His choice of religion, his lack of political accumen or ability to compromise, and his complete lack of personal charm made him an unpopular king. Unfortunately, James II had publicly converted to Catholicism during a time that England was so viciously anti-Catholic (just as the Catholic countries were viciously anti-Protestant) that Catholics were banned from serving in the military or holding office, and were still attacked in the streets. Charles II died without legitimate issue, so his younger brother James II inherited. His eldest son, Charles II, was invited back to rule after living in exile. Quick history run down: Charles I was executed by his people. "About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.The history of the last three Stuarts to rule England: James II, Mary (of William&Mary) and Anne. 16 pages of color photos not seen by PW.Ĭopyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. Waller, using Stuart family letters and an impressive array of secondary sources, has written a highly readable, thoroughly researched family saga that shows vividly how the personal and the political interacted to produce one of the seminal events in British history. Neither Mary nor Anne had children, and Anne eventually became the last Stuart monarch. As for Mary, she supported her husband, William, and her Anglican faith. When the queen became pregnant in late 1687, Anne claimed the pregnancy was a papist hoax. Moreover, Princess Anne loathed her Catholic stepmother, Queen Mary Beatrice. Why did both daughters betray their father at his hour of greatest need? Waller believes it was partly religion-the fervently Catholic James had failed to convert his Protestant daughters and nation. James's other daughter, Anne, also defected to William. James's eldest daughter, Mary, was married to William, who was also James's nephew. This "Glorious Revolution," London-based historian Waller (1700: Scenes from London Life) tells us, was largely the product of a family feud. Crestfallen, James fled to France, and William became king. The Catholic King of Britain, James II, prepared to meet William in battle, but the unpopular James soon found himself deserted by his army and navy-and, most surprisingly, by his own daughters. In November 1688, the Protestant Prince William of Orange landed in England with an invading Dutch army.
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