D+-+SUCCESSION+CRISIS+AND+‘GLORIOUS+REVOLUTION',+1678–1689


 * Charles II, 1678–1685: the Exclusion Crisis and reasons for its failure; his growing absolutism
 * James II, his personality and aims; political and religious opposition to him and the crisis of 1688/9
 * The ‘revolution’ of 1689 and the position and power of monarchy
 * Charles II, 1678-85: the Exclusion Crisis and reasons for its failure


 * Exclusion Crisis **
 * Exclusion Crisis at end of the reign revolved around attempts by Shaftesbury and his supporters in Parliament (the Whigs) to excluded James, Duke of York from the succession.


 * First Exclusion Parliament March-May 1679 **
 * Impeachment of Danby failed but he spent next 5 years in the Tower.
 * Attempted to impose limitations on a future Catholic sovereign.
 * Parliament moved to impeach James when it was revealed that he had been negotiating with Rome. Widely assumed that he was involved in Popish Plot.
 * Commons pass Exclusion Bill for second time by 207-128
 * Charles dissolved Parliament


 * Second Exclusion Parliament Oct 1680 - Jan 1681 **
 * Commons pass new Exclusion Bill without a division and send it to the Lords.
 * Charles managed to get it thrown out by the Lords.
 * Charles did sacrifice one minister Viscount Stafford, a Catholic accused of involvement in Popish Plot.
 * Commons renewed its attacks on James and most of the King's advisers.
 * Charles dissolved Parliament.
 * Charles sacked the Counsellors who had voted for James' exclusion - Essex, Sunderland and Temple.


 * Third Exclusion Parliament March 1681 **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Met in Oxford not Westminster. Royalist HQ during Civil War.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles offered a compromise deal on Exclusion ie James to be King in name but real rulers would be William and Mary (James's daughter and son-in-law).
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Parliament refused, wanted full exclusion of Catholic heir.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles dissolved Parliament, which did not meet again during his reign (died 1685).


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Reasons for failure of Exclusion **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Theoretically problematic. If Parliament could exclude a Catholic, they might want to exclude others.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">No real alternative heir to James except his daughter Mary and how could she be monarch if her father wasn't? Plus she had Dutch husband.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Whigs assumed Charles would back down as he had before but he didn't.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Anglicans/Tories accuse Whigs of fomenting Civil War.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Power and mystique of monarchy depended on hereditary succession.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles could dissolve Parliament when he wanted to.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Whigs dominated Commons but not Lords.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles did not need parliamentary money grants. No war at this stage. 1681 started receiving a French pension worth £385,000 over three years.


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles' growing absolutism **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles' success over Exclusion Crisis showed that he had potential to become more absolute.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">In 1684 he broke the Triennial Act by NOT calling Parliament after a three year gap. No crisis over this. Showed up parliamentary weakness - could not command elections.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles financially stronger by 1680s with no wars, increased income and renewed French pension.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">No-one knew that Charles would die in 1685. He could have ruled without parliament for longer!
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Whig opposition largely destroyed after Exclusion Crisis. Shaftesbury fled.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Charles produced new Commissions of the Peace in 1681, dominated by Tories in every county.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Church appointments in hands of another Commission made up of Tories.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">June 1682 Charles got Tories elected as sheriffs in Middlesex/London plus new Lord Mayor of London also a Tory.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Rye House Plot 1683, another plot to assassinate Charles - probably genuine - broke Whig Party and whipped up lots of loyal addresses to the Crown.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">1684 Danby and 3 Catholic Lords, all caught up in Popish Plot released from the Tower.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">James Duke of York restored to his position in Privy Council and old office of Lord Admiral in May 1684.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">In Scotland, increased persecution of Dissenters and Presbyterian extremists.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">1685 new borough charters. 98 were introduced or in preparation at time of Charles' death.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">New charters increased royal control of important towns.


