, if

3120-530: A middle ground between these views. James, second surviving son of King Charles I and his wife, Henrietta Maria of France , was born at St James's Palace in London on 14 October 1633. Later that same year, he was baptized by William Laud , the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury . He was educated by private tutors, along with his older brother, the future King Charles II , and the two sons of

3315-570: A palace and a pension. William summoned a Convention Parliament to decide how to handle James's flight. It convened on 22 January 1689. While the Parliament refused to depose him, they declared that James, having fled to France and dropped the Great Seal into the Thames, had effectively abdicated , and that the throne had thereby become vacant. To fill this vacancy, James's daughter Mary

3510-462: A religious one, that ultimately led to his removal. In June 1688, two events turned dissent into a crisis. Firstly, the birth of James's son and heir James Francis Edward Stuart on 10 June raised the prospect of a Catholic dynasty, excluding his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William III, Prince of Orange , who was also his nephew. Secondly, the prosecution of the Seven Bishops

3705-679: A sizable court household. In 1664, Charles II granted American territory between the Delaware and Connecticut rivers to James. Following its capture by the British, the former Dutch territory of New Netherland and its principal port, New Amsterdam , were renamed the Province and City of New York in James's honour. James gave part of the colony to proprietors George Carteret and John Berkeley . Fort Orange , 150 miles (240 km) north on

3900-613: A skirmish between French and Dutch naval vessels in July 1686, William concluded English neutrality was not enough and he needed their active support in the event of war. His relationship with James was affected by the fact both men relied on advisors with relatively limited views; in William's case, mainly English and Scots Presbyterian exiles, the latter with close links to the Protestant minority in Ireland, who saw Tyrconnell's policies as

4095-537: A special Convention Parliament held James had "vacated" the English throne and installed William and Mary as joint monarchs, thereby establishing the principle sovereignty derived from Parliament, not birth. James landed in Ireland on 14 March 1689 in an attempt to recover his kingdoms, but, despite a simultaneous rising in Scotland , in April a Scottish Convention followed England in ruling that James had "forfeited"

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4290-471: A strong defensive position near Chatham Dockyard , believing the Dutch would seek to establish naval superiority before committing to a landing. While this had been the original plan, winter storms meant conditions deteriorated rapidly for those on the transports; William therefore decided to sail in convoy and avoid battle. The easterly winds that allowed the Dutch to cross prevented the Royal Navy leaving

4485-532: A temporary phenomenon, but when the prince's birth opened the possibility of a permanent Roman Catholic dynasty, such men had to reconsider their position. Threatened by a Roman Catholic dynasty, several influential Protestants claimed the child was supposititious and had been smuggled into the Queen's bedchamber in a warming pan. They had already entered into negotiations with the Prince of Orange when it became known

4680-412: A thousand horses; press reports deliberately exaggerated the damage and claimed the expedition might be postponed until next spring. Dartmouth and his senior commanders considered taking advantage of this by blockading Hellevoetsluis, then decided against it, partly because the stormy weather made it dangerous but also because they could not rely on their men. William replaced his losses and departed when

4875-673: A threat to their existence. Having largely alienated his Tory support base, James depended on a small circle of Catholic converts like Sunderland , Melfort and Perth . Suspicions increased when James sought William's backing for repealing the Test Acts ; he predictably refused, further damaging their relationship. Having previously assumed he was guaranteed English support in a war with France, William now worried he might face an Anglo-French alliance, despite assurances by James he had no intention of doing so. Historians argue whether these assurances were genuine, but James did not fully appreciate

5070-492: A tiny minority confined to parts of the aristocracy and the remote Highlands. Episcopalians had regained control of the kirk in 1660, leading to a series of Presbyterian uprisings, but memories of the bitter religious conflicts of the Civil War period meant the majority preferred stability. In England and Scotland, most of those who backed James in 1685 wanted to retain existing political and religious arrangements, but this

5265-471: A wave of sympathy for the King and James. Several notable Whigs , including the Earl of Essex and the Duke of Monmouth, were implicated. Monmouth initially confessed to complicity in the plot and implicated fellow conspirators, but later recanted. Essex committed suicide, and Monmouth, along with several others, was obliged to flee into exile in continental Europe. Charles II reacted to the plot by increasing

5460-678: A wholesale purge of those in offices under the Crown opposed to his plan, appointing new lord-lieutenants of counties and remodelling the corporations governing towns and livery companies . In October, James gave orders for the lord-lieutenants to provide three standard questions to all Justices of the Peace : 1. Would they consent to the repeal of the Test Act and the Penal Laws? 2. Would they assist candidates who would do so? 3. Would they accept

5655-709: A year to markets primarily in the English Caribbean across the Atlantic. Many were branded on the chest with the letters "DY" for "Duke of York", the RAC's Governor. As historian William Pettigrew writes, the RAC "shipped more enslaved African women, men, and children to the Americas than any other single institution during the entire period of the transatlantic slave trade". James's time in France had exposed him to

5850-505: Is now remembered primarily for conflicts over religion. However, it also involved struggles over the principles of absolutism and divine right of kings , with his deposition ending a century of political and civil strife by confirming the primacy of the English Parliament over the Crown. James succeeded to the throne with widespread support, largely due to a reluctance to undermine the principle of hereditary succession, and

6045-413: Is possible". On 4/14 October, William responded to the allegations by James in a second declaration, denying any intention to become king or to conquer England, a claim which remains controversial. The swiftness of the embarkations surprised all foreign observers. Louis had in fact delayed his threats against the Dutch until early September because he assumed it then would be too late in the season to set

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6240-759: The English Civil War , while others have labelled them the British Civil Wars . After 1541, monarchs of England styled their Irish territory as a Kingdom —replacing the Lordship of Ireland —and ruled there with the assistance of a separate Irish Parliament . Also, with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 , Henry VIII integrated Wales more closely into the Kingdom of England . Scotland,

6435-423: The Archbishop of Canterbury , submitted a petition requesting the reconsideration of the King's religious policies, they were arrested and tried for seditious libel . Public alarm increased when Queen Mary gave birth to a Roman Catholic son and heir, James Francis Edward , on 10 June that year. When James's only possible successors were his two Protestant daughters, Anglicans could see his pro-Catholic policies as

6630-524: The Bishops' Wars . Charles shared his father's belief in the Divine Right of Kings , and his persistent assertion of this standard seriously disrupted relations between the Crown and the English Parliament. The Church of England remained dominant, but a powerful Puritan minority, represented by about one third of Parliament, began to assert themselves; their religious precepts had much in common with

6825-821: The Duke of Buckingham , George and Francis Villiers. At the age of three, James was appointed Lord High Admiral ; the position was initially honorary, but became a substantive office after the Restoration , when James was an adult. He was designated Duke of York at birth, invested with the Order of the Garter in 1642, and formally created Duke of York in January 1644. In August 1642, long running political disputes between Charles I and his opponents in Parliament led to

7020-430: The Earl of Melfort ; most, but not all, were Roman Catholic. In 1692, James's last child, Louisa Maria Teresa , was born. Some supporters in England attempted to assassinate William III to restore James to the throne in 1696, but the plot failed and the backlash made James's cause less popular. In the same year, Louis XIV offered to have James elected King of Poland . James rejected the offer, fearing that accepting

7215-835: The First and Second English Civil Wars , the Irish Confederate Wars , the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland and the Anglo-Scottish War of 1650–1652. They resulted in the execution of Charles I , the abolition of monarchy , and founding of the Commonwealth of England , a unitary state which controlled the British Isles until the Stuart Restoration in 1660. Political and religious conflict between Charles I and his opponents dated to

7410-790: The First English Civil War . James and his brother Charles were present at the Battle of Edgehill in October, and narrowly escaped capture by Parliamentarian cavalry. He spent most of the next four years in the Royalist wartime capital of Oxford , where he was made a Master of Arts by the University on 1 November 1642 and served as colonel of a volunteer regiment of foot. Following the surrender of Oxford in June 1646, James

7605-561: The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland would continue to run the church. The personal union of the three kingdoms under one monarch came about when King James VI of Scotland succeeded Elizabeth I to the English throne in 1603, when he also became King James I of England and of Ireland. In 1625, Charles I succeeded his father and marked three main concerns regarding England and Wales: how to fund his government, how to reform

