The Glorious Revolution: causes and effects, and why it is called Glorious

Through the Restoration, Charles II became the king of England, but the power of the king had already been reduced. Then, James II, an avowed Catholic and believer of the Devine Right, like previous Stuart kings, came into throne. Without considering the laws and public sentiment, he performed some arbitrary activities for the sake of reviving Catholicism. But time had changed. Therefore, in 1688, a revolution without bloodshed took place against James II’s activities. This very revolution is known as ‘Glorious Revolution’. It has proved one of the most powerful and effective events or revolutions in the history of England as well as Europe.

At first we can discuss the causes that led the situation to the revolution:

1.       The main cause behind the revolution was James II’s attempt to revive Catholicism in England. As he was an avowed Catholic and knew that he would not get any help to fulfill his desire from the Parliament, he took steps by illegal exercise of the royal prerogative. He began a ‘systematic violation’ of the laws of the country and the public opinion. And he committed a series of arbitrary acts that were responsible for the revolution.

2.       Violation of the Test Act was the first step by James II to appoint Catholics to civil and military posts, as the act, passed in Charles II’s reign, was supposed to prevent the Catholics to be appointed.

3.       Being angry with the refusal of the Parliament to cancel the Test Act, James abolished the parliament and used the ‘Dispending Power’ (power of postponing the law imposed on any one). And thus, he appointed many Catholics in military and royal posts.

4.       In 1686, he founded the “Court of Ecclesiastical Commission” like previous ‘High Commission Court’ (cancelled in 1641) in order to punish the people, opposite to his religious doctrine.

5.       Meddling in the governance of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, James II began to attack on protestant religion and established church. Sir Isaac Newton, V.C. of Cambridge University, having refused to give an MA degree, without oath, on a Benedictine monk selected by James, the king expelled him. Again by his dispending power, he employed many Catholics in Oxford. In addition, he expelled the fellows of Magdalene College, Oxford, for refusing to select a Roman Catholic to be a president, and employed Catholics in the vacant posts. So this kind of activities of a king hurt the hearts of the people.

6.       In the same way, he issued his policy in Scotland. Roman Catholics were given full freedom and granted in the posts of ‘Privy Council’ and important offices.

7.       In 1687, James II issued the first ‘Declaration of Indulgence’ suspending the penal laws against both Catholics and Dissenters. But the Dissenters were not satisfied with this. They realized the cunning purpose of the king that he only wanted to use them.

8.       Moreover, he issued his second Declaration of Indulgence in 1688 and ordered it to be read in the Churches.

9.       But seven bishops led by Archbishop Sancroft did not agree to do it. They petitioned the king to be released from reading the second Declaration of Indulgence. They became very popular with the public sentiment but they were accused of libel and brought to trial. So, it spread excitement in the whole nation.

10.   At that very time, the most alarming matter because the giving birth to a new baby boy by the king’s wife in her old age. The people were mentally satisfied with the thought that after his death (as he was old), his protestant daughter would be the next queen very soon. But now it became shuttered. Because, the new baby, son of a Catholic father, must be brought up in a Catholic circumstances, and must be like his father. So the people began to think the alternative to the king.

Finally, all these events prepared the background or field of the Revolution, but the main event happened after the seven bishops had got acquittal. Trevelyan writers –

“The trial of the seven Bishops and their acquittal by a jury brought the excitement in the nation to a head, and that night an invitation signed by seven Whig and Tory chiefs was sent over to Williams of Orange whose agents had been for some time past in close touch with various leaders of opinion in England”.

Next, when William with his soldiers arrived England and marched upon London, on 5^th November, 1688, “James was deserted by the offices of his own regiment as well as by his friends and so fled to France”. Then, William and Mary were declared to be the king and Queen. In this the way how the Revolution happened.

The revolution has various sided effects on politics, government and religion of England as well as Europe. Now we can discuss the results of the revolution:

It marked the end of long struggle between the king and Parliament. Through the Stuart reign, it was the matter of dispute that who the supreme power is, whether the king or the Parliament.

It reduced the power of the king and established the supremacy of the Parliament. Earlier, the king summoned and cancelled or abolished the Parliament according to his own desire and need. But now the Parliament gained the power of selecting the king. So, it destroyed the Stuart doctrine of  the Devine Right.

“In short, the Revolution closed the era of monarchial despotism and introduced the era of constitutionalism.”

In religious aspect, there occurred the triumph of Protestantism in England and later the freedom of religion.

It secured a great effect on European politics. Under Charles II and his brother, England became almost back and call of France. But under William, she became the enemy of France but the great power in Europe as well as in the world. Later, it put its influence on French Revolution as well.

There was an effect on the relation among England, Scotland and Ireland. Supporting the revolution, Scotland became a prosperous country. On the contrary, opposing the revolution, Ireland had to remain under England for a long time.

‘A Declaration of Rights’ condemned the arbitrary acts of James II and proclaimed the conditional principles of the government.

It was the last revolution in the history of England.

Sometimes a question is raised “why is it called glorious?” or “Is the revolution of 1688 a revolution at all?” On this context, historian Trevelyan writes –

“The true ‘glory’ of the British Revolution lay in the fact that it was blood less, that there was no civil war, no massacre, no proscription, and above all that a settlement by consent was reached of the religious and political differences that had so long and so fiercely divided men and parties. The settlement of 1689 stood the last of time. It led not only to a new and wider liberty than had ever before been known in Britain, but to a renewed vigiour and efficiency in the bloody politics and in the government of the Empire.”

Therefore, from the above discussion, it has been clear that the Glorious Revolutions is very important in the history from various aspects like religion, politics, constitution of government, and also foreign policy of England. And it is actually a matter of glory for England.