The Glorious Revolution of 1688 stands as a pivotal event in the annals of British history, marking the overthrow of King James II and the ascension of William III and Mary II to the English throne. This revolution, often described as bloodless, signaled a monumental shift in the balance of power between the monarchy and Parliament, laying foundational principles for modern parliamentary democracy. The events leading up to the revolution were characterized by religious and political tensions, as James II's overt Catholicism and attempts to create a more centralized, absolutist state alarmed the Protestant majority and the traditional ruling elite.
In 1688, seven prominent English nobles invited William of Orange, a Protestant and James II's son-in-law, to invade England and claim the throne. William's successful invasion and James II's subsequent flight to France marked the culmination of the Glorious Revolution. This transition of power was relatively peaceful, especially in comparison to the civil wars of the previous century, earning it the epithet "Glorious." The revolution led to the drafting of the Bill of Rights in 1689, which significantly limited the powers of the crown and affirmed Parliament's authority, including its control over taxation and the right to free speech within its proceedings.
The Glorious Revolution also had profound implications beyond the British Isles, influencing the development of constitutional monarchies in Europe and the political philosophy of the Enlightenment. It is celebrated for establishing the precedent that monarchy could not rule without the consent of Parliament and the governed, a principle that would echo in the American and French revolutions. The event reshaped the political landscape, ensuring that the concept of a divine-right monarchy would never again hold sway in Britain, and set the stage for the evolution of the constitutional monarchy in place today.