7800-697: The Hudson River , was renamed Albany after James's Scottish title. In 1683, James became the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company , but did not take an active role in its governance. In September 1666, Charles II put James in charge of firefighting operations during the Great Fire of London , in the absence of action by Lord Mayor Thomas Bloodworth . This was not a political office, but his actions and leadership were noteworthy. "The Duke of York hath won

7995-670: The Privy Council of Scotland and controlling the Parliament of Scotland through the Lords of the Articles . He constrained the authority of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and stopped it from meeting, then increased the number of bishops in the Church of Scotland . In 1618, he held a General Assembly and pushed through Five Articles of Episcopalian practices, which were widely boycotted. After his death in 1625, James

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8190-559: The Scots Brigade for use in England. The increase could be presented as a limited precaution against French aggression, as the Dutch would typically double or triple their army strength in wartime; William instructed his experienced deputy Schomberg to prepare for a campaign in Germany. At the beginning of September, an invasion remained in the balance, with the States General fearing a French attack via Flanders while their army

8385-403: The Scottish Civil War . There, the Royalists gained a series of victories in 1644–1645, but were crushed after the main Covenanter armies returned to Scotland upon the end of the first English Civil War. The Scots handed Charles over to the English and returned to Scotland, the English Parliament having paid them a large sum for their expenses in the English campaign. After his surrender, Charles

8580-404: The Spanish Netherlands threatened both English and Dutch trade. Although William sent James troops to help suppress the 1685 Monmouth Rebellion , their relationship deteriorated thereafter. The Franco-Dutch War , continued French expansion , and expulsion of the Huguenots meant William assumed another war was inevitable, and although the States General of the Netherlands preferred peace,

8775-448: The Thames estuary and intervening. The English fleet was outnumbered 2:1, undermanned, short of supplies, and in the wrong place. Key landing locations in the south-west and Yorkshire had been secured by sympathisers, while both army and navy were led by officers whose loyalty was questionable. Even early in 1686, foreign observers doubted the military would fight for James against a Protestant heir, and William claimed only to be securing

8970-431: The Tories were those who opposed it. Ultimately, the succession was not altered, but James was convinced to withdraw from all policy-making bodies and to accept a lesser role in his brother's government. On the orders of the King, James left England for Brussels . In 1680, he was appointed Lord High Commissioner of Scotland and took up residence at the Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh to suppress an uprising and oversee

9165-526: The Tower of London . Two events turned dissent into a crisis; the birth of James Francis Edward Stuart on 10 June created the prospect of a Catholic dynasty, while the acquittal of the Seven Bishops on 30 June destroyed James's political authority. In 1677, James's elder daughter and heir Mary married her Protestant cousin William III of Orange , stadtholder of the main provinces of the Dutch Republic . The two initially shared common objectives in wanting Mary to succeed her father, while French ambitions in

9360-425: The frigate Den Briel on 16/26 October. With over 200 ships of various types carrying 40,000 men, the expeditionary force was the largest fleet assembled in European waters up to that date. After departing on 19/29 October, the fleet was scattered by a gale, forcing the Brill back to Hellevoetsluis on 21/31 October. William refused to go ashore, and the fleet reassembled, having lost only one ship but nearly

9555-432: The regicide of Charles I. Royalists dug up Cromwell's corpse and performed a posthumous execution . The religiously and politically motivated individuals held responsible for the wars suffered harsh repression. Scotland and Ireland regained their Parliaments, some Irish retrieved confiscated lands, and the New Model Army was disbanded. However, the issues which had caused the wars—religion, the powers of Parliament vis-á-vis

9750-563: The slave trade (indeed English attacks on such forts occupied by the Dutch precipitated the war itself). James remained Admiral of the Fleet during the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672–1674), during which significant fighting also occurred off the African coast. Following the raid on the Medway in 1667, James oversaw the survey and re-fortification of the southern coast. The office of Lord High Admiral, combined with his revenue from post office and wine tariffs (positions granted him by Charles II upon his restoration), gave James enough money to keep

9945-448: The 'Three Questions', one being a commitment to repeal of the Test Act. In addition, local government and town corporations were purged to create an obedient electoral machine, further alienating the county gentry who had formed the majority of those who backed James in 1685. On 24 August 1688, writs were issued for a general election. The expansion of the military caused great concern, particularly in England and Scotland, where memories of

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10140-432: The 1650–1652 Anglo-Scottish war . Under Oliver Cromwell , the Commonwealth conquered Ireland and most Irish Catholic lands were seized . The British Isles became a united republic ruled by Cromwell and dominated by the army. There were sporadic uprisings until the monarchy was restored in 1660. The term Wars of the Three Kingdoms first appears in A Brief Chronicle of all the Chief Actions so fatally Falling out in

10335-413: The 1679 to 1681 Exclusion Crisis , dividing the English political class into those who wanted to 'exclude' James from the throne, mostly Whigs , and their opponents, mostly Tories . However, in 1685 many Whigs feared the consequences of bypassing the 'natural heir', while Tories were often strongly anti-Catholic, and their support assumed the continued primacy of the Church of England. Most importantly, it

10530-400: The Amsterdam financial market raised a loan of four million guilders in only three days, with further financing coming from various sources, including two million guilders from the banker Francisco Lopes Suasso . The biggest concern for Holland was the potential impact on the Dutch economy and politics of William becoming ruler of England; the claim he had no intention of "removing the King from

10725-474: The Army, which began the Second English Civil War . The New Model Army vanquished the English Royalists and Parliamentarians, as well as their Scottish Engager allies. On account of his secret machinations with the Scottish Engagers, Charles was charged with treason against England. Subsequently, the Grandees and their civilian supporters failed to reconcile with the king or the Puritan majority in Parliament. The Grandees acted, and soldiers were used to purge

10920-446: The Civil War left huge resistance to standing armies . In Ireland, Talbot replaced Protestant officers with Catholics; James did the same in England, while basing the troops at Hounslow appeared a deliberate attempt to overawe Parliament. In April 1688, he ordered his Declaration of Indulgence read in every church; when the Archbishop of Canterbury and six other bishops refused, they were charged with seditious libel and confined in

11115-718: The Crown was rewarded after the 1660 Restoration of the Monarchy when Charles II dubbed it the Old Dominion . Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Ireland (proclaimed such in 1541 but only fully conquered for the Crown in 1603), tensions had also begun to mount. Thomas Wentworth , Charles I's Lord Deputy of Ireland , angered Catholics by enforcing new taxes while denying them full rights as subjects; he further antagonised wealthy Irish Catholics by repeated initiatives to confiscate and transfer their lands to English colonists. Conditions became explosive in 1639 when Wentworth offered Irish Catholics some reforms in return for their raising and funding an Irish army (led by Protestant officers) to put down

11310-506: The Crown. Bermuda's Independent Puritans were expelled, settling the Bahamas under William Sayle as the Eleutheran Adventurers . Parliament passed An Act for prohibiting Trade with the Barbadoes, Virginia, Bermuda and Antego in October, 1650 that prohibited all trade with the rebellious colonies of Barbados, Antigua, Bermuda, and Virginia, and granting permission to English privateers to seize any ships belonging to merchants, including foreigners, who traded with those colonies. Far to

11505-559: The Declaration of Indulgence? During the first three months of 1688, hundreds of those who gave negative replies to those questions were dismissed. Corporations were purged by agents, known as the Regulators, who were given wide discretionary powers, in an attempt to create a permanent royal electoral machine. Most of the regulators were Baptists , and the new town officials that they recommended included Quakers , Baptists, Congregationalists , Presbyterians and Roman Catholics, as well as Anglicans . Finally, on 24 August 1688, James ordered

11700-407: The Elector of Hanover and Anne's second cousin. James's son James Francis Edward was recognised as king at his father's death by Louis XIV of France and James II's remaining supporters (later known as Jacobites ) as "James III and VIII". He led a rising in Scotland in 1715 shortly after George I's accession, but was defeated. His son Charles Edward Stuart led a Jacobite rising in 1745 , but

