The Glorious Revolution

The Power of Parliament

The Glorious Revolution was caused by a power struggle between the parliament and king in Great Britain. In the mid-13^th century, the kings had been forced to acknowledge peoples’ rights and to negotiate the budget with Parliament, a formalized governing body of elected representatives.

Image note: The image on the right shows the building in which the British parliament meets. It is called The Palace of Westminster.

Fast forward to the 1500s, when Henry VIII tried to take back power by breaking from Catholicism. He had political, spiritual, and monetary power as the king and head of Anglicanism (and its tithe money). Later, King Charles I even refused to call parliament into session for 10 years, which started a civil war. King Charles I’s side lost and he was executed.

The Puritan Parliament winners were strict (no dancing, plays, sports, makeup, colorful clothing, or even holiday feasts). The people got frustrated and selected a new (non-Puritan) parliament. This Parliament asked Charles I’s son to return. Charles II’s reign was called “the Restoration” because it removed most of the restrictions from the Puritan parliament.

The Glorious Revolution

Unfortunately, Charles II seemed to be so focused on fun (and mistresses) that he died without a legitimate heir. His brother, James II, took over. Parliament disliked James II because he was Catholic. James’ daughter Mary disliked her father because he forced her to marry her older Dutch cousin, William of Orange.

Parliament allied with Mary and King William (an ardent Protestant) to overthrow James II. James II fled without a fight. This led the revolution to be called the Bloodless or “Glorious” Revolution.

Image note: the painting shows King William III and Queen Mary II. This image is a detail from the ceiling of the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in London, England, by Sir James Thornhill in the 18th century.

Queen Mary II and King William co-ruled England for less than 20 years, but their impact was massive. Before they could be coronated, Parliament demanded that they sign the English Bill of Rights. The right to free elections, regular Parliament meetings, and free speech were guaranteed in the English Bill of Rights.

Additionally, monarchs could no longer pass laws without Parliament’s consent, nor could they be Catholic. Great Britain started to transition from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy.

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