大象传媒

Charles II died in 1685 after 25 years on the throne. His rule was relatively stable, but now the threat of chaos raised its head again. Charles had no heir so he was to be succeeded by his brother James, who was a Catholic convert. There was great concern about this, but James could have maintained order if he had shown some understanding of his people's concerns. James allowed Catholics freedom to worship in the hope that people would follow his conversion. This led to outrage and paranoia about his intentions. James also appointed Catholics as senior ministers. When James had a son, Protestant plotters conspired against James. They approached Prince William of Orange and the Glorious Revolution succeeded, placing William of Orange on the throne in 1688. The new monarch agreed a religious settlement, which effectively made sure that Catholics would never hold power in England again.