English Revolution
Proper noun 1. The Glorious Revolution: A major historical event in 1688-1689, also known as the Bloodless Revolution or the Revolution of 1688. It refers to the overthrow of King James II of England (James VII of Scotland and Ireland) by a union of English Parliamentarians and the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange), who became king with his wife, Mary II. It is characterized by the assertion of parliamentary supremacy over the Crown and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in England.
- Noun:
- The English Revolution of 1688 established crucial principles of parliamentary sovereignty.
- Historians often contrast the English Revolution with the more violent civil wars that preceded it.
- A key outcome of the English Revolution was the signing of the English Bill of Rights in 1689.
- "The Glorious Revolution": This is the most common synonymous term used to describe the same event, emphasizing its relatively peaceful nature in England itself.
- The settlement following the Glorious Revolution shaped the modern British political system.
- "The Revolution of 1688": A more chronological label for the event.
- The events of the Revolution of 1688 unfolded rapidly after William of Orange landed in England.
- Glorious Revolution (proper noun): The most frequent alternative name for the English Revolution.
- Bloodless Revolution (proper noun): Another name highlighting the lack of major military conflict in England during the transfer of power.
- William and Mary (proper noun): The joint monarchs who succeeded James II as a result of the revolution.
- English Bill of Rights (1689) (proper noun): The foundational constitutional document enacted in the revolution's aftermath, limiting the powers of the monarch and setting out the rights of Parliament.
- The Glorious Revolution
- The Bloodless Revolution
- The Revolution of 1688
It is critical to distinguish this term from other periods of English civil conflict. The English Revolution specifically refers to the events of 1688-1689. It is not a synonym for: * The English Civil Wars (1642-1651): A series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians ("Roundheads