11895-582: The English Puritans and Scottish Covenanters opposed the changes Charles tried to impose on the Protestant state churches of England and Scotland . In Ireland, the only one with a Catholic majority, the Irish Confederates wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination , greater self-governance, and a reversal of land grants to Protestant settlers . The conflicts began with the Bishops' Wars of 1639–1640, when Scottish Covenanters who opposed Charles' religious reforms gained control of Scotland and briefly occupied northern England. Irish Catholics launched

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12090-414: The English Parliament of those who opposed the Army. The resultant Rump Parliament of the Long Parliament then passed enabling legislation for putting Charles I on trial for treason . He was found guilty of treason against the English commons and was executed on 30 January 1649. After the execution of King Charles I the Rump Parliament passed a series of acts declaring that England was a republic; that

12285-450: The English Parliament to introduce a new Test Act in 1673. Under this Act, all civil and military officials were required to take an oath (in which they were required to disavow the doctrine of transubstantiation and denounce certain practices of the Roman Church as superstitious and idolatrous) and to receive the Eucharist under the auspices of the Church of England . James refused to perform either action, instead choosing to relinquish

12480-434: The English Parliament, but as this body never held real powers, representation was ineffective. When Cromwell died in 1658 the Commonwealth fell apart—but without major violence. Historians record that adroit politicians of the time, especially George Monck , prevailed over the looming crisis; Monck in particular was deemed the victor sine sanguine, i.e., "without blood" , of the Restoration crisis. And in 1660, Charles II

12675-408: The English and Scottish Parliaments, a small group of Irish conspirators launched the Irish Rebellion of 1641 , ostensibly in support of the "King's Rights". The uprising featured widespread violent assaults on Protestant communities in Ireland, both Anglican and dissenter Protestants in Ulster whose practice was similar to the Scottish Kirk. In England and Scotland, rumours spread that the killings had

12870-443: The Established Church, the traditional ally of the monarchy, in the difficult position of being forced to erode its own privileges. James provoked further opposition by attempting to reduce the Anglican monopoly on education. At the University of Oxford , he offended Anglicans by allowing Roman Catholics to hold important positions in Christ Church and University College , two of Oxford's largest colleges. He also attempted to force

13065-516: The Fellows of Magdalen College to elect as their President Anthony Farmer , a man of generally ill repute who was believed to be a Roman Catholic, which was seen as a violation of the Fellows' right to elect someone of their own choosing. In 1687, James prepared to pack Parliament with his supporters, so that it would repeal the Test Act and the Penal Laws. James was convinced by addresses from Dissenters that he had their support and so could dispense with relying on Tories and Anglicans. He instituted

13260-562: The French candidate in favour of Joseph Clemens of Bavaria . After 1678, France continued its expansion into the Rhineland , including the 1683 to 1684 War of the Reunions , additional territorial demands in the Palatinate , and construction of forts at Landau and Traben-Trarbach . This presented an existential threat to Habsburg dominance, guaranteeing Leopold's support for the Dutch, and negating French attempts to build German alliances. William's envoy Johann von Görtz assured Leopold English Catholics would not be persecuted and intervention

13455-441: The French exile Condé . Given command of six regiments of British volunteers, he fought against his former French comrades at the Battle of the Dunes . After France and Spain made peace with the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees , James considered taking a Spanish offer to be an admiral in their navy, but declined the position. Soon after, the 1660 Stuart Restoration returned his brother to the English throne as Charles II. After

13650-422: The Governor of the Royal Adventurers into Africa (later shortened to the Royal African Company ) in October 1660, an office James retained until after the Glorious Revolution when he was forced to resign. When James commanded the Royal Navy during the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665–1667) he immediately directed the fleet towards the capture of forts off the African coast that would facilitate English involvement in

13845-412: The House of Commons—without the House of Lords—would sit as the legislature; and that a Council of State would act as the executive power. In the other two kingdoms the execution of Charles caused the warring parties to unite, and they recognised Charles II as king of Great Britain, France and Ireland. To deal with the threat to the English Commonwealth posed by the two kingdoms (Ireland and Scotland),

14040-627: The Interregnum, the New Model Army occupied Ireland and Scotland. In Ireland, the new government confiscated almost all lands belonging to Irish Catholics as punishment for the rebellion of 1641; harsh Penal Laws also restricted this community. Thousands of Parliamentarian soldiers settled in Ireland on confiscated lands. The Commonwealth abolished the Parliaments of Ireland and Scotland. In theory, these countries had representation in

14235-668: The King until a surrender with honour in December 1651. Although the newer, Puritan settlements in North America, notably Massachusetts , were dominated by Parliamentarians, the older colonies to the south sided with the Crown. Friction between Royalists, most of whom were Anglican, and Puritans in Maryland came to a head in the Battle of the Severn . The Virginia Company's settlements, Bermuda and Virginia , as well as Antigua and Barbados , were conspicuous in their loyalty to

14430-578: The Kirk —and Mary, Queen of Scots , a Catholic, was forced to abdicate in favour of her son James VI of Scotland . James grew up under a regency disputed between Catholic and Protestant factions; when he took power, he aspired to be a "universal King", favouring the English Episcopalian system of bishops appointed by the king. In 1584, he introduced bishops into the Church of Scotland, but met with vigorous opposition, and he had to concede that

14625-594: The Lord Protector. When Cromwell died in 1658, control of the Commonwealth became unstable. In early 1660, General George Monck , commanding English occupation forces in Scotland, ordered his troops from the Coldstream barracks, marched them south into England, and seized control of London by February 1660. There he accumulated allies and agreements among the English and London establishments, including

14820-557: The North Sea to The Hague . Following their victory in the 1648 Second English Civil War , Parliament ordered the execution of Charles I in January 1649. The Covenanter regime proclaimed Charles II King of Scotland, and after lengthy negotiations agreed to provide troops to restore him to the English throne. The invasion ended in defeat at Worcester in September 1651. Although Charles managed to escape capture and to return to

15015-526: The North, Bermuda's regiment of Militia and its coastal batteries prepared to resist an invasion that never came. Built-up inside the natural defence of a nearly impassable barrier reef, to fend off the might of Spain, these defences would have been a formidable obstacle for the Parliamentary fleet sent in 1651 under the command of Admiral Sir George Ayscue to subdue the trans-Atlantic colonies, but after

15210-473: The Polish crown might (in the minds of the English people) disqualify him from being King of England. After Louis concluded peace with William in 1697, he ceased to offer much assistance to James. During his last years, James lived as an austere penitent . He wrote a memorandum for his son advising him on how to govern England, specifying that Catholics should possess one Secretary of State, one Commissioner of

15405-608: The Presbyterian Scots. The English Parliament and the king had repeated disputes over taxation, military expenditure, and the role of the Parliament in government. While James I had held much the same opinions as his son regarding Royal Prerogatives , he usually had enough discretion and charisma to persuade Parliamentarians to accept his thinking. Charles had no such skill and, faced with multiple crises during 1639–1642, he failed to prevent his kingdoms from sliding into civil war. When Charles approached Parliament to pay for

15600-490: The Prince of Orange, had neglected to detain them or put a stop to their recruitment efforts. Argyll sailed to Scotland where he raised recruits, mainly from his own clan, the Campbells . The rebellion was quickly crushed, and Argyll was captured at Inchinnan on 18 June 1685. Having arrived with fewer than 300 men and unable to convince many more to flock to his standard, he never posed a credible threat to James. Argyll

15795-507: The Protestant Prince William III of Orange , son of Charles's and James's sister Mary . James reluctantly acquiesced after his brother and nephew had agreed to the marriage. Despite the Protestant marriage, fears of a potential Catholic monarch persisted, intensified by the failure of Charles II and his wife, Catherine of Braganza , to produce any children. A defrocked Anglican clergyman, Titus Oates , spoke of

15990-635: The Queen was pregnant, and the birth of a son reinforced their convictions. On 30 June 1688, a group of seven Protestant nobles invited William, Prince of Orange , to come to England with an army. By September, it had become clear that William sought to invade. Believing that his own army would be adequate, James refused the assistance of King Louis XIV of France, fearing that the English would oppose French intervention. When William arrived on 5 November 1688, many Protestant officers, including Churchill , defected and joined William, as did James's own daughter Anne . James lost his nerve and declined to attack