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">James II, personality and aims **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">As a Catholic, James sought to end penal laws against Catholics (and also Dissenters). It is doubtful whether he really hoped to make England a Catholic country again.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Crushed Monmouth's Rising (1685) which hoped to depose him in favour of Charles II's bastard son.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">1686 Godden v Hales case. Judge found in favour of James' dispensing power. ie he had the right as sovereign to appoint Catholics to the army or elsewhere despite the existence of the Test Acts.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">1686 Directions to Preachers. These limited the power of Church of England ministers to denounce Catholicism.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes set up to oversee Church of England and to enforce 1686 Directions to Preachers.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">April 1687 James issued Declaration of Indulgence. Swept away all penalties for non-attendance at Church of England. Allowed freedom of religious assembly.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">1687 James mounted campaign to influence elections to Parliament. Wanted to bring in MPs who would agree to repeal of Test Act.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">April 1688 Second Declaration of Indulgence to be read out in Anglican churches throughout the land.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">James also active in Ireland. Irish army purged of many Protestant officers - replaced by Catholics. By 1687 40% of officers and 67% of rank and file are Catholics.


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Political and religious opposition to James II **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">1687 and 1688 see real growth in opposition to James policies.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Widespread fears of popery and arbitrary rule, so often seen in reign of Charles II but now even more credible.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">James was thought to be packing the army with Catholic officers.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Fears that Ireland could be springboard for Catholic rebellion (as in 1641).
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">In France Louis XIV repealed the Edict of Nantes as forerunner to renewed persecution of French Protestants (Huguenots).
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">James was attempting to repeal Test Act as prelude to introduction of Catholicism and destruction of Anglican Church.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Whigs who had always wanted to exclude James from the throne) now joined by Tories/Anglicans worried about future of the Church.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">James in his Declaration of Indulgence spoke of his determination to protect the personnel of the Church NOT the Church itself.


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Crisis of 1688-9 **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">May 1688 7 bishops put on trial for seditious libel by James. They refused to read out the second Declaration of Indulgence. They refused bail so that they would be put in Tower.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">June 1688 7 bishops acquitted amidst scenes of national celebration.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">June 1688 birth of Prince James increased opposition to James II. Now the heir was no longer James' Protestant daughter Mary but a presumably Catholic son. Lots of stories that baby was not really James'.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Leading noblemen petition William of Orange (James' son-in-law and a Protestant) to lead an invasion supposedly to get James to change his ways not officially to take the throne.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Nov 1688 William landed in Torbay in Devon. James II fled - fortunately for the plotters - so they could argue that the throne was vacant.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Convention Parliament met and offered throne to William and Mary.


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">The revolution of 1689 and the position and power of the monarchy **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Settlement of 1689 did restrict the powers of the monarchy in new ways.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">William and Mary owed their royal title 'de facto' to Parliament. The political reality was that Parliament had unmade James and made them.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">William and Mary agreed to the Bill of Rights, passed in Parliament in Dec 1689.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">This invited them to become sovereigns on the basis that they recognize the existence of basic unchangeable rights held by all Englishmen.


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">These included: **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">freedom from royal interference with the law;
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">freedom from taxation by royal prerogative;
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">freedom from a standing army during times of peace;
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">freedom of speech in Parliament;
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">freedom from royal interference in elections to Parliament.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Crown lost its power to suspend or dispense with laws passed in Parliament.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Only Parliament could raise taxes.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Crown could not maintain an army in peace time


 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">BUT Crown did still retain many powers **
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Declaring war and peace
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Guiding foreign policy
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Control of the militia
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Could still appoint and dismiss minister
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Could still summon, prorogue and dismiss Parliaments.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Crown could still hope to influence composition of Commons and still had right to appoint peers (both temporal and spiritual) in the Lords.
 * <span style="color: #000080; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">Crown continued to be voted large revenue as William was committed to long-term war against France.

The Popish Plot

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The Exclusion Crisis

David Starkey outlines the events of the Glorious Revilution. The Glorious Revolution is discussed on //In Our Time.//

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