Reluctant revolutionaries - W. A Speck

Three hundred years ago the Catholic James II was removed from the throne of England and replaced by the Protestant monarchs William III and Mary. The importance of this "Glorious Revolution" - long seen as a crucial shift in British history from absolutism to constitutional monarchy - has recently been questioned by historians.;This interpretive history of the Revolution of 1688-9 draws on material ranging from debates by Dutch and English politicians to popular pamphlets, to provide an account of politics and society of the period. The author looks at the nature of the late Stuart monarchy, at the personality of James II himself, the significance of his flight, and the nature of the conspiracy which placed William of Orange on the throne. The text also examines the importance in constitutional terms of the Revolution, and its long-lasting social and religious implications.;Professor Speck is the editor of "History" (the journal of the Royal Historical Association) and the author of several books including "Society and Literature in England 1700-1760".