16185-536: The Republic, so ensuring an anti-French ruler was vital to prevent a repetition. As an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire, Cologne's ruler was nominated by Pope Innocent XI , in conjunction with Emperor Leopold I . Both Louis and James were in dispute with Innocent over the right to appoint Catholic bishops and clergy; when the old Elector died in June 1688, Innocent and Leopold ignored

16380-596: The Rhineland on 27 September and in a secret session held on 29th, William argued for a pre-emptive strike , as Louis and James would "attempt to bring this state to its ultimate ruin and subjugation, as soon as they find the occasion". This was accepted by the States, with the objective left deliberately vague, other than making the English "King and Nation live in a good relation, and useful to their friends and allies, and especially to this State". Following their approval,

16575-536: The Royalists and a Covenanter faction called the Engagers . The Parliamentarian New Model Army then purged England's parliament of those who wanted to continue negotiations with the king. The resulting Rump Parliament approved his execution in January 1649 and founded the republican Commonwealth of England . In the Treaty of Breda , the Scots agreed to restore Charles II to the English throne, but were defeated in

16770-624: The Rump Parliament first appointed Cromwell to invade and subdue Ireland. In August 1649, he landed an English army at Rathmines shortly after the Siege of Dublin was abandoned by the Royalists following the Battle of Rathmines . Then, in late May 1650, Cromwell left one army to continue the Irish conquest and returned to England and to take command of a second English army which preemptively invaded Scotland . On 3 September 1650, he defeated

16965-463: The Scottish Kirk were opposed by most Scots, who supported a Presbyterian system of governance led by a General Assembly, and in individual churches by ministers and committees of elders . The 1638 National Covenant pledged to oppose such imposed "innovations". Signatories were known as Covenanters . In Ireland, alienated by Church of England domination and frightened by the rhetoric of

17160-599: The Scottish Covenanters at the Battle of Dunbar , and his forces then occupied Edinburgh and Scotland south of the River Forth . Cromwell was advancing the bulk of his army over the Forth towards Stirling ; when Charles II, commanding a Scottish Royalist army, stole a march on the English commander and invaded England from his base in Scotland. Cromwell divided his forces, leaving part in Scotland to complete

17355-565: The Scottish rebellion. The idea of an Irish Catholic army enforcing what many saw as already tyrannical government horrified both the Scottish and the English Parliaments, which in response threatened to invade Ireland. Charles' initial failure to end the Bishops' Wars of 1639 and 1640 quickly persuaded the antagonists that force could serve them better than negotiation. The imposition of Bishops and other Anglican practices to

17550-596: The Solicitor General, Heneage Finch . The case of Godden v Hales affirmed his dispensing power, with eleven out of the twelve judges ruling in the king's favour after six judges were dismissed for refusing to promise to support the king. In 1687, James issued the Declaration of Indulgence , also known as the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, in which he used his dispensing power to negate

17745-512: The States General authorised an additional 9,000 sailors and 21 new warships. The success of William's invasion would partly depend on domestic support, and at the end of April William met with Edward Russell , unofficial envoy for the Whig opposition. In a conversation recorded by Gilbert Burnet , he requested a formal invitation asking him to "rescue the nation and the religion", with a projected date of end September. William subsequently claimed he

17940-591: The States General treated the operation as a private affair, allowing William use of the Dutch States Navy and army. The nominal commander was Arthur Herbert , but operational control remained with Lieutenant-Admiral Cornelis Evertsen the Youngest and Vice-Admiral Philips van Almonde . Accompanied by Willem Bastiaensz Schepers , the Rotterdam shipping magnate who provided financing, William boarded

18135-579: The Test Acts, unlike James who offered tolerance in return for repeal. In April 1688, Louis XIV announced tariffs on Dutch herring imports, along with plans to support the Royal Navy in the English Channel . James immediately denied making any such request, but fearing it was the prelude to a formal alliance, the Dutch began preparing a military intervention. On the pretext of needing additional resources to deal with French privateers , in July

18330-634: The Treasury, the Secretary at War, with the majority of the officers in the army. James died aged 67 of a brain haemorrhage on 16 September 1701 at Saint-Germain-en-Laye . James's heart was placed in a silver-gilt locket and given to the convent at Chaillot , and his brain was placed in a lead casket and given to the Scots College in Paris. His entrails were placed in two gilt urns and sent to

18525-417: The adverse winds and tides. James II and VII James II and VII (14 October 1633 O.S. – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II , on 6 February 1685, until he was deposed in the 1688 Glorious Revolution . The last Catholic monarch of England , Scotland , and Ireland , his reign

18720-545: The beginning of 1686, two papers were found in Charles II's strong box and his closet, in his own hand, stating the arguments for Catholicism over Protestantism. James published these papers with a declaration signed by his sign manual and challenged the Archbishop of Canterbury and the whole Anglican episcopal bench to refute Charles's arguments: "Let me have a solid answer, and in a gentlemanlike style; and it may have

18915-472: The belief that a Catholic monarchy was purely temporary. However, tolerance of his personal views did not extend to Catholicism in general, and both the English and Scottish parliaments refused to pass measures viewed as undermining the primacy of the Protestant religion. His attempts to impose them by decree met with opposition, and as a result, it has been argued it was a political principle, rather than

19110-624: The beliefs and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church, and both he and his wife Anne became drawn to that faith. James took Catholic Eucharist in 1668 or 1669, although his conversion was kept secret for almost a decade as he continued to attend Anglican services until 1676. In spite of his conversion, James continued to associate primarily with Anglicans, including John Churchill and George Legge , as well as French Protestants such as Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham . Growing fears of Roman Catholic influence at court led

19305-551: The changes that ultimately would shape modern Britain but, in the short term, these conflicts in fact resolved little for the kingdoms and peoples. The English Commonwealth did achieve a notable compromise between the monarchy and republic which survived destabilising problems for nearly the next two hundred years. In practice, Oliver Cromwell exercised political power through his control over Parliament's military forces, but his legal position—and provisions for his succession—remained unclear, even after he became Lord Protector . None of

19500-457: The church, and how to limit the English Parliament's interference in his rule. At that time, he showed little interest in his other two kingdoms, Scotland and Ireland. James VI remained Protestant, taking care to maintain his hopes of succession to the English throne. He duly became James I of England in 1603 and moved to London. James concentrated on dealing with the English court and Parliament , running Scotland through written instructions to

19695-546: The collapse of the Commonwealth in 1660, Charles II was restored to the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland. Although James was the heir presumptive , it seemed unlikely that he would inherit the Crown, as Charles was still a young man capable of fathering children. On 31 December 1660, following his brother's restoration, James was created Duke of Albany in Scotland, to go along with his English title, Duke of York. Upon his return to England, James prompted an immediate controversy by announcing his engagement to Anne Hyde ,

19890-513: The confidence of many of his Anglican supporters. Sunderland's purge of office-holders even extended to the King's brothers-in-law (the Hydes) and their supporters. Roman Catholics made up no more than one-fiftieth of the English population. In May 1686, James sought to obtain a ruling from the English common-law courts that showed he had the power to dispense with Acts of Parliament. He dismissed judges who disagreed with him on this matter, as well as

20085-452: The conquest there, then led the rest south in pursuit of Charles II. The Royalist army failed to gather much support from English Royalists as it moved south into England; so, instead of heading directly towards London and certain defeat, Charles aimed for Worcester hoping that Wales and the West and Midlands of England would rise against the Commonwealth. This did not happen and, one year to

20280-402: The couple married secretly, then went through an official marriage ceremony on 3 September 1660 in London. The couple's first child, Charles , was born less than two months later, but died in infancy, as did five further children. Only two daughters survived: Mary (born 30 April 1662) and Anne (born 6 February 1665). Samuel Pepys wrote that James was fond of his children and his role as

20475-569: The crown to Charles's illegitimate son, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth . In 1679, with the Exclusion Bill in danger of passing, Charles II dissolved Parliament. Two further Parliaments were elected in 1680 and 1681, but were dissolved for the same reason. The Exclusion Crisis contributed to the development of the English two-party system: the Whigs were those who supported the Bill, while

