The House of Stuart: Charles II, James II, a Glorious Revolution, and William and Mary
Summary
TLDRThis lecture delves into the Stuart Dynasty's second part, highlighting Charles I's conflict with Parliament leading to his execution, and the subsequent rule of Oliver Cromwell. The Restoration brought Charles II, who balanced charm with political acumen, restoring theaters and religious tolerance. His reign included the Cavalier Parliament, the Act of Uniformity, and the Habeas Corpus Act. James II's Catholic favoritism sparked the Glorious Revolution, leading to William and Mary's rule and the English Bill of Rights, establishing a limited monarchy and civil liberties. The lecture concludes with the rise of Sir Robert Walpole, who shaped England into a world power with religious and political liberty.
Takeaways
- 👑 The Stuart dynasty experienced a tumultuous relationship with Parliament, leading to the execution of Charles I and the rise of Oliver Cromwell.
- 🎭 Charles II, unlike his father, was politically savvy, restoring theaters, pubs, and sporting events, and re-establishing Christmas to gain public favor.
- 🕊️ Charles II favored religious toleration but continued the Stuart tradition of not working closely with Parliament.
- 🏛️ The Cavalier Parliament was formed by Charles II, filled with royalists, and the authority of the Church of England was restored.
- 📜 The Act of Uniformity and the Test Act were passed to enforce Anglican conformity and exclude non-conformists from certain roles.
- 🏛️ The Habeas Corpus Act of 1678 allowed unjustly imprisoned persons to challenge their detention legally.
- 👑 James II, a Catholic convert, alienated political parties and attempted to introduce Catholicism into high command, leading to his overthrow.
- 👫 The Glorious Revolution of 1688 saw the joint rule of William of Orange and Mary, who were invited by Whig and Tory leaders dissatisfied with James II.
- 📜 The English Bill of Rights established key civil liberties and limitations on the monarchy, serving as a model for the United States Bill of Rights.
- 🏰 The Act of Union in 1707 united England and Scotland as the Kingdom of Great Britain, with Queen Anne being the last of the Stuart dynasty.
- 🚀 Sir Robert Walpole's dominance in politics from 1721 to 1742 marked the rise of the prime ministerial role and contributed to Britain's growth as a world power.
Q & A
What was the main issue between the Stuart dynasty and the English Parliament?
-The main issue was the Stuart dynasty's lack of cooperation with the Parliament, which led to conflicts over power and authority, culminating in Charles I's execution.
Why was Oliver Cromwell's reign considered unbearable by many in England?
-Oliver Cromwell's reign was seen as unbearable due to his strict Puritan rule, which closed theaters, pubs, and sporting events, and was generally oppressive.
What was one of the first actions taken by Charles II after his restoration?
-Charles II restored theaters, reopened pubs, and sporting events, and re-established the celebration of Christmas, showing a contrast to the Cromwell years.
How did Charles II's approach to religious tolerance differ from his father's?
-Unlike his father, Charles II favored religious toleration, trying to act more like a politique, and attempted to avoid the mistakes that led to his father's downfall.
What was the significance of the Cavalier Parliament formed by Charles II in 1661?
-The Cavalier Parliament was significant as it was filled with royalists, showing Charles II's preference for supporters of the monarchy and his attempt to consolidate power.
What was the Act of Uniformity of 1662, and what did it entail?
-The Act of Uniformity required all clergy and church officials to conform to the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, effectively forbidding non-conformists or dissenters from public worship, teaching, or attending universities in England.
What was the Habeas Corpus Act of 1678, and why was it important?
-The Habeas Corpus Act of 1678 was important as it allowed any unjustly imprisoned person to obtain a writ of habeas corpus, compelling the government to explain why they had lost their liberty and freedom.
Why was James II's reign seen as a catalyst for the Glorious Revolution of 1688?
-James II's reign was a catalyst for the Glorious Revolution because he alienated political parties by introducing Catholics into high command, camping a standing army outside London, and attempting to suspend or dispense acts of Parliament without consent.
What were the main provisions of the English Bill of Rights 1689?
-The main provisions included the king not being able to suspend laws or disband Parliament, no interference with justice, no taxation or standing army without Parliament's consent, freedom of speech in Parliament, regular sessions of Parliament, and the right to bail, petition, and freedom from excessive fines and cruel punishment.
How did the Act of Union in 1707 change the political landscape of Britain?
-The Act of Union in 1707 united England and Scotland as a single state, creating the Kingdom of Great Britain and leading to the term 'United Kingdom' being used to describe the collective entity, which eventually included Ireland.
Why was Sir Robert Walpole significant in the early 18th century England?
-Sir Robert Walpole was significant as he dominated English politics from 1721 to 1742, promoting peace, spreading trade, and building up the military, particularly the navy, making Great Britain a world power and a place of religious and political liberty.
Outlines
👑 The Stuart Dynasty and Charles II's Reign
This paragraph delves into the second part of the Stuart dynasty in England, focusing on Charles II's reign following Oliver Cromwell's rule. Unlike his father, Charles II was politically adept, restoring theaters, pubs, and sporting events, and re-establishing Christmas. He favored religious tolerance but maintained the Anglican Church's authority. The Act of Uniformity was passed, restricting non-conformists' religious freedom. Charles II's policies, including the Test Act and the Habeas Corpus Act, shaped England's political and religious landscape, but his lack of a legitimate heir led to James II's ascension, setting the stage for future conflicts.
