2.6 The Glorious Revolution

• Glorious Revolution


  Changed the balance of power in England
• James II


  • Not trusted by the people
  • Not well liked
• Early in James II's reign

  He faced a rebellion from Charles II's illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth
• James II was married to a Catholic


  People were worried about the future of England when his wife gave birth to a son
• James II's actions that made people think he favoured Catholicism


  • He converted to Catholicism
  • He gave government posts to Catholics
  • His wife was Catholic
  • He passed pro-Catholic laws, for example, in 1686
  • He proclaimed that Anglican ministers could not preach anti-Catholic sermons
• Leading nobles


  Asked James' Protestant daughter, Mary, to take James' place. They wanted her to rule with her husband William of Orange – the ruler of the Netherlands
• Glorious Revolution


  1. William and Mary's forces landed in 1688

  2. James fled to France
• Glorious Revolution


  William became King William III
• Glorious Revolution


  • Brought changes for England's relationship with Scotland, France and Ireland
• Scotland became more independent


  In 1690, William agreed to Scottish MPs having full control of the Church, the right to appoint chief ministers, and the abolition of bishops
• James II had fled to France


  The relationship between France and England worsened
• James II and the rebels had used Ireland as a base


  Ireland was put under the control of Protestant landholders
• Glorious Revolution


  • Brought more freedom for Protestants and more restrictions on Catholics
• Bill of Rights


  Decreed that a Catholic could not become king or queen in England, Scotland or Ireland
• Toleration Act


  Passed in 1689 - made it legal for Protestants to belong to Churches other than the Church of England
• There were some restrictions on non-Anglicans, for example, they could not serve in the army or in government
• Glorious Revolution


  • Limited the power of the monarchy to an extent
• William and Mary


  1. Had to agree to a new constitution

  2. Had to swear an oath which stated they would rule England 'according to the laws passed in Parliament'
• Restrictions on the monarchy in the Bill of Rights

  • The monarch could not keep a large army in peacetime (as James II had done)
  • The monarch could not suspend laws
  • The monarch could collect taxes but only do for a four-year period – to guarantee that the monarch would continue to work with Parliament
  • Parliament had to meet at least once a year
  • MPs were given freedom of speech in Parliament
• The monarch was still responsible for making important decisions such as whether or not the country should go to war, and they would still be in charge of appointing people to important positions
• The position of monarch was still regarded with awe and reverence by the majority and these limits were only in case of emergencies
• After 1688


  • Parliament had an increased role in running the country
• William brought Britain into his war with France


  The war continued for another 25 years
• Bank of England was established in 1694


  This was partly to provide loans to fund William's wars
• William began to work more closely with Parliament


  Partly because he needed to fund his wars through taxes and he needed Parliament's approval for this
• Parliament began to meet more regularly, and a clear division of MPs into two groups (Whigs and Tories) developed
• This period saw the beginnings of parliamentary democracy with ministers, rather than the monarchy, responsible for much of the running of the country
• Act of Settlement 1701

  Offered the crown to the Hanoverians (a royal household of German descent – the House of Hanover)
• When William died childless, the throne went to Mary's younger sister, Anne


  1702
• None of Anne's children survived and so the throne passed to the House of Hanover


  1714
• England and Scotland were united in 1707


  By the Act of Union
• The Act of Union was not supported by all Scots