20670-413: The daughter of Charles's chief minister, Edward Hyde . In 1659, while trying to seduce her, James promised he would marry Anne. Anne became pregnant in 1660, but following the Restoration and James's return to power, no one at the royal court expected a prince to marry a commoner , no matter what he had pledged beforehand. Although nearly everyone, including Anne's father, urged the two not to marry,

20865-714: The day after the Battle of Dunbar, the New Model Army and the English militia regiments vanquished the last Royalist army of the English Civil War at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651. It was the last and most decisive battle in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Having defeated all organised opposition, the Grandees of the Parliamentary New Model Army and their civilian supporters dominated

21060-469: The distrust caused by his domestic policies. In August 1687, William's cousin de Zuylestein travelled to England with condolences on the death of Mary of Modena 's mother, allowing him to make contact with the political opposition. Throughout 1688, his English supporters provided William detailed information on public opinion and developments, very little of which was intercepted. In October 1687, after fourteen years of marriage and multiple miscarriages, it

21255-432: The early years of his reign. While the vast majority supported the institution of monarchy, they disagreed on who held ultimate authority. Royalists generally argued political and religious bodies were subordinate to the king, while most of their Parliamentarian opponents backed a limited form of constitutional monarchy . This was worsened by differences over religion and religious freedom . Reformed Protestants such as

21450-770: The eastern border to the coast, even though most of the new mercenaries had yet to arrive. On 22 September, the French seized over 100 Dutch ships, many owned by Amsterdam merchants; in response, on 26 September the Amsterdam City Council agreed to back William. This was a significant decision since the Council dominated the States of Holland , the most powerful political body in the Dutch Republic which contributed nearly 60% of its budget. French troops entered

21645-533: The effect of laws punishing both Roman Catholics and Protestant Dissenters . In the summer of 1687 he attempted to increase support for his tolerationist policy by a speaking tour of the western counties of England. As part of this tour, he gave a speech at Chester in which he said, "suppose... there should be a law made that all black men should be imprisoned, it would be unreasonable and we had as little reason to quarrel with other men for being of different [religious] opinions as for being of different complexions." At

21840-574: The effect which you so much desire of bringing me over to your church." The Archbishop refused on the grounds of respect for the late king. James advocated repeal of the penal laws in all three of his kingdoms, but in the early years of his reign he refused to allow those dissenters who did not petition for relief to receive it. James sent a letter to the Scottish Parliament at its opening in 1685, declaring his wish for new penal laws against refractory Presbyterians and lamented that he

22035-407: The eighteenth century is essentially Jacobite poetry", and both Ó Buachalla and fellow-historian Éamonn Ó Ciardha argue that James and his successors played a central role as messianic figures throughout the 18th century for all classes in Ireland. In France, James was allowed to live in the royal château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye . James's wife and some of his supporters fled with him, including

22230-533: The election of the Presbyterian John Shorter as Lord Mayor of London in 1687, he insisted on complying with the Test Act, reportedly because of a 'distrust of the King's favour...thus encouraging that which His Majesties whole Endeavours were intended to disannull.' To ensure a compliant Parliament, James required potential MPs to be approved by their local Lord Lieutenant ; eligibility for both offices required positive answers in writing to

22425-532: The establishment of the "manifestly illegal" commission for ecclesiastical causes and its use to suspend the Bishop of London and to remove the Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford . William also condemned James's attempt to repeal the Test Acts and the penal laws through pressuring individuals and waging an assault on parliamentary boroughs, as well as his purging of the judiciary. James's attempt to pack Parliament

22620-563: The exiled court in Paris, the Royalist cause appeared hopeless. James, like his brother, sought refuge in France, serving in the French army under Turenne against the Fronde , and later against their Spanish allies. In the French army James had his first true experience of battle, in which, according to one observer, he "ventures himself and chargeth gallantly where anything is to be done". Turenne's favour led to James being given command of

22815-418: The expedition in motion anyway, if their reaction proved negative; typically, such an enterprise would take at least some months. Being ready after the last week of September / first week of October would normally have meant that the Dutch could have profited from the last spell of good weather, as the autumn storms tend to begin in the third week of that month. However, this year they came early. For three weeks,

23010-427: The expedition was that day openly approved by the States of Holland; the same day James issued a proclamation to the English nation that it should prepare for a Dutch invasion to ward off conquest. On 30 September/10 October ( Julian /Gregorian calendars) William issued the Declaration of The Hague (actually written by Fagel), of which 60,000 copies of the English translation by Gilbert Burnet were distributed after

23205-595: The fall of Barbados, the Bermudians made a separate peace that respected the internal status quo. The Parliament of Bermuda avoided the Parliament of England's fate during The Protectorate , becoming one of the oldest continuous legislatures in the world. Virginia's population swelled with Cavaliers during and after the English Civil War. Even so, Virginia Puritan Richard Bennett was made Governor answering to Cromwell in 1652, followed by two more nominal "Commonwealth Governors". The loyalty of Virginia's Cavaliers to

23400-635: The financial muscle of the City of London . On 5 May 1646, at Southwell, Charles I surrendered to the Scottish army besieging Newark-on-Trent . What remained of the English and Welsh Royalist armies and garrisons, surrendered piecemeal over the next few months. Meanwhile, the rebellious Irish Catholics formed their own government— Confederate Ireland —intending to help the Royalists in return for religious toleration and political autonomy. Troops from England and Scotland fought in Ireland, and Irish Confederate troops mounted an expedition to Scotland in 1644 , sparking

23595-521: The formation of the Association of Protestant Officers, which included senior veterans like Charles Trelawny , John Churchill , and Percy Kirke . On 14 August, Churchill offered his support to William, helping convince him it was safe to risk an invasion; although James was aware of the conspiracy, he took no action. One reason may have been fears over the impact on the army; with a notional strength of 34,000, it looked impressive on paper but morale

23790-599: The function of Parliament was simply to obey. Disputes over the relationship between king and Parliament led to the War of the Three Kingdoms and continued after the 1660 Stuart Restoration . Charles II came to rely on the Royal Prerogative since measures passed in this way could be withdrawn when he decided, rather than Parliament. However, it could not be used for major legislation or taxation. Concern that Charles II intended to create an absolute monarchy led to

23985-619: The hearts of the people with his continual and indefatigable pains day and night in helping to quench the Fire", wrote a witness in a letter on 8 September. In 1672, the Royal African Company received a new charter from Charles II. It set up forts and factories, maintained troops, and exercised martial law in West Africa in pursuit of trade in gold, silver and African slaves. In the 1680s, the RAC transported about 5,000 slaves

24180-414: The highest offices of his kingdoms, and received at his court the papal nuncio , Ferdinando d'Adda , the first representative from Rome to London since the reign of Mary I . Edward Petre , James's Jesuit confessor, was a particular object of Anglican ire. When the King's Secretary of State , the Earl of Sunderland , began replacing office-holders at court with "Papist" favourites, James began to lose

24375-676: The inheritance of his wife Mary. While still a dangerous undertaking, the invasion was less risky than it seemed. The Dutch preparations, though carried out with great speed, could not remain secret. The English envoy Ignatius White , the Marquess d'Albeville, warned his country: "an absolute conquest is intended under the specious and ordinary pretences of religion, liberty, property and a free Parliament". Louis threatened an immediate declaration of war if William proceeded and sent James 300,000 livres. Embarkations, begun on 22 September ( Gregorian calendar ), had been completed on 8 October, and

24570-641: The invading army, despite his army's numerical superiority. On 11 December, James tried to flee to France, first throwing the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames . He was captured in Kent ; later, he was released and placed under Dutch protective guard. Having no desire to make James a martyr, William let him escape on 23 December. James was received by his cousin and ally, Louis XIV, who offered him

24765-547: The invasion fleet was prevented by adverse south-westerly gales from departing from the naval port of Hellevoetsluis and Catholics all over the Netherlands and the British kingdoms held prayer sessions that this "popish wind" might endure. However, on 14/24  October, it became the famous " Protestant Wind " by turning to the east. Although most of the warships were provided by the Admiralty of Amsterdam , officially

