King James II.
The last Catholic monarch of England was King James II, who reigned from 1685 until 1688. He was the younger brother of King Charles II and succeeded him upon his death. James II’s reign marked a significant turning point in English history, primarily due to his attempts to promote religious tolerance for Catholics in a dominantly Protestant nation. His open Catholic faith and pro-Catholic policies led to widespread unrest and suspicion among both Parliament and the general public.
James II attempted to relax the enforcement of laws against Catholics and dissenters through the Declaration of Indulgence, which many saw as an attempt to reintroduce Catholicism as the state religion. He also appointed Catholics to high-ranking positions in the military and government, further increasing tensions. The birth of his Catholic son in 1688, which raised the prospect of a Catholic dynasty, was the final catalyst that led to the Glorious Revolution.
In response, a group of Protestant nobles invited William of Orange, a Protestant and the husband of James’s daughter Mary, to invade England. William arrived with an army, and James, seeing little support from his forces, fled to France in what was essentially a bloodless coup. This event marked the end of James II’s reign and Catholic monarchy in England.
The overthrow of James II led to the joint reign of William III and Mary II, and ultimately to the Bill of Rights 1689, which established parliamentary supremacy and barred any future Catholic from ascending to the English throne – a rule that remains in effect today.
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