The Glorious Revolution is the name of the revolution occurring in 1688 in England, which resulted in the overthrow of King James II. The Dutch corps under, the command of William of Orange, took part in the coup, and he became the new King of England under the name of William III sharing the throne with his wife Maria II, the daughter of James II. The coup was widely supported among the most diverse sectors of English society.
Situation
In 1685, after the death of English King Charles II, who had no legitimate heirs, his younger brother, James II, the uncle and father-in-law of William of Orange, consolidated the throne of England and Scotland. English society, remembering the excesses of the recent revolution, was loyal to him. The elected parliament consisted mainly of conservatives.
However, a few months after his coronation, James, openly confessing his Catholic faith, began to pursue a policy that caused the Protestant majority extreme displeasure. Under the pretext of fighting minor uprisings, the king created a permanent army, the size of which quickly grew to 40,000, and armed it with powerful artillery. Catholics from Ireland were preferred for recruiting soldiers. In November of 1685, Parliament was dissolved and no longer exercised any authority for the entire period of James II’s reign. In 1687, the King issued a “Declaration of Religious Tolerance”, favorable for Catholics. Fears of Catholic restoration in the country, and a new redistribution of property, alienated the king from his original supporters, the conservatives. At all key positions in the country, the king appointed Catholics, and all those who showed the slightest discontent or disobedience immediately removed from their posts. Some emigrated to Holland.
Of particular concern to the Anglicans was the policy allowing Catholics to hold officer rank in the army. The powerful French King Louis XIV assured James of his full support. Pope Innocent IX advised James not to force the issues.
The policy of religious tolerance toward Catholics was strongly opposed by Anglican bishops, as well as the public, angered by the outbreak of Protestants from neighboring France. The king, in response, locked up 10 bishops in the Tower of London. For some time, James’ opponents hoped the elderly king would die. After such an event, the throne would be occupied by his daughter, Protestant Maria, Wilhelm’s wife. However, in 1688, 55-year-old James II unexpectedly had a son. This event served as the impetus for a coup. The birth of the Crown Prince aroused surprise and mistrust among many. Rumors were fueled by the fact that the birth of the heir was attended to mainly by Catholics. Even the princess was not allowed.
Opponents of the king rallied in secret opposition. Most importantly, some army officers participated in the plot. Together, they discussed the option of removing the tyrant and giving the throne to the Dutch couple, Mary and Wilhelm.
Prince Wilhelm of Orange was the most prominent figure among the Protestant rulers throughout Europe. As a ruler of the Netherlands, he was concerned by the growing British army and navy, especially in the light of a possible Anglo-French alliance. Therefore, the removal of James II from power seemed to Wilhelm extremely desirable, regardless of any prospects to become the English king. By this time, William had visited England several times and had won great popularity there.
Revolution
In 1688, James II intensified persecution of the Anglican clergy, to the point of quarreling with the conservatives. There were practically no defenders left for him. In June, seven prominent British politicians representing the radical opposition secretly wrote an invitation to Wilhelm, assuring him Englishmen would support the coup and the accession of a Protestant king. The remaining conspirators traveled around the country to gather followers and funding for the upcoming war with the king. In August, General John Churchill promised his support to Wilhelm. Wilhelm was waiting, fearing that Louis XIV would send troops to Holland, but the French king invaded Germany.
It was impossible to hide the purpose and scale of Wilhelm’s military preparations, and so in October, King James tried to mitigate the hostility of his subjects. He announced the restoration of several retired Lord Protestants and the cessation of Catholic schools. But it was too late.
On November 15, 1688, Wilhelm landed in England with an army of 40,000 infantrymen and 5,000 cavalrymen. The invaders consisted almost entirely of Protestants. The army of James II was concentrated in Salisbury, but not a single serious battle took place. Most of the commanders immediately went over to Wilhelm’s side, including General John Churchill. In fact, the only clash between Wilhelm’s and James’ troops occurred December 8, 1688. Wilhelm’s supporters won.
Having lost hope, James II returned to London and from there attempted to enter into negotiations. He sent his wife and son to France. On December 11, James II, abandoned by everyone and seriously fearing for his life, tried to escape but was apprehended and returned to London. Wilhelm helped James to flee to France, where he tried to carry out a restoration, but without success.
Final Events
In January 1689, the parliament proclaimed Wilhelm and his wife the monarchs of both England and Scotland. September 9, 1689, Wilhelm III joined the Augsburg League, opposing France. Five years later, Mary died, and William continued to rule alone.
During the reign of Wilhelm III, profound reforms were initiated, laying the foundation for the current political and economic system in England. During these years, began the rapid rise of England and its transformation into a world power. In his time, the monarch’s power was limited by statutes contained in a fundamental Bill of Rights. Discrimination against Protestant minorities had been reduced, but discrimination against Catholics remained. In particular, Catholics could not occupy the throne and were deprived of the right to vote.
Sources:
- World History in 24 volumes. Volume 13
- Ivonina LI Wilhelm III of Orange // Questions of History
- Tomsinov VA “The Glorious Revolution” of 1688-1689 in England and the Bill of Rights
- Churchill, Winston. Britain in the Modern Times