24960-522: The issue of writs for a general election . However, upon realising in September that William of Orange was going to land in England, James withdrew the writs and subsequently wrote to the lord-lieutenants to inquire over allegations of abuses committed during the regulations and election preparations, as part of the concessions he made to win support. In April 1688, James re-issued the Declaration of Indulgence, subsequently ordering Anglican clergy to read it in their churches. When seven bishops , including

25155-543: The killing of 2,000 Vaudois Protestants in 1686, it led to fears Protestant Europe was threatened by a Catholic counter-reformation. These concerns were reinforced by events in Ireland; the Lord Deputy , the Earl of Tyrconnell , wanted to create a Catholic establishment able to survive James's death, which meant replacing Protestant officials at a pace that was inherently destabilising. The majority of those who backed James in 1685 did so because they wanted stability and

25350-468: The king's sanction, which, for many, foreshadowed their own fate if the king's Irish troops landed in Britain. Thus the English Parliament refused to pay for a royal army to put down the rebellion in Ireland; instead Parliament decided to raise its own armed forces. The king did likewise, rallying those Royalists (some of them members of Parliament) who believed their fortunes were best served by loyalty to

25545-471: The king. The English Civil War ignited in 1642. Scottish Covenanters (as Presbyterians there called themselves) joined forces with the English Parliament in late 1643 and played a major role in the ultimate Parliamentary victory. Over the course of more than two years, the king's forces were ground down by the efficiency of those of Parliament, including the New Model Army , backed as they were by

25740-609: The land war with France, with the Royal Navy taking the lead at sea. This was a significant factor in the Dutch Republic being overtaken as the leading European maritime power by Britain during the War of the Spanish Succession . Despite his Catholicism , James became king in 1685 with widespread backing in all three of his kingdoms. In June 1685, he quickly crushed Protestant risings in Scotland and England , but

25935-404: The landing in England, in which he assured that his only aim was to maintain the Protestant religion, install a free parliament and investigate the legitimacy of the Prince of Wales. He would respect the position of James. William went on to condemn James's advisers for overturning the religion, laws, and liberties of England, Scotland, and Ireland by the use of the suspending and dispensing power;

26130-472: The late 18th century. William's invasion was the last successful invasion of England . Despite his own Catholicism , James became king in February 1685 with widespread backing from the Protestant majorities in England and Scotland, as well as largely Catholic Ireland. His policies quickly eroded support, and by June 1688, dissatisfaction turned into active, yet largely unarmed, resistance. The prospect of

26325-425: The line of succession established in the Bill of Rights were extinguished, the crown would go to a German cousin, Sophia, Electress of Hanover , and to her Protestant heirs. Sophia was a granddaughter of James VI and I through his eldest daughter, Elizabeth Stuart , the sister of Charles I . Thus, when Anne died in 1714 (less than two months after the death of Sophia), she was succeeded by George I , Sophia's son,

26520-568: The loyalty and efficiency of the military proved deeply flawed. Both the army and the navy remained overwhelmingly Protestant and anti-Catholic; in July, only personal intervention by James prevented a naval mutiny when a Catholic captain held Mass on his ship. The transfer of 2,500 Catholics from the Royal Irish Army to England in September led to clashes with Protestant troops, some of his most reliable units refused to obey orders, and many of their officers resigned. When James demanded

26715-428: The majority accepted he was correct. This view was widely shared throughout Protestant Europe; in October 1685, Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg renounced his French alliance for one with the Dutch. In July 1686, other Protestant states formed the anti-French League of Augsburg , with Dutch support; securing or neutralising English resources, especially the Royal Navy , now became key to both sides. Following

26910-657: The military or holding public office, and land reform. In 1600, 90% of Irish land was owned by Catholics but following a series of confiscations during the 17th century, this had dropped to 22% in 1685. Catholic and Protestant merchants in Dublin and elsewhere objected to commercial restrictions placing them at a disadvantage to their English competitors. While James's supporters viewed hereditary succession as more important than his personal Catholicism, they opposed his policies of 'Tolerance' under which Catholics would be allowed to hold public office and engage in public life. Opposition

27105-416: The name of " Loyal Parliament ", was initially favourable to James, who had stated that most former exclusionists would be forgiven if they acquiesced to his rule. Most of Charles's officers continued in office, the exceptions being the promotion of James's brothers-in-law, the earls of Clarendon and Rochester , and the demotion of Halifax . Parliament granted James a generous life income, including all of

27300-484: The newly constituted Convention Parliament , to which he was elected a member. Monck, first a Royalist campaigner, then a Parliamentary soldier, now contrived the Restoration of the monarchy. Monck arranged that the Convention Parliament would invite Charles II to return as king of the three realms—which was done by act of Parliament on 1 May 1660. The Wars of the Three Kingdoms prefigured many of

27495-508: The other vessels to prevent conspiracy. A lack of funds meant that excluding fireships and light scouting vessels, only 16 warships were available in early October, all third rates or fourth rates that were short of both men and supplies. While the Downs was the best place to intercept a cross-Channel attack, it was also vulnerable to a surprise assault, even for ships fully manned and adequately provisioned. Instead, James placed his ships in

27690-739: The parish church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the English Jesuit college at Saint-Omer , while the flesh from his right arm was given to the English Augustinian nuns of Paris. The rest of James's body was laid to rest in a triple sarcophagus (consisting of two wooden coffins and one of lead) at the St Edmund's Chapel in the Church of the English Benedictines in the Rue Saint-Jacques, Paris , with

27885-420: The pilot about the navigation of the ship before it ran aground on a sandbank, and then delayed abandoning ship, which may have contributed to the death toll. In 1683, a plot was uncovered to assassinate Charles II and his brother and spark a republican revolution to re-establish a government of the Cromwellian style . The conspiracy, known as the Rye House Plot , backfired upon its conspirators and provoked

28080-416: The politics of all three nations for the next nine years (see Interregnum (1649–1660) ). As for England, the Rump Parliament had already decreed it was a republic and a Commonwealth . Ireland and Scotland were now subjugated and ruled by military governors, and constituent representatives from both nations were seated in the Rump Parliament of the Protectorate , where they were dominated by Oliver Cromwell ,

28275-406: The population and Nonconformists 4.4%. Both groups were divided; since private worship was generally tolerated, Catholic moderates feared greater visibility would provoke a backlash. Among Nonconformists, while Quakers and Congregationalists supported repeal of the Test Acts, the majority wanted to amend the 1662 Act of Uniformity and be allowed back into the Church of England. When James ensured

28470-494: The ports of Plymouth and Torbay. In the north, a force organised by Belasyse and Danby prepared to seize York , its most important city, and Hull , its largest port. Herbert had been replaced by Dartmouth as commander of the fleet when he defected in June but many captains owed him their appointments and were of doubtful loyalty. Dartmouth suspected Berkeley and Grafton of plotting to overthrow him; to monitor them, he placed their ships next to his and minimised contact between

28665-514: The post of Lord High Admiral. His conversion to Roman Catholicism was thereby made public. King Charles II opposed James's conversion, ordering that James's daughters, Mary and Anne, be raised in the Church of England. Nevertheless, he allowed the widowed James to marry Mary of Modena , a fifteen-year-old Italian princess. James and Mary were married by proxy in a Roman Catholic ceremony on 20 September 1673. On 21 November, Mary arrived in England and Nathaniel Crew , Bishop of Oxford , performed

28860-425: The primacy of the Protestant Church of England and Church of Scotland . When his policies appeared to undermine the existing political and religious order, the result was to alienate his English and Scottish supporters and destabilise Ireland. Stuart political ideology derived from James VI and I , who in 1603 had created a vision of a centralised state, run by a monarch whose authority came from God , and where

29055-499: The proceeds of tonnage and poundage and the customs duties. James worked harder as king than his brother had, but was less willing to compromise when his advisers disagreed with his policies. Soon after becoming king, James faced a rebellion in southern England led by his nephew, the Duke of Monmouth, and another rebellion in Scotland led by Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll . Monmouth and Argyll both began their expeditions from Holland , where James's nephew and son-in-law,

