Why did James II lose his throne Flashcards
Why did James II lose his throne?
Because his policies alienated the vast majority of his subjects
Exact same reason that Charles I was opposed in the late 1630s
Fear of absolutism and Catholicism within England
Is it certain James II intend to establish royal absolutism in England?
No, but it is certain that the vast majority of his subjects came to believe that he did
Where were James’s Catholicizing especially intense?
Ireland (the Earl of Tyrconnel’s purges of Protestants from the army and administration) and in Scotland, where he declared his absolute powers were ‘to be obeyed without reserve’.
In promoting Catholicism in England James appeared to be
using royal prerogative in an arbitrary way
The decision in the case of…
Godden vs Hales, that decided it was lawful for king to dispense individuals from their parliamentary statutes.
His campaign in 1687
To manipulate elections to secure a parliament that would support the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts
Immortal Seven
Included Whigs and Tories - they didn’t ask Willam to overthrow James but persuade him to reverse his policies. William who had been seriously considering invasion of England since 1687, saw this as sign that he could exploit the current divisions in England.
What could James had done to gain support?
Had he continued to reverse his policies in the way he frantically did in late 1688 he would have gained enough loyalist support to provide serious opposition to William’s army
What crisis did James’s defection pose to propertied individuals
They had no alternative but look elsewhere for solution to that crisis - William of Orange provided easiest solution - called ‘reluctant revolutionaries’ - few of these people were prepared to put up much longer with James’s rule - this suggests there was ideological, as well as ‘functional’, causes of the Glorious Revolution.
What were there demands for
Protection of Protestantism and the rule of law from the arbitrary use of royal prerogative
