Charles' PR and Collapse of royal power

Rye house Plot and decline of the Whigs

Lord Ashley exiled in Nov 1682
Attempting to hold onto power, a group of ex-Cromwellian soldier curated a plot at Rye House in April 1683, to kill C and replace him with Monmouth
Gave Par a reason to destroy the remaining Whig leaders
Plot led to Royalist backlash and C not calling Par again which contravened the 1664 Triennial Act but it had no enforcement mechanism and therefore was too weak to prevent C from going on his own PR
During PR C adjusted borough charters so that the electorate were supporters or subject to governmental pressure - ensuring the election of a complaint Parliament
Process continued by JII when he succeeded C ,unopposed, after his death in 1685

James’ PR

Easily crushed the Monmouth Rebellion in July 1685
Bloody Assizes - hanging of 300-500 rebels
James received a generous financial settlement from the “Loyal Parliament” - £2.1m

James II in decline

Within 3 years of taking rule he was forcibly removed
Deposed as he was a threat to Protestantism and the rule of law
Did not divide the nation like CI and II, instead managing to alienate most sections and interests to the point in which his royal authority collapsed
Primary aim on becoming king was to establish religious freedom and legal equality for Catholics
Contravened the Test Act 1673 by allowing Catholics to become army officers as seen in Godden v Hales
1687 - Dec of Indul - Freedom of worship to Catholic and Protestant dissenters
Catholic fears furthered by Louis XIV revoking the edict of Nantes in 1685 - encroaching on the rights of citizens in France
1688 JII 2nd Dec of Indul - ordered it be read from every pulpit - 7 Bishops trial, found not guilty
James’ wife give birth to a son

Collapse of royal power

Immortal 7 invite William of Orange, Mary’s ( James’ daughter) husband over to England to mount an armed invasion in 1688
Accepted for 2 reasons: The immortal 7 represented all major factions of the political elite so was a well supported move, would grant William better resources than currently with the Dutch Republic allowing him to fight France properly
William arrived in Nov 1688 and James fled likely fearing the same fate as his father