Kingdom of Great Britain (Dutch Republic)

This article is about the specific polity Kingdom of Great Britain (Dutch Republic) and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics

During the Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689 William III of Orange, that ruled the Dutch Republic, dsposed his father in law, James of Scotland and England. In this period Great Britain was practically in Personal Union with the Netherlands. This situation lasted until William's death, when Anne succeeded him as Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Summary

James VI of Scotland became King James I of England in 1603 after the death of Queen Elizabeth I. This united the crowns of England and Scotland under one monarch, though the two countries continued to have separate parliaments and laws. James was known as the "wisest fool in Christendom" - he was learned but mean and undignified, and never truly understood his English subjects. He insisted on the divine right of kings, leading to constant disputes with Parliament.

James I was succeeded by his son Charles I, who was executed by Parliament in 1649 after a civil war. England then became a republic known as the Commonwealth, ruled by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell was a skillful military leader who crushed rebellions in Ireland and Scotland, but his Puritan rule was resented. After Cromwell's death, the monarchy was restored in 1660 with the coronation of Charles II.

Charles II was succeeded by his brother James II, a Catholic, in 1685. This caused unrest, and in 1688 James was deposed in the "Glorious Revolution." The English Parliament invited William of Orange, a Protestant, to take the throne as William III, jointly with his wife Mary, the daughter of James II. This established the supremacy of Parliament over the monarchy.

In 1707, the Acts of Union officially united the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain. The Hanoverian succession began in 1714 with the accession of George I, who relied on the Whig party. His successor George II faced Jacobite rebellions from supporters of the deposed Stuart dynasty, but these were suppressed.

Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837 and her long reign saw great changes and expansion of the British Empire. Despite the monarch's reduced political powers, Victoria was a hugely popular and influential figure. Under her reign, the monarchy was reformed and the country experienced major social and political reforms, including the abolition of slavery and the expansion of the franchise.

Establishment

November 1688: William of Orange came ashore on 5/15 November.

November 1688: Plymouth surrendered to William of Orange, who was leading the invasion of England to overthrow King James II during the Glorious Revolution.

November 1688: In 1688, William of Orange took control of Exeter in the Kingdom of Great Britain (Dutch Republic) after the magistrates fled the city on 9 November (Julian calendar).

November 1688: Wincanton Skirmish.

November 1688: William's forces were at Sherborne.

December 1688: Hindon conquered by netherlands.

December 1688: On 4 December 1688, William of Orange was at Amesbury.

December 1688: Three days later William of Orange had reached Hungerford.

December 1688: A Protestant mob stormed Dover Castle, where the Catholic Sir Edward Hales was governor, and seized it.

December 1688: William at the same time ordered all English troops to depart from the capital, while his forces entered on 17 December. No local forces were allowed within a twenty-mile radius until the spring of 1690.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. Glorious Revolution

Was a revolution in England and Scotland that led to the deposition of Catholic King James II.

February 1689: By November 1688 William of Orange, who was Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and his wife Mary, were in control of England and Wales. They would later become King and Queen of Great Britain.

May 1689: William and Mary accepted the Crown of Scotland.

2. European wars of religion

Were a series of wars in Europe (and the overseas possessions of European countries) the 16th, 17th and early 18th that started after the Protestant Reformation. Although the immediate causes of the wars were religious, the motives were complex and also included territorial ambitions.

2.1.Nine Years' War

Was a conflict between France and the Grand Alliance, a coalition including the Holy Roman Empire, the Dutch Republic, England, Spain, and Savoy. It is considered the first war that saw fighting globally because battles occured in Europe, America, Africa and India.

2.1.1.Williamite War in Ireland

Was a war between supporters of James II and his successor, William III. It resulted in a Williamite victory.

August 1689: Siege of Carrickfergus.

July 1690: Battle of the Boyne.

November 1690: The Kingdom of Great Britain captured the southern ports of Cork and Kinsale in October 1690 thereby confining French and Jacobite troops to the west of the country.

June 1691: Athlone conquered by netherlands.

July 1691: D'Usson succeeded as overall commander: he surrendered Galway.

3. Further events (Unrelated to Any War)

March 1702: As William III of England was also the de facto ruler of the Dutch Republic (as Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic), the Personal Union between Netherlands and Great Britain ended at his death.