Western History 114: What were some of the key political events In Britain from the English Civil War to the beginning of the 18th century?

In 1660 Charles II was restored to the monarchy ending England’s experiment with a Republic that had lasted from 1649-1660. Charles, also known as the Merry Monarch  had already been crowned King of Scotland in 1651. From 1660 he would rule as King of England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain). His transition to power was vacillated by the action of General George Moncke and followed on the heels of the dissolution of  the Rump Parliament. In 1662 the Church of England was restored by the Clarendon Code and the Act of Uniformity. Various Puritan practices from the Interregnum  were pushed back.

Charles II - source royal.ik 

The Declaration of  Breda (issued 4^th of April 1660) eased tensions by promising a general pardon for crimes that were committed during the English Civil War.

Charles’s reign was noted for the early arrival of Tea in England, the Great Plague in London and the Great Fire that followed it and the Dutch Wars. However the national mood after the Interregnum was more joyous and he appeared to enjoy widespread support. The Habeus Corpeus Act of 1679 was past to examine the lawfulness of imprisonment. 

Although there was much positivity associated with Charles II's reign there an attempt to oust him in 1683 (Rye House Plot). Charles himself converted to Roman Catholicism on his deathbed in 1685.

Charles was succeeded by his brother James II (James VII of Scotland)  who was a devout Catholic. His reign would prove to be turbulent and would last for only three years (1685-1688). James’s first challenge came from the Monmouth rebellion that occurred in the West Country. This failed insurrection was led by James Scott, 1^st Duke of Monmouth who was an illegitimate son of Charles II. A co-ordinated  second effort known as the Argyll Rising failed as well. Persecution of supporters of the rebellions were harshly persecuted during the Bloody Assizes that were driven by the notorious ‘Hanging’ Judge Jeffreys.

James II - source royal.uk

In 1688, on the heel of a great deal of Protestant support William of Orange arrived from the Netherlands and overthrew James’ regime in what has become known as the Glorious Revolution. William was married to Mary who was the Anglican daughter of James II. He would later rule (along with his wife) as William III . She would become Mary II.

William III and Mary II source: britroyals.uk

An ardent Protestant William would be celebrated by the faithful  as ‘King Billy’. His most famous victory over his Catholic opponents occurred at the Battle of Boyne in 1690 with his ‘orange colours’ still existing today as a symbol of unionist strength in Ireland.

William’s reign would last from 1689 to 1702. It was noted for the Bill of Rights (1689) that formalized succession lines for the crown, guaranteed key civil rights, limited the power of the monarchy and reaffirmed support for freedom of Speech, Free Elections, the Power of Parliament. Together with the Magna Carta (1215), the Petition of Right (1628), the Habeus Corpeus Act (1679) and the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949, the Bill of Rights forms the cornerstone of English Liberal Democracy.

Bill of Rights (1689) source: parliament.uk

It has influenced such later initiatives as the US Bill of Rights, the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights.

It was also during the Reign of William III that the Bank of England was established (1694). William would be succeeded by another Stuart monarch Anne who was a daughter of James II.