🏰 The Glorious Revolution and the English Bill of Rights
The second paragraph discusses the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which arose from the dissatisfaction with James II's Catholic favoritism and autocratic rule. Whig and Tory leaders invited James II's daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange to rule England jointly. The English Bill of Rights that followed established key principles, including the prohibition of the king's ability to suspend laws or levy taxes without parliament's consent, the right to free speech in parliament, and religious freedom for Protestants. The Bill also mandated the monarch to be a Protestant and introduced the Toleration Act of 1689, which expanded religious liberties, albeit not fully for Catholics.
🛳️ The Rise of Sir Robert Walpole and the United Kingdom
The final paragraph outlines the political landscape of England in the early 18th century, highlighting the rise of Sir Robert Walpole, who became a dominant figure in politics from 1721 to 1742. Walpole promoted peace and expanded trade, contributing to Britain's naval and military strength. His policies facilitated England's emergence as a global power. The paragraph also touches on the succession issues with the House of Stuart, leading to the Hanoverian dynasty's rise with George I. The Acts of Union in 1707 and the term 'United Kingdom' introduced by Queen Anne signify the unification of England, Scotland, and later Ireland under one crown, setting the stage for the modern United Kingdom.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Absolutism
💡Stuart Dynasty
💡Cavalier Parliament
💡Act of Uniformity
💡Habeas Corpus Act
💡Glorious Revolution
💡English Bill of Rights
💡Toleration Act of 1689
💡United Kingdom
💡Sir Robert Walpole
Highlights
Charles I's conflict with Parliament led to his execution.
Oliver Cromwell's reign was intolerable, leading to the Restoration of Charles II.
Charles II was politically savvy and restored theaters, pubs, and sporting events.
Charles II favored religious toleration but had Catholic sympathies.
The Cavalier Parliament was formed by Charles II, filled with royalists.
The Act of Uniformity required conformity to the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.
The Test Act excluded non-Anglicans from civilian and military positions.
Charles II passed the Habeas Corpus Act, allowing unjustly imprisoned persons to seek release.
James II, a Catholic convert, alienated political parties in England.
James II introduced Catholics into high command and camped an army outside London.
The Declaration of Indulgence extended religious tolerance without Parliament's support.
The Glorious Revolution of 1688 saw the joint offering of the throne to Mary and William of Orange.
The English Bill of Rights settled issues between the king and Parliament and influenced the U.S. Bill of Rights.
The English Bill of Rights established provisions for the king's limitations and civil liberties.
Queen Anne was the last of the House of Stuart and used the term 'United Kingdom'.
The Act of Union in 1707 united England and Scotland as the Kingdom of Great Britain.
George I of the House of Hanover succeeded Queen Anne due to lack of heirs.
Sir Robert Walpole dominated English politics, promoting peace and expanding trade and military power.
Transcripts
welcome to the continuation of our
lecture series on the age of
absolutism today we continue on with our
second
part of the stuart dynasty in england
here
on learning the social sciences
the steward showed england that they
were not ones to work well with
parliament
so much so that charles the first lost
his head
over the arguments however the reign of
oliver cromwell proved to be
unbearable for many within england and
the minute he passed away they called
for the restoration
or the return of king charles ii
and the house of stuart now charles ii
is the son of king charles the first
however unlike his father he had charm
poise
and he was politically savvy one of the
first things he did was restore the
theaters and to reopen the pubs
and the sporting events and venues that
were closed under the cromwell years
and yes he re-established christmas he
favored religious
toleration trying to act more like
apolitique
however he does have catholic sympathies
he realized that he could not repeat the
mistakes his father had made
and had to kind of walk the line yet
he still continues on that steward
tradition of not
really working that often with
parliament or calling them
in to be if you know he doesn't need to
so in 1661 uh charles formed what was
known as the cavalier parliament
filled with royalists he disbanded the
puritan army that
cromwell had created but he did pardon
most puritan rebels
so he is somebody that kind of let
bygones be
bygones he also restored the authority
of the anglican church or the church of
england in 1662 he also passed the act
of uniformity
all clergy and church officials had to
conform
to the anglican book of common prayer
it forbade non-conformists also known as
dissenters
to worship publicly to teach their faith
or to attend
universities within england this is
going to cause some people to literally
jump ship and leave the country
predominantly for areas
like the americas as you all know we are
going to be having puritans
and pilgrims show up in the
massachusetts colony
further acts that charles ii passed
include the test act which parliament
excluded all but anglicans from civilian
and military positions
and in 1678 he passed the habeas corpus
act
which just basically said any unjustly
imprisoned persons
could obtain a writ of habeas corpus
compelling the government to then
explain
why they had lost their liberty and
freedom now when charles ii passed away
he did not have a legitimate
heir to the throne note that i said
legitimate charles was kind of known for
being a party monarch and for having
plenty of mistresses
however to get a seat on the english
throne
you have to be the child of the king and
the queen so ian comes in
james ii the brother of charles
ii now he was a convert to catholicism
because remember
their mother was a catholic and he is
also somebody that i guess
takes after dad's side of the family
he is somebody who really is not up for
a compromise
and he goes and quickly alienates the
tories and well every political party
