He issued a Declaration of Indulgence in 1687 which allowed greater freedom of worship.

James promoted Catholics to senior positions and he publicly announced his intention to revoke the Test Act. Next, James followed in the footsteps of his father Charles I by dissolving parliament after they voted him a living, refusing to allow it to meet again. He raised a rebellion in the south of England, but his army was defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor in July 1685 and Monmouth was executed for treason. The main opposition came from his nephew the Duke of Monmouth, the oldest illegitimate son of Charles II. There was some resistance to James II becoming king. James II’s Brief Reign James Scott, Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch, by Jan Van Wyck, date unknown, via the National Portrait Gallery, London The attempt failed, and on his brother’s death in 1685 James II became king. This incident led to the Exclusion Crisis where Parliament plotted to exclude James II from the line of succession. It was quickly discredited with Oates jailed for perjury. In 1678 the Popish Plot started by Titus Oates claimed that Catholics planned to assassinate Charles. Charles spent most of his reign fighting parliament on this issue, and the Test Acts were passed to restrict Catholics from participating in public life. Britain was officially a protestant country and James’s decision caused huge concern.

However, James converted to Catholicism around 1668. He had no surviving legitimate children and James II was named his heir. The roots of the Glorious Revolution can be traced back to the reign of James II’s brother Charles II. Roots of the Glorious Revolution King James II, by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1684, via the National Portrait Gallery, London

The runaway king