21 - The glorious Revolution and its consolidation in England, Scotland and Ireland

When was the Glorious Revolution?

1688-1689

What controversial declaration did James II reissue?

James reissued his declaration of Indulgence which aimed to establish freedom of religion and announced in his scheduled November Parliament that he would enact it by law.

He also ordered that it was to be announced from all Church of England pulpits in late May and early June 1688.

When did James II reissue the declaration of indulgence?

April 1688

Who opposed James II reissuing the Declaration of Indulgence?

This led to a direct petition from Archbishop William Sancroft and six bishops that, since the declaration was based on a power that Parliament regarded as illegal, there should be no statement from the pulpit.

How did James fail in his response to the petitions against the Declaration of Indulgence?

These men were not radicals and should have been James' natural supporters.

All they wanted was for clergy not to read the declaration, but James turned them into martyrs by committing them to the Tower and putting the seven of them on trial.

What was the debate over suspending power in the trial for Sancroft and the bishops?

The judges were divided over the question of the legality of the Crowns suspending power.

Those who argued against its suspending power were dismissed.

However, the jury found Sancroft and the six bishops not guilty. This was a constitutional judgement against the king's suspending power, showing that only Parliament could repeal statutes.

When did Archbishop Sancroft and six bishops petition that the Crown's suspending power is illegal?

May 1688

When were Sancroft and six bishops are acquitted (found not guilty)?

June 1688

When did the 'Immortal Seven' invite William of Orange to England?

June 1688

When was William's invasion plan sanctioned by the Dutch Republic?

September 1688

When did William issues his declaration of reasons for appearing in arms in the kingdom of England?

September 1688

What was the final trigger for opposition against James II and why?

The trigger for heightened opposition against the king was the fact that on 10 June 1688 James' Catholic wife, Mary of Modena, gave birth to a son.

James was already 54, but this meant the prospect of his being succeeded by another Catholic rather than his Protestant sister Mary.

Although Tories were committed to the idea of a legitimate succession, it was James' constant use of the courts to his own ends and the birth of his son, that provoked action.

Why was an invasion of England beneficial to the Dutch?

William regarded an invasion of England as beneficial to Dutch strategic and economic interests in Europe. The Dutch were under increasing pressure from Louis XIV's expansion of France's northeastern border. If England could be brought into an alliance, there was the prospect that France could be encircled.

The threat of another attack in the Dutch Republic by Louis XIV in the summer of 1688 and the birth of James' son pushed William into action. His wife would no longer be the next monarch of England, depriving him of probable English support against Louis XIV. William sent an emissary, William Henry Zuylestein, to congratulate James on the birth, but Zuylestein's real task was to meet opposition figures and get William an invitation to invade.

What are the origins of William of Orange and the Dutch Republic?

The Dutch Republic was made up of seven provinces. Holland was the richest and most influential province.

The republic had a decentralised government, with each province having self-government and major towns in each province also having a lot of influence.

The House of Orange was looked to traditionally as the most powerful family for leadership in times of crisis and war.

Who were the 'Immortal Seven'?

five Whigs (the Earls of Shrewsbury and Devonshire, Richard Lumley, First Earl of Scarborough, Edward Russell and the author of the invitation, Henry Sydney) and

two Tories (Danby and Henry Compton, the Bishop of London)

When did the Immortal Seven write to William?

30th June 1688

What did the Immortal Seven ask William in June 1688?

They invited him to invade England, assuring him that the majority of the population were 'generally dissatisfied with the present conduct of the government, in relation to their religion, liberties and properties.

For them, the aim of his invasion would be to secure a 'free Parliament' and investigate the legitimacy of James's son.

When did the Dutch Republic support William's plan to invade England?

On 29 September the Dutch Republic supported William's plan to invade England in a secret resolution.

When did William declare his intervention and what were his aims?

30th September

William issued a declaration of reasons for appearing in arms in the kingdom of England.

William did not state any intention of taking the throne. To do so would have been politically dangerous. His own initial aim was to intervene in English politics and remodel Parliament and the Privy Council to ensure England supported the Dutch Republic against Louis XIV.

why is it referred to as an invasion? What did William send to England that signified this?

Although William of Orange was invited to England, historians refer to this event as an 'invasion. William himself saw it as an invasion at the request of the Political Nation.

He sent 463 ships and 15,000 men to England, which were followed by more Dutch and German troops in order to establish a visible presence in London.

How did James seek to compromise with his opponents?

Faced with the prospect of an invasion, James sought to compromise with his opponents in England. James met with Archbishop Sancroft and other bishops, and offered concessions. However, it was too late.

What were the key dates of William's successful invasion?

On 5 November 1688 William landed at Torbay, and by 9 November 1688 he had occupied Exeter.

From there he called for a free parliament, i.e. one that was elected without any of the interference that James II had attempted in trying to secure a parliament in 1687 that would do what he wanted.

Did William receive widespread support of his invasion?

Some areas, such as Cheshire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, were secured for William by peers who were sympathetic.

