William of Orange

In June 1688, England found itself on the brink of a monumental political upheaval. Two significant events that month transformed growing dissent against King James II into a full-scale crisis. The first was the birth of his son, James Francis Edward Stuart, on June 10. This newborn heir threatened to establish a Catholic dynasty, unsettling many who had anticipated that the Protestant succession would continue through James’s daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange, who was also James’s nephew.

The second event was the prosecution of the Seven Bishops. These prominent members of the Church of England had opposed James II’s Declaration of Indulgence, which aimed to promote religious tolerance for Catholics and Protestant dissenters. Their trial was widely viewed as an attack on the church itself. When a jury acquitted them on June 30, public rejoicing ensued, and the verdict severely undermined the king’s authority.

These developments ignited anti-Catholic sentiments, leading to riots across England and Scotland. The general populace feared that James’s policies would result in a return to absolute monarchy and possibly another civil war. Sensing the urgency, leading political figures extended an invitation to William of Orange to intervene.

Responding to the call, William landed at Brixham on November 5, 1688, with a considerable fleet and army. As William advanced, defections from James’s forces became widespread; even key military leaders abandoned the king. Isolated and devoid of support, James II fled to France on December 23, seeking refuge under the protection of his cousin, King Louis XIV.

This series of events culminated in what became known as the Glorious Revolution. It led to the ascension of William and Mary to the English throne and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. The revolution also resulted in the English Bill of Rights of 1689, which limited the powers of the crown and laid the foundation for a modern parliamentary democracy in England.