Glorious Revolution

The Glorious Revolution was a major political change in England that took place in 1688 and 1689. It involved the removal of King James II and the arrival of William III and Mary II as new rulers. A revolution is a large change in government. This event is called “glorious” because there was very little fighting in England during the change.

Before the revolution, James II ruled England, Scotland, and Ireland. James was a Roman Catholic in a country where most people were Protestant. Many leaders were worried about his policies and about the future of the monarchy. These worries increased in 1688 when James had a son. This meant a Catholic heir could rule after him.

A group of English leaders decided to act. They invited William of Orange, a Protestant ruler from the Netherlands, to come to England. William was married to Mary, who was James II’s daughter. William landed in England with an army in November 1688. James II lost support from the army and from Parliament. He left England and went into exile, which means living outside his country.

Because James left the country, Parliament declared that he had given up the throne. In 1689, Parliament offered the crown to William and Mary together. They accepted and became joint monarchs. This meant they ruled as king and queen at the same time. Their rule marked the start of a new political system.

Soon after, Parliament passed the Bill of Rights in 1689. A bill is a written law. This law limited the power of the monarch and protected the rights of Parliament. For example, the monarch could not raise taxes or keep a standing army without Parliament’s approval. This helped create a constitutional monarchy, where the ruler governs according to law.

The Glorious Revolution changed how England was governed. Power shifted away from the monarch alone and toward Parliament. William and Mary ruled under these new rules. This system continued after their reign and shaped the future of government in England.