📕 Chapter 3: A Long and Illustrious History
3.3.11 The Glorious Revolution 1688
2 paragraphs · 4 questions
When Charles II died in 1685, his brother James II became king. James was a Catholic, and many people feared he would try to restore Catholicism in England. When James's wife gave birth to a son (meaning a Catholic heir), leading Protestants invited William of Orange (a Dutch Protestant married to James's daughter Mary) to invade England.
Key Facts
- James II was Catholic; people feared restoration of Catholicism
- Birth of Catholic heir prompted action
- William of Orange invited to invade England
William landed in England in 1688 with a large army. James II fled to France without a fight. This bloodless transfer of power is known as the Glorious Revolution. William and Mary became joint monarchs — William III and Mary II. The Glorious Revolution established the principle that Parliament, not the monarch, had supreme authority.
Key Facts
- William landed 1688; James fled — bloodless revolution
- William III and Mary II became joint monarchs
- Established Parliament's supreme authority over the monarch
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