Generally, however, most of the population did not want to get involved, reinforcing the fact that, if this was a revolution, it was very much a revolution from above.

What was the position of James II at William's invasion?

It wasn't clear that William would succeed, though, since James had control of London and a standing army, and there was a reluctance to depose James actively, even among his leading critics.

However, James failed really to take action. His army also suffered from desertion.

What does James II to in attempt to protect his catholic heir?

He sent his wife and son to France

When did James II send his wife and son to france?

9th December 1688

How and when did James II withdraw himself from Kingship?

11 December: James left London, deliberately dropping the Great Seal of England into the Thames. This allowed many bishops and peers who would have been reluctant to support William a reason to claim they had no choice, as James had 'withdrawn himself' from kingship.

What is the 'warming pan baby' myth?

The "Warming Pan Baby" myth was a rumour in 1688 that James II of England's newborn son wasn't really his.

What happened as a result of fear of catholicism in London? when?

There was three nights of anti-caatholic riots from 11-13th December

This accelerated James II downfall

When did James II flee to France?

23 December 1688

After James II fled, who did William seek advice from?

William called for advice from an irregular assembly of all surviving MPs from Charles II's parliaments (but not James II's), plus the Lord Mayor and representatives from the government of London. This council was predominantly a Whig institution likely to favour William.

Who ran the country with james' absence?

Assembly of Peers

What did the Assembly of Peers do and when? (2)

on 24th December, they invited William to take over government

They also called for elections to establish a convention that would preserve 'our religion, rights, laws, liberty and property. Furthermore, the convention would aim to put these things on 'sure and legal foundations that they may not be in danger of being again subverted.

What were issued for elections?

Writs (formal legal order) were issued for elections

When were writs issued for elections?

29 December 1688

What is meant by the term regency?

government by a regent — a person appointed to administer a State because the monarch is weak or unable to function in the normal way

What is the name given to the revolution?

The Glorious Revolution

When and how was the Glorious Revolution finalised?

William had his own forces as an occupying army in London, where they remained until May 1690. James' army had also gone over to William.

On 22 January 1689 the Convention Parliament met to discuss and eventually justify the deposing of James for William as well as introduce new laws into the constitution.

How many Whigs and Tories in the 1689 Convention Parliament?

319 Whigs and 232 Tories.

What was the division in the Convention Parliament from both sides?

Initially, there was division over the succession question.

Whigs argued that, as James had 'broken the fundamental laws of the constitution, he had forfeited the throne. In contrast, Tories argued that James was only 'incapacitated' and that

William and Mary should be only regents, or that Mary should rule with William only as consort.

There was, however, a moderate consensus between Whigs and Tories that secured a settlement via a pragmatic compromise.

What is meant by the term de facto?

a Latin phrase that means 'of fact', or 'in fact'; in this case, the term refers to a monarch or government in possession of power, whether or not they have the right to that power

What was the ultimatum given to the immortal seven from William?

William warned in a secret meeting with peers that he would go back to Holland unless he was made King. The Lords agreed but with two provisions.

When did William issue this ultimatum that he would go back to Holland unless made king?

3rd Feb 1690

What were the two provisons given before William was made King?

- His wife Mary would share the title of monarch, although without the power.

- If Mary died and William married again, any children from this second marriage would be behind Anne, Mary's sister in the line of succession

When did the commons and lords accept William as monarch?

- 6th February 1690 the two provisions and terms were accepted by the Lords and they were confirmed by the commons 8th

What was the Declaration of Rights?

The Declaration of Rights was produced by a parliamentary committee, stating that Catholics were never to inherit the throne but this was not made a condition of giving William the throne.

It was very much a compromise document, left deliberately ambiguous in terms of the constitutional implications of James removal as the monarch.

There was no statement that James has been deposed or that he had even broken a contract. William and Mary were not referred to as the 'rightful' or 'lawful' heirs.

Essentially they were de facto monarchs or monarchs by conquest that could be recognised without denying that James was still lawfully king.

When was there a formal ceremony offering the crown to william and mary ?

On 13 February there was a formal ceremony offering the Crown to William and Mary at which the Declaration of Rights was read out to them.

When and what was William and Mary's coronation oath?

11 April 1689 which both swore a different coronation oath to other monarchs indication their different positions

Previous monarchs took the following coronation oath: 'Confirm to the people of England the laws and customs to them granted by the kings of England' William and Mary swore to a different oath: "To govern the people of this kingdom of England, and the dominions thereunto belonging, according to the statutes in Parliament agreed on, and the laws and customs of the same.

What were the 3 Acts passed by Parliament as a result of William and Mary?

- Mutiny act

- Toleration act

- Bill of rights

When was the Mutiny act ?

March 1689

What was the mutiny act?

The Mutiny Act of March 1689 prevented the creation or any standing army without the consent of Parliament

When was the toleration act?

May 1689

What was the toleration act?

The Toleration Act of May 1689 exempted dissenters from penal laws if they took an oath of allegiance.

This act was much less tolerant towards dissenters than the Calvinist William would have wanted. It did, however, address some of the religious settlement issues left from the 1650s.

