The Restoration
Our objectives are:
• What were some of the challenges faced by
Charles II in his early reign?
• You will be able to identify the main cause of
the Dutch/English Wars
• Describe how the conflict between the
Catholics and Protestants played out in the
monarch of Charles II.
• Judge for yourself—was it a good thing that
William and Mary took the throne of England?
When Charles II
crossed the Channel
to return to England
in 1660, he took up
the throne that had
been vacant since
his father was
executed.
Charles knew
he had to be
careful not to
disturb
Parliament too
much, so he
was never a
strong, effective
ruler.
Charles II had a
French mother,
Henrietta Maria, the
sister of Louis XIII.
Charles admired
French taste and was
very cosmopolitan in
his outlook.
Charles had numerous mistresses and
illegitimate children who would grow up and
meddle with the government
London was a “swinging”
place during the
restoration. Though it
had a sizeable Puritan
population, Theaters were
re-opened and lively
parties ensued. Women
were allowed to be
actresses—no longer did
young men take that role.
Trade continued to grow, and it can be safe
to say that England ships dominated the
traffic in the English Channel.
Charles II, having
spent years in
France, tended to be
pro-Catholic. He
married a
Portuguese Princess.
Though he grew to
love her, they never
had an heir. It was
just a matter of time
before religion
became an issue.
To discuss Charles II’s reign we must examine his
religious leanings and his relationships with other
countries. Let’s examine the English/Dutch
Wars first.
The Dutch -English
Conflicts.
The First Dutch War (1652-1654)
actually occurred during Cromwell’s time.
Parliament had passed the Navigation Acts
which required that all ships in the English
Channel salute English Warship. The Acts
also placed limits on goods entering
England. The Acts precipitated conflicts
with the Dutch.
The first Dutch War ends when their
commander is killed. The English are
victorious.
The Second Dutch War begins in 1664.
Charles II is now on the throne. It also began
over trade conflicts—in the colonies, the Dutch
were underselling the English in the slave trade.
And in America, the English take New
Amsterdam (New York) from the Dutch.
Start
spreading the
news, New
York is ours!
Charles’ brother,
James, the Duke of
York commands the
navy and wins a major
battle against the
Dutch at Lowestoft.
But the next battle
rages for four days and
the English lose 5,000
men. The English
continue with more
naval victories.
Despite these victories—England is hit
by two disasters which weaken England
and distract the King.
The Plague
-andThe Great Fire of London
An outbreak of the Bubonic Plague begins
in London in 1656 and kills thousands
BRING OUT
YOUR DEAD!
Historical Side note: during this time,
a student, Isaac Newton, retreats to
the countryside to escape the plague
While there, he lays down the laws of the
universe: gravity, force, action, and develops
calculus
A year later, almost all of London is burned to
the ground . This was the Great Fire 1666.
The Dutch take
advantage of this
event. They
harass and burn
English ships,
and, at one
point, move up
the Thames
River towards
London.
The second Dutch War ends with the Treaty
of Breda in July of 1667.
The Third Dutch War (1662-1674).
This is the most interesting of the three
wars, because it now involves two other
major players who have emerged as leaders
of their countries:
Charles is related to both of these
kings—he is first cousin to Louis XIV
and uncle to William III!
Charles signs a secret
treaty with France (1670)
and agrees to support
France in its war against
the Dutch. In exchange,
Charles will receive
millions of dollars.
This third Dutch
war begins 1672,
when the English
support the
French in their
war against the
Dutch—the Dutch
are only saved
when they break
the dikes and
flood the country
around
Amsterdam
But the Dutch, the underdogs, manage some
victories. De Ruyter is the great naval
commander. He defeats the English and
French in numerous sea battles.
Still, the Dutch are left to fight off both of
these great powers. This time, the Spanish
come to the rescue—they form an alliance
with the Dutch to withstand the
English/French alliance.
This war ends with
the Treaty of Breda
The last Dutch War ends in 1674, but with the
end of the Dutch wars—we must go immediately
to England and follow events there.
Now let us turn to political affairs during this
time…
James, Charles’ brother, converts to
Catholicism. Charles shows that he
favors Catholicism by loosening
restrictions on dissenters (as
Catholics were known).
