Democracy: A Bloodless Revolution

Before we look into the brief reign of the last Catholic to rule England, a quick peek should be taken at the beneficial effect Charles’ reign had on the American colonies. Without him, it Is very safe to say there would have been no United States.
In 1660, England’s colonial holdings on North America consisted of the present New England states in the north (less Vermont and half of Connecticut). There was a central area controlled by Holland (Western Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware). To the south there were only Virginia and Maryland. Below that a “no man’s land” between Virginia and hostile Spanish Florida.
The Duke of York defeated the Dutch and took the central part. Charles II, perpetually broke, rewarded a series of loyal retainers by giving them land in the new world. Hence came Western Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and North and South Carolina. That’s six and a half of the thirteen colonies created during his reign—almost the entire Atlantic seaboard, in a unified block of territory. Without that, no unified American nation could form.
Whatever America may feel it owes the Duke of York—now James Stuart II—England felt it owed him nothing. He was Catholic, cousin to one of the most dangerous enemies England has ever faced, Louis XIV. He was also a firm believer in absolute monarchy. The situation was intolerable.
He filled his government with Catholic officials and suspended Parliament for the duration of his reign. He had quarreled with his brother, Charles II, over his intense Catholicism and even been sent into exile. In the end, there had been no one else to put on the throne.
But the English people had observed the absolutism forced on France by Louis XIV and they wanted no part of it. They would FIND someone to put on England’s throne—James’s son-in-law and daughter, both Protestants.
Seven prominent lords wrote a letter to King William of Holland on June 30,1688, asking him to come to the rescue of Protestantism in England. Since this was also deemed to be an anti-French maneuver, he secured the blessing of the Pope, loans from Jewish bankers and rented over 13,000 German mercenaries (including, ironically, Hessians).
William invaded England on November 5 with 20,000 men. James found his officers deserting him in droves, including Winston Churchill’s famous ancestor, the Duke of Marlborough. James sent his wife to France, dropped the Great Seal in the Thames—without it, he felt, no Parliament could be seated. He turned down Louis XIV’s offer to send a French army to fight against the Dutch and left England forever two days before Christmas.
It was a very nearly bloodless invasion—in England. It would require two years of bloody war to subdue the Catholic highlanders of Scotland and the Irish Catholics, reinforced by 6,000 French troops led by James himself. James fled back to France after he lost the Battle of The Boyne in 1689 to William’s Dutch and English forces.
William and Mary were made co-rulers of England, Ireland and Scotland in February, 1689—Parliament determining that James had abdicated by fleeing to France. Before they could take the throne, the two monarch’s had to swear they would uphold the acts of Parliament—including a Bill of Rights. This became the model of the Bill of Rights in all former British colonies, including the United States. See it below:
• Freedom from royal interference with the law. Though the sovereign remains the fount of justice, he or she cannot unilaterally establish new courts or act as a judge.
• Freedom from taxation by Royal Prerogative. The agreement of parliament became necessary for the implementation of any new taxes.
• Freedom to petition the monarch.
• Freedom from the standing army during a time of peace. The agreement of parliament became necessary before the army could be moved against the populace when not at war.
• Freedom for Protestants to bear arms for their own defence, as suitable to their class and as allowed by law.
• Freedom to elect members of parliament without interference from the sovereign.
• Freedom of speech in parliament. This means that the proceedings of parliament can not be questioned in a court of law or any other body outside of parliament itself; this forms the basis of modern parliamentary privilege.
• Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, as well as excessive bail.
• Freedom from fine and forfeiture without a trial.
Absolute monarchy was forever dead in England. Parliament was law maker and king maker. Only one more major event was needed for Parliament to become completely dominant—that would occur in the early 1700s.
As an interesting sidelight, encouraged by having the resources of both England and Holland at his command, William fought a long war with France in the 1690s. He was intransigent in his demands. Eventually the war bankrupted Holland. Her fleet (mistress of the oceans in the 1600s) could no longer be maintained, and England began its march to world primacy at sea.
America would hide and thrive behind England’s fleet until the Japanese upset the balance with an attack on both Pearl Harbor and Singapore two-and-a-half centuries later.
In 1694, Mary (James’ daughter) died and William was declared sole monarch. In 1701 he died and Mary’s younger sister Anne was declared king (all by Parliament). In 1714, Anne died without an heir. So ended the House of Stuart. It could truly be said of James, “he never forgot a thing; he never learned a thing.”
Parliament had to pick yet another king. Under his reign, Parliament would become unquestionably supreme. England would also adopt the policy—carried on willy-nilly by the Americans—of defending democracy against tyranny at great cost in blood and treasure.