Happy and Glorious

A concise account of the complex issues surrounding the Glorious Revolution of 1688

The Glorious Revolution of 1688 is a story of intrigue, plot and counter-plot, religious rivalry, and nationalist fervor. It tells of a stubborn and bigoted king (James VII & II) in conflict with his subjects—a conflict in which he was finally forced to put aside his crown and make way for his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange. Less than 30 years since Charles II has been restored to the throne, a king was once more deposed (although this time rather less bloodily), effectively creating the form of government that we have today: after the Revolution it was no longer possible for British monarchs to ride roughshod over the wishes of their people or to impose religion upon them. Yet, as well as creating a constitutional monarchy, it also led to the Jacobite Rebellions in Scotland and the Orange Order marches in Northern Ireland. This book tells the story of those momentous events and sets them against the turbulent backdrop of 17th-century life.