29250-423: The prospect of a Catholic successor, the " Invitation to William " was quickly drafted by Henry Sydney , later described by Whig historians as "the great wheel on which the Revolution rolled". The signatories provided no considerable political power, but they were selected to make it seem like they represented a broad spectrum, and provided William with an essential propaganda tool. Danby , a Tory, and Devonshire ,

29445-474: The rebels to transportation and indentured servitude in the West Indies in a series of trials that came to be known as the Bloody Assizes . Around 250 of the rebels were executed. While both rebellions were defeated easily, they hardened James's resolve against his enemies and increased his suspicion of the Dutch. To protect himself from further rebellions, James sought safety by enlarging his standing army . This alarmed his subjects, not only because of

29640-515: The repatriation of all six regiments of the Scots Brigade in January 1688, William refused but used the opportunity to purge those considered unreliable, a total of 104 officers and 44 soldiers. Some may have been Williamite agents, such as Colonel Belasyse , a Protestant with over 15 years of service who returned to his family estates in Yorkshire and made contact with Danby. The promotion of Catholic former Brigade officers like Thomas Buchan and Alexander Cannon to command positions led to

29835-456: The repression of Whigs and dissenters . Taking advantage of James's rebounding popularity, Charles invited him back onto the Privy Council in 1684. While some in the English Parliament remained wary of the possibility of a Roman Catholic king, the threat of excluding James from the throne had passed. Charles II died on 6 February 1685 from apoplexy , after supposedly converting to Catholicism on his deathbed. Having no legitimate children, he

30030-458: The resulting political deadlock sparked the First English Civil War , which pitted Royalists against both the Parliamentarians and their Covenanter allies in England and Wales. The war in England ended when Charles surrendered to the Scots in 1646, but divisions among his opponents and his refusal to make significant political concessions caused a renewed outbreak of fighting in 1648. In the Second English Civil War , Parliamentarians again defeated

30225-479: The royal government. James returned to England for a time when Charles was stricken ill and appeared to be near death. The hysteria of the accusations eventually faded, but James's relations with many in the English Parliament, including the Earl of Danby , a former ally, were forever strained and a solid segment turned against him. On 6 May 1682, James narrowly escaped the sinking of HMS Gloucester , in which between 130 and 250 people perished. James argued with

30420-417: The rule of law, qualities frequently undermined by his actions. After suspending Parliament in November 1685, he sought to rule by decree; although the principle was not disputed, the widening of its scope caused considerable concern, particularly when judges who disagreed with its application were dismissed. He then alienated many by perceived attacks on the established church; Henry Compton, Bishop of London ,

30615-414: The same time, James provided partial toleration in Scotland, using his dispensing power to grant relief to Roman Catholics and partial relief to Presbyterians. In 1688, James ordered the Declaration read from the pulpits of every Anglican church, further alienating the Anglican bishops against the Supreme Governor of their church . While the Declaration elicited some thanks from its beneficiaries, it left

30810-414: The second any interference with French operations in Germany would end with the destruction of the Dutch state. Both misfired; convinced Louis was trying to drag him into war, James told the Dutch there was no secret Anglo-French alliance against them, although his denials only increased their suspicions. By confirming France's primary objective was the Rhineland, the second allowed William to move troops from

31005-412: The several constitutions proposed during this period was achieved. Thus the Commonwealth and Protectorate of the Parliamentarians—the wars' victors—left no significant new form of government in place after their time. Still, in the long term, two abiding legacies of British democracy were established during this period: English Protestants experienced religious freedom during the Interregnum , but there

31200-399: The suspension of the Test Acts, the prosecution of the Seven Bishops for merely petitioning the Crown, the establishment of a standing army, and the imposition of cruel punishments. The Declaration was the basis for the Bill of Rights enacted later in 1689. The Bill also declared that henceforth, no Roman Catholic was permitted to ascend the English throne, nor could any English monarch marry

31395-421: The third separate kingdom, was governed by the House of Stuart . By means of the English Reformation , King Henry VIII made himself head of the Protestant Church of England and outlawed Catholicism in England and Wales . In the course of the 16th century, Protestantism became intimately associated with national identity in England; Catholicism had come to be seen as the national enemy, particularly as it

31590-470: The three Kingdoms by James Heath, published in 1662, but historian Ian Gentles argues "there is no stable, agreed title for the events....which have been variously labelled the Great Rebellion, the Puritan Revolution, the English Civil War, the English Revolution and… the Wars of the Three Kingdoms." It is generally used by modern historians who see the conflicts in each state as driven by overlapping but often distinct issues, rather than as mere background to

31785-498: The throne" was not believed. These fears were arguably justified; William's access to English resources permanently diminished Amsterdam's power within the Republic and its status as the world's leading commercial and financial centre. Neither James nor Sunderland trusted Louis, correctly suspecting that his support would continue only so long as it coincided with French interests, while Mary of Modena claimed his warnings were simply an attempt to drag England into an unwanted alliance. As

31980-440: The throne, which was offered to William and Mary. After his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690, James returned to France, where he spent the rest of his life in exile at Saint-Germain , protected by Louis XIV . While contemporary opponents often portrayed him as an absolutist tyrant, some 20th-century historians have praised James for advocating religious tolerance, although more recent scholarship has tended to take

32175-489: The trouble soldiers caused in the towns, but because it was against the English tradition to keep a professional army in peacetime. Even more alarming to Parliament was James's use of his dispensing power to allow Roman Catholics to command several regiments without having to take the oath mandated by the Test Act. When even the previously supportive Parliament objected to these measures, James ordered Parliament prorogued in November 1685, never to meet again in his reign. At

32370-402: The wind changed on 1/11 November, this time heading for Harwich where Bentinck had prepared a landing site. It has been suggested this was a feint to divert some of Dartmouth's ships north, which proved to be the case and when the wind shifted again, the Dutch armada sailed south into the Strait of Dover . In doing so, they twice passed the English fleet, which was unable to intercept because of

32565-413: Was 'forced' to take control of the conspiracy when Russell warned him the English would rise against James even without his help, and he feared this would lead to a republic, depriving his wife of her inheritance. Although this version is strongly disputed, Zuylestein returned to England in June, ostensibly to congratulate James on his new son, in reality to co-ordinate with William's supporters. Spurred by

32760-399: Was advised it was better not to raise them. Widespread discontent and growing hostility to the Stuart regime were particularly apparent in North-East and South-West England, the two landing places identified by William. A Tory whose brother Jonathan was one of the Seven Bishops, Trelawny's commitment confirmed support from a powerful and well-connected West Country bloc, allowing access to

32955-423: Was again defeated. The risings were the last serious attempts to restore the Stuart dynasty. War of the Three Kingdoms English Parliamentarian victory The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of England , Scotland and Ireland , then separate entities in a personal union under Charles I . They include the 1639 to 1640 Bishops' Wars ,

33150-468: Was announced the Queen was pregnant, Melfort immediately declaring it was a boy. When James then wrote to Mary urging her to convert to Catholicism, it convinced many he was seeking a Catholic heir, one way or the other and may have been a deciding factor in whether to invade. Early in 1688, a pamphlet circulated in England written by Dutch Grand Pensionary Gaspar Fagel ; this guaranteed William's support for freedom of worship for Dissenters and retaining

33345-455: Was approached by the Scots, the Presbyterians in the English Parliament, and the Grandees of the New Model Army, all attempting to reach an accommodation with him and among themselves which would achieve peace while preserving the crown. But now, a breach between the New Model Army and Parliament widened day by day, until the Puritans in Parliament, with allies among the Scots and the remaining Royalists, saw themselves strong enough to challenge

33540-430: Was brittle while many were untrained or lacked weapons. It also had to fill policing roles previously delegated to the militia, which had been deliberately allowed to decay; most of the 4,000 regular troops brought from Scotland in October had to be stationed in London to keep order. In October, attempts were made to restore the militia but many members were reportedly so angry at the changes made to local corporations, James

33735-407: Was declared Queen; she was to rule jointly with her husband William, who would be King. On 11 April 1689, the Parliament of Scotland declared James to have forfeited the throne of Scotland as well. The Convention Parliament issued a Declaration of Right on 12 February that denounced James for abusing his power, and proclaimed many limitations on royal authority. The abuses charged to James included