actually within
england he just kind of ticks them all
off and
what he is going to accomplish is a very
quick
moving revolution against him how in the
world does that happen
well he introduced catholics to the high
command of both the army and the navy
here we go with conspiracy theories once
again he camped a standing army a few
miles outside of london oh no no no you
do not do that
the minute you put an army right outside
your capital city everybody is going to
be
fearful of you and that army and so
they are probably going to look for new
leadership but you are going to see
this strategy used time and time again
in history of having one's army
come and get positioned right outside
the capitol he surrounded himself with
catholic advisers
and he attacked anglican control of
universities he claimed the power to
suspend
or to even dispense the acts of
parliament
and in 1687 he passed the declaration of
liberty of conscience which basically
said he extended religious tolerance
toleration
without parliament's approval or support
which for him
was mainly for the catholics
so that brings in then the glorious
revolution of 1688
whig and tory leaders now both kind of
ticked off with their monarch
offered the throne jointly to james the
second daughter
mary who is over in the netherlands
because her husband
is william of orange with that both of
them
actually agree to come over and
rule england sorry dad i guess i just
want the throne
now this is going to be a little bit of
a sticky situation i guess for you know
future family gatherings if they ever
happen
but william of orange is somebody who
seems to be well loved within
england he was victorious against louis
xiv and he was seen as a champion of the
protestant cause
and so having william of orange and mary
come in
somebody legitimate in the bloodline
seems like a good
option for the english people they also
agree
to the english bill of rights which
basically settles all major issues
between the king and parliament
and it will serve as a model for the
united states bill of rights
it also formally kind of made this base
for civil liberties that then are going
to be expanded
upon within english history so what is
the english bill of rights addressing
well in terms of its main provisions the
king cannot suspend
the operation of laws hey you can't
disband parliament
the king could not interfere with the
ordinary course of justice
no taxation can be levied or a certain
standing army maintained in peacetime
without parliament's consent
freedom of speech in parliament needs to
happen
sessions of parliament would be held
frequently
not like you know being disbanded for 10
years
subjects had the right of bail petition
and freedom from ex's fines
and cruel and unusual punishment the
monarch also must be a protestant
we have the freedom from arbitrary
arrest censorship of the press
is going to be dropped and it is also
going to be putting in items for
religious toleration
with that james ii he is going to
kind of put up a fight um however he is
not going
to win this glorious revolution really
the only blood that was spilled
was when james ii found out that his
daughter
had betrayed him and that the revolution
was happening and he got a nosebleed
so yeah there is fighting going to be
happening though in ireland as james
goes to try to take that however william
of orange is going to go over there and
stop that now in terms of the english
throne
england now is really a limited monarchy
and it permits worship of all
protestants
but not necessarily 100 yet
with all catholics due to the toleration
act of 1689.
however they also put in various
stipulations that is eventually going to
also lead to king george the first of
the house of hanover coming to the
throne
why is that well we're going to have
some issues here william and mary
are not going to be having an heir and
on top of that
mary's sister anne who is going to be
crowned queen anne in 1665
also does not have an heir
now queen anne first is the one to use
the term united kingdom
she is bringing all the houses together
as one she also though was somebody like
her dad's daughter she was
pro-catholic now she does pass what i
had just kind of referred to the act of
union in 1707
where england and scotland were united
as a single state
and the kingdom of great britain is born
and eventually with her
using this phrase united kingdom we are
going to also have
ireland coming underneath the crown as
well
now anne is going to be the last of the
house of
stuart and she is going gonna be
succeeded by her second cousin
george the first of the house of hanover
who was a descendant of the stewards
through his maternal grandmother
elizabeth who was the daughter of james
the first so it's kind of going back
there
however with the house of hanover and
also just in the last years of queen
anne we are going to be seeing
some very dominant politicians coming
up and to the stage now in england so
for those of you
really jumping into english history you
now get to learn the kings and queens
and now along with that you get to learn
the prime ministers and also
those very well-known politicians that
just never
ever slept in the prime minister's house
now we're going to have the rise of sir
robert walpole
who dominated english politics from 1721
until 1742
based on his royal support now he has
the ability
to handle the house of commons and to
control
kind of the government's patronage he
promoted peace at home
and also abroad in an era where we are
going to be building up colonies
he spread trade from north america all
the way to
india underneath the british flag and he
built the military especially the navy
up making great britain a world power
you may remember if you listen to my
presentation on the dutch
they for a while had the largest navy
but
england is quickly quickly catching up
with whirlpool's efforts he also
helped england become a military
powerhouse
however also to be a place of religious
and political liberty so this has been
the lectures
on the house of stuart our next lecture
coming up
in the age of absolutism is going to be
focusing on france
and king louis xiv if you have any
questions or comments please leave them
down below
and thank you very much for listening
always remember to like and subscribe
bye
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