In 1673, Parliament retaliates by passing
the Test Act, which requires all those
who are government officials must take
the communion (sacrament) of the
Church of England.
Therefore—it is a test of whether you are
Catholic or Protestant. Many Catholics
didn’t want to take the communion—
therefore, this “Test” excluded Catholics from
holding public office.
There were much plotting underway to
support both sides—an Anglican priest
named Titus Oakes said that there was
a Popish (Catholic) Plot to turn
England Catholic. Many men were
executed under false witness—this
undermines the King.
No doubt, Charles II was under Catholic
influence. And he never had a legitimate
son with Catherine of Portugal, despite
fathering many sons out of wedlock.
The big problem, however, was his brother James II.
He was a known Catholic. He had married Anne
Hyde and had two daughters. At least those
daughters were Protestant. But England did not
want another Catholic King!
Therefore, many in Parliament came up with
the idea to “exclude” James from the line of
succession, and support his Protestant
daughters.
These were called Whigs.
The Tories supported the King.
Charles II died in 1688 after a brief illness. He
actually converted to Catholicism on his deathbed! His
brother—his Catholic brother—became King! King
James II.
Let’s get the succession right:
James I
Charles I (executed)
Charles II and James II (both brothers)
(Charles dies without heir—throne goes to his brother,
James, a Catholic)
Mary and Anne (both Protestant)
James liberalized laws against Catholics.
Parliament would have none of this. So
James began to go back to the pre-civil war
idea that a King could make or unmake
laws. This was most unpopular. England
would not have another “divine right”
monarch dictating terms.
Hadn’t they already executed a
King over this issue?
James had only been on the throne for
two years when another huge
complication developed.
You see, after Anne Hyde died, leaving
two daughters (who were raised
Protestant), James had married a
Catholic. She became pregnant shortly
thereafter-- Breaking News—
a son is born to James II!
A son! Never had the arrival of a baby
shook England than the birth of that son.
So their Catholic King now had a Catholic
son who would take precedent over his halfsisters.
That was too
much—and
Parliament unites
to bypass both
James II and his
son, and offer the
throne to Mary,
James’ Protestant
daughter.
Mary, at the time, was not living in England.
She was now married to William of
Holland, or known as William of Orange
(for his family’s ruling house).
William and Mary were
first cousins: James I was
Mary’s father, and his
sister, Mary Stuart, was
William III’s mother. In
fact, William’s mother
had died of smallpox
when she went to see her
brother’s coronation
when he returned to
England as Charles I.
Mary is invited with her husband, William,
to be co-rulers of England. Both William
and Mary are grandchildren of the executed
Charles I, so they technically both have
claims on the throne.
William lands with his army in England
and moves toward London
James II is forced into exile in France with
his family—insisting he will return someday
and his son will claim his rightful throne.
A year later,
Parliament enacts
one of its most
important
documents: The
English Bill of
Rights. This was
the condition for
them to take the
throne.
And in 1701, things are
made final when the
Act of Settlement says
that no King or Queen
of England can ever be
Catholic, and all heirs
lose their place in the
succession if they
become Catholic or
marry a Catholic.
The French and Irish Catholics try to put
James back on the throne immediately, but
they are defeated at the Boyne River in
Ireland.
Parliament persuades Scotland to merge
with England and become the United
Kingdom of England and Scotland
(1707)
The landed classes dominated Parliament
and greatly influenced the decisions that led
to this revolution.
Mary died in 1604, and William ruled alone
until. We will learn about his great conflict
with Louis XIV shortly.
The Acceptance of the Bill of Rights, the
“peaceful” takeover of the throne by William
and Mary, and the idea of a limited
monarchy (constitutional) without Catholic
influence is called:
THE GLORIOUS
REVOLUTION
Our objectives were:
• What were some of the challenges faced by
Charles II in his early reign?
• You will be able to identify the main cause of
the Dutch/English Wars
• Describe how the conflict between the
Catholics and Protestants played out in the
monarch of Charles II.
• Judge for yourself—was it a good thing that
William and Mary took the throne of England?