Glorious Revolution Article

What caused the Glorious Revolution?

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The Glorious Revolution (1688–89) in England stemmed from religious and political conflicts. King James II was Catholic. His religion, and his actions rooted in it, put him at odds with the non-Catholic population and others. Many tolerated him, thinking that the throne would eventually pass to his eldest child, Mary, who was Protestant. This view changed with the birth of James’s son in June 1688, as the king now had a Catholic heir. Alarmed, several prominent Englishmen invited Mary’s husband, William of Orange, to invade England. He did so in November. James soon fled England, and William and Mary were crowned joint rulers in April 1689.