William of Orange and the Fight for the Crown of England: The Glorious Revolution

In 1688, William of Orange led a fleet of 463 ships to England, ousting the Catholic King James and ascending the throne with his wife Mary. The revolution was seen as a Glorious Revolution, but William had to fight to keep his crown, particularly in Ireland and Scotland. James attempted to regain his crown, but was defeated at the Battle of the Boyne and the Massacre of Glencoe. Parliament emerged into the modern state with the Declaration of Rights, and William is known for his revolutionary kingship and his role in shaping British history.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 280 pages
\n Publication date: 18 August 2021
\n Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
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In 1688, a formidable fleet of 463 ships, twice the size of the Spanish Armada, set sail from Holland. Accompanied by William of Orange, who commanded a formidable army of 40,000 soldiers, their ultimate destination was England. Motivated by a group of Church of England bishops, William sought to overthrow the Catholic King James and establish a Protestant monarchy. Landing at Tor Bay in Devon, he quickly garnered support, including that of John Churchill, who would later become the Duke of Marlborough. This pivotal moment in British history is often referred to as the Glorious Revolution. With the support of his wife, Mary, the daughter of England's Charles II, William ascended to the throne, replacing James. Although the revolution itself was relatively bloodless, William faced significant challenges in maintaining his reign. Most of Ireland's population was Catholic, and King William's armies encountered fierce resistance. James saw an opportunity to reclaim his crown, leading his Jacobite troops against William at the Battle of the Boyne on July 1, 1690. Despite initial success, James was ultimately defeated, ending his hopes of ousting William. Additionally, significant Catholic populations existed in Scotland, but they too were defeated by William's army at the Battle of Killiecrankie. This led to the infamous Massacre of Glencoe. The accession of William and Mary to the throne marked a significant turning point in British history. Two months after the Glorious Revolution, Parliament convened, and in February, a Declaration of Rights was incorporated into the Bill of Rights. This declaration included the important measure that the crown could not tax without Parliament's consent or interfere in elections. As a result, William is recognized not only as one of England's most revolutionary kings but also as one of the least remembered.

\n Weight: 536g\n
Dimension: 165 x 240 x 27 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781526795229\n \n