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Fall of James II & the Glorious Revolution

James II has the unhappy historical distinction of having been the last English monarch to be overthrown. This event, enshrined in English history as the Glorious Revolution of 1688, marked a fundamental turning point in English political history. Although the reigning monarch would continue to wield great political influence at least through Victoria's reign in the nineteenth century, the overthrow of James II permanently established Parliamentary supremacy.

The cause of his fall was the widespread belief that he intended to impose Catholicism on England. The crisis of public religion that precipitated his fall, however, was closely bound up with the question of whether the crown or Parliament possessed ultimate authority. This fundamental constitutional issue had been left unresolved by the English Civil War, the execution of his father, Charles I, in 1649, and the subsequent restoration of his brother, Charles II, in 1660.

The remainder of this essay will examine the series of events that led to the Glorious Revolution, with particular attention to the background and character of James himself, and the factors in his conduct which undermined his authority. The central question to be examined is whether James's Catholicism or his tendency toward royal absolutism was the crucial factor in triggering the general disaffection that made possible his overthrow. It must be acknowledged at the outset that the two issues were closely bound up together in the minds of the English political class, and in broader public opinion.

On a religious level, Catholicism was associated by English protestants with the monarchical absolutism of the papacy. "Papist" and "Popery" were the usual terms used to refer to Catholics and Catholicism. Protestant propagandists laid great stress on the Catholic Church's claims to infallibility in matters of doctrine--though neither the Church of England nor the Puritans had shown themsel...

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Fall of James II & the Glorious Revolution. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 18:15, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1692847.html