33930-421: Was embodied in the rivals France and Spain . Catholicism, however, remained the religion of most people in Ireland and for many Irish it was a symbol of native resistance to the Tudor conquest of Ireland . In the Kingdom of Scotland , the Protestant Reformation was a popular movement led by John Knox . The Scottish Parliament legislated for a national Presbyterian church—namely the Church of Scotland or

34125-532: Was forced into exile less than four years later. Modern historians argue James failed to appreciate how much Royal power relied on support from the landed gentry , and the loss of that support fatally damaged his regime. The vast majority of the gentry in England and Scotland were Protestant , while even in largely Catholic Ireland a disproportionate number were members of the Protestant Church of Ireland . Although willing to accept James's personal religious beliefs, his backers did so only so long as he maintained

34320-537: Was in England. However, the surrender of Belgrade on 6 September seemed to presage an Ottoman collapse and release Austrian resources for use in Germany. Hoping to act before Leopold could respond and relieve pressure on the Ottomans, Louis attacked Philippsburg . With France now committed in Germany, this greatly reduced the threat to the Dutch. Instead, Louis attempted to intimidate the States General, and on 9 September, his envoy D'Avaux handed them two letters. The first warned an attack on James meant war with France,

34515-404: Was in danger of removing "the last and great remedy for all those evils". "Therefore", William continued, "we have thought fit to go over to England, and to carry over with us a force sufficient, by the blessing of God, to defend us from the violence of those evil Counsellors ... this our Expedition is intended for no other design, but to have, a free and lawful Parliament assembled as soon as

34710-400: Was led by devout Anglicans who argued that the measures he proposed were incompatible with the oath he had sworn as king to uphold the supremacy of the Church of England. According to opponents, demanding that Parliament approve his measures James was not only to be breaking his own word but requiring others to do the same. Parliament refused to comply, despite being "the most Loyal Parliament

34905-464: Was made in June. Domestically, the Revolution confirmed the primacy of Parliament over the Crown in both England and Scotland. In terms of external policy, until his death in 1702, William combined the roles of Dutch stadtholder and British monarch. Both states thus became allies in resisting French expansion, an alliance which persisted for much of the 18th century, despite differing objectives. Under William's leadership, Dutch resources were focused on

35100-416: Was none for English Catholics. During the term of their control, the Puritan partisans abolished the Church of England and the House of Lords . Cromwell denounced the Rump Parliament and dissolved it by force, but he failed to establish an acceptable alternative. Nor did he and his supporters move in the direction of popular democracy, as the more radical Parliamentarians (the Levellers ) wanted. During

35295-403: Was not the case in Ireland. While he was guaranteed support from the Catholic majority, James was also popular among Irish Protestants, since the Church of Ireland depended on Royal support for its survival, while Ulster was dominated by Presbyterians who supported his tolerance policies. However, religion was only one factor; of equal concern for Catholics were laws barring them from serving in

35490-565: Was not there in person to promote such a law. In response, the Parliament passed an Act that stated, "whoever should preach in a conventicle under a roof, or should attend, either as preacher or as a hearer, a conventicle in the open air, should be punished with death and confiscation of property". In March 1686, James sent a letter to the Scottish Privy Council advocating toleration for Roman Catholics but not for rebellious Presbyterian Covenanters. Presbyterians would later call this period " The Killing Time ". James allowed Roman Catholics to occupy

35685-400: Was often maligned, with Gilbert Burnet famously remarking that James's mistresses must have been "given [to] him by his priests as a penance". Anne Hyde died in 1671. After the Restoration, James was confirmed as Lord High Admiral, an office that carried with it the subsidiary appointments of Governor of Portsmouth and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports . Charles II also made his brother

35880-516: Was politically short-sighted, since it rewarded those who joined the 1685 rebellions and undermined his supporters. Demanding tolerance for Catholics was also badly timed. In October 1685 Louis XIV of France issued the Edict of Fontainebleau revoking the 1598 Edict of Nantes which had given French Protestants the right to practise their religion; over the next four years, an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 went into exile, 40,000 of whom settled in London. Combined with Louis's expansionist policies and

36075-399: Was restored as king of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Under the English Restoration the political system returned to the prewar constitutional position. Although Charles II's Declaration of Breda in April 1660 had offered reconciliation and promised a general pardon for crimes committed during the English Civil War, the new régime executed or imprisoned for life those directly involved in

36270-473: Was seen as a short-term issue; James was 52, his marriage to Mary of Modena remained childless after 11 years, and the heirs were his Protestant daughters, Mary and Anne . There was much greater sympathy in Scotland for a 'Stuart heir', and the 1681 Succession Act confirmed the duty of all to support him, 'regardless of religion.' Over 95 percent of Scots belonged to the national church or kirk; even other Protestant sects were banned, and by 1680, Catholics were

36465-492: Was seen as an assault on the Church of England , and their acquittal on 30 June destroyed his political authority. Ensuing anti-Catholic riots in England and Scotland led to a general feeling that only James's removal could prevent another civil war. Leading members of the English political class invited William to assume the English throne. When William landed in Brixham on 5 November 1688, James's army deserted and he went into exile in France on 23 December. In February 1689,

36660-435: Was succeeded by his brother James, who reigned in England and Ireland as James II and in Scotland as James VII. There was little initial opposition to James's accession, and there were widespread reports of public rejoicing at the orderly succession. He wished to proceed quickly to the coronation, and he and Mary were crowned at Westminster Abbey on 23 April 1685. The new Parliament that assembled in May 1685, which gained

36855-479: Was succeeded by his son Charles I, who was crowned in Holyrood Palace , Edinburgh , in 1633, with full Anglican rites. Charles was less skillful and restrained than his father; his attempts to enforce Anglican practices in the Church of Scotland created opposition which reached a flashpoint when he introduced the Anglican Book of Common Prayer . His confrontation with the Scots came to a head in 1639, when he tried and failed to coerce Scotland by military means during

37050-440: Was suspended for refusing to ban John Sharp from preaching after he gave an anti-Catholic sermon. He often made things worse by political clumsiness; to general fury, the Ecclesiastical Commission of 1686 established to discipline the Church of England included suspected Catholics like the Earl of Huntingdon . This was combined with an inability to accept opposition; in April 1687, he ordered Magdalen College, Oxford , to elect

37245-450: Was taken as a prisoner to Edinburgh. A new trial was not commenced because Argyll had previously been tried and sentenced to death. The King confirmed the earlier death sentence and ordered that it be carried out within three days of receiving the confirmation. Monmouth's rebellion was coordinated with Argyll's, but was more dangerous to James. Monmouth had proclaimed himself King at Lyme Regis on 11 June. He attempted to raise recruits but

37440-417: Was taken to London and held with his younger siblings Henry , Elizabeth and Henrietta in St James's Palace . Frustrated by their inability to agree terms with Charles I, and with his brother Charles out of reach in France , Parliament considered making James king. James was ordered by his father to escape, and, with the help of Joseph Bampfield , in April 1648 successfully evaded his guards and crossed

37635-474: Was to elect a free Parliament, not depose James, a convenient fiction that allowed him to remain neutral. Although his English supporters considered a token force sufficient, William assembled 260 transport ships and 15,000 men, nearly half the 30,000 strong Dutch States Army . With France on the verge of war, their absence was of great concern to the States General and Bentinck hired 13,616 German mercenaries to man Dutch border fortresses, freeing elite units like

37830-511: Was ultimately defeated at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690 O.S. when William arrived, personally leading an army to defeat James and reassert English control. James fled to France once more, departing from Kinsale , never to return to any of his former kingdoms. Because he deserted his Irish supporters, James became known in Ireland as Séamus an Chaca or "James the shit". Despite this popular perception, later historian Breandán Ó Buachalla argues that "Irish political poetry for most of

38025-452: Was unable to gather enough rebels to defeat even James's small standing army. Monmouth's soldiers attacked the King's army at night, in an attempt at surprise, but were defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor . The King's forces, led by Feversham and Churchill, quickly dispersed the ill-prepared rebels. Monmouth was captured and later executed at the Tower of London on 15 July. The King's judges—most notably, George Jeffreys —condemned many of

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