Glorious Revolution: Bloodless Move to Limit The Monarchy in England

When King James the Second took the throne in 1685, relations between Protestants and Catholics were tense and on the rocks. Combined with the English king’s conflicts with parliament and his close ties with England’s perpetual enemy France, the king crossed a line of outrage with Catholics when in 1687 he issued a Declaration of Indulgence, which was intended to allow British subjects the ability to worship as they saw fit.

While James the Second’s Protestant daughter Mary was heir apparent to the throne, when James produced a son and claimed the boy heir apparent Mary, Whig party legislators hit a boiling point.

What Was the Glorious Revolution?

In response, in 1688, seven of King James’ peers wrote a letter to Dutch leader, William of Orange, pledging their allegiance if he would invade England and remove the king. Already engaged in military actions against Britain, William’s large armada landed at Torbay, Devon in November of 1688, and when James brought in troops to ward off the invaders, so many of his men—including many of his own family members—deserted to the other side.

After his retreat to London, James attempted a December escape to France, and after his first attempt failed, his second proved successful, allowing him to spend the rest of his life in exile, under the protection of his French cousin, Louis the 14th.

The English Bill of Rights

William and Mary would become co-regents by parliamentary consent, but the power of the monarchy in England would be forever limited by all future kings and queens, after William and Mary signed the Declaration of Rights—later known in England as the Bill of Rights.

Known as the Glorious Revolution or the Bloodless Revolution, many historians maintain that the Glorious Revolution was a singular milestone event that led to England’s transformation from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, forever stripping British monarchs of all future bids for absolute power.

The Glorious Revolution also had a trickle-down effect in the 13 colonies, for after James’ overthrow, colonists found themselves freed of rigid anti-Puritan laws that limited their religious practice. After news of King James’ overthrow reached the colonies, several early uprisings against British rule would follow, including the Boston Revolt, Leisler’s Rebellion and the Protestant Revolution in Maryland, making the Glorious Revolution a landmark event on both sides of the pond.