When was the Bill of rights?

jan 1690

What was the bill of rights? what was the problem with it?

It was a watered-down version of the declaration of rights

The Bill of Rights, while significant, had limited constitutional force. It was not a binding or fixed contract between Crown and people and like all statutes of Parliament it could be replaced.

What were the specifics of the Bill of Rights 1689?

- No Catholic was to inherit the throne.

- No monarch could marry a Catholic.

- No monarch could have a standing army.

- No monarch could establish ecclesiastical commissions.

- Suspending and dispensing powers of the monarch were declared unconstitutional.

- Parliament had to consent to all taxation.

When was the fianncial settlement for william?

On 20 March 1690

How much money was settled anually for the Crown?

a revenue of £1.2 million a year was settled for the Crown. It was specified that half be used for civil government and the other half for war. The Crown immediately went into debt.

What two acts that allowed the TPN to gain financial control of William + dates

- 1693 Millian loan act

- 1694 Establishment of the Bank of England

The funding to allow William to fight on the continent against Louis XIV secured financial control and thereby political control of the monarch and government for the Political Nation. The Political Nation underwrote, or guaranteed, this debt.

What was the Convention of Estates?

This was a meeting of the Scottish elite.

This body voted that James II had forfeited the throne and that the throne was vacant. But they met without the Scottish Jacobites, supporters of James II, who refused to attend.

How did the revolution in Scotland differ to England?

n this sense events in Scotland were more revolutionary, since, in the absence of Tories, the Scottish Convention had proceeded on a contractual theory of kingship: this was deliberately avoided in England to accommodate Tories.

The revolution in Scotland was also more radical than that in England in terms of religion, with William agreeing to the abolition of bishops.

What is the contractual theory of Kingship?

The contractual theory of kingshipposits that the king's authority is derived from the consent of the governed, rather than divine right or hereditary claims.

This theory emphasizes the king's obligation to protect the rights and welfare of the people, ensuring that their consent is the foundation of the king's rule. The king is seen as a protector of the people's life, property, honor, and faith, and his rule is justified by the ethical obligations he fulfills towards his subjects.

When did William and Mary accept the Scottish throne?

On 11 May 1689 William and Mary accepted the Scottish throne.

When and what conflict occurred in Scotland against William?

There was a Jacobite rebellion from the Highlands in the summer of 1689.

When were the Jacobites defeated by William + what battle ?

Battle of Cromdale in May 1690

What was the result/response of the Jacobite rebellion from the Highlands and the effect on Scotland?

it was clear to William that he would need to compromise with Presbyterians for support in Scotland.

As a result the Scottish Parliament secured the following:

- a repeal of the 1669 act asserting the royal supremacy over the Church in Scotland

- an act establishing Presbyterian Church government

- an act abolishing lay patronage; Kirk sessions would decide who the ministers would be.

What were the compromise measures for presbyeterians in scotland followed by?

These measures were followed by the purging of over 600 ministers in the next seven years, a further mark of the supreme position of the Presbyterians in post-revolutionary Scotland.

Royal favour had returned to Presbyterians and thus consolidated their influence.

Any groups in Scotland who still supported the Stuarts, such as the Catholics, saw a decline in their power.

Who controlled most of Ireland by March 1689?

By March 1689 the Catholics under Tyrconnell controlled all of Ireland apart from Ulster.

When and what was the important battle between the Williamites and Jacobites in Ireland?

James II landed with 3000 French troops, followed by William in June 1690. William defeated James at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July.

Protestant control was imposed on Ireland.

What did James do as a result of his defeat at the battle of the boyne?

James fled to France, where he died in exile in 1701.

When did James land in Ireland?

1689 March

When does William arrive in Ireland?

June 1690

When did James convene a parliament in Dublin?

May-July 1689

When were the Scottish Jacobites defeated at Cromdale?

May 1690

When was the Battle of Boyne?

1st July 1690

When does James flee Ireland for france?

4th July 1690

Summarise how the revolutions differ in the three Kingdoms:

England: mostly conservative revolution, but implications wide-ranging

Scotland: more radical revolution, overturning the Restoration settlement in Church and state

Ireland: an attempted Catholic revolution and a counter-revolution by William.

What is meant by the 4th revoution?

These three revolutions in the kingdoms led to a fourth revolution: a revolution in the relationship among the three kingdoms.

Scotland lost its independence in 1707, and Ireland became a colony with the Declaratory Act in 1720.

How did the Glorious Revolution impact the relationship between Parliament and the Crown?

As a result of the Glorious Revolution, and particularly the financial settlement, the monarchy became more dependent on Parliament. According to William Speck, 'parliament was finally transformed from an event into an institution' in 1689. William's wars against France reinforced this dependence.

Give examples of how the monarchy became more dependent on Parliament:

- Crown income became national income raised and managed by Parliament.

- Crown needed parliamentary support.

- Parliament began to oversee foreign policy.

- Crown accepted the need to have regular parliaments.

- Crown had to accept ministers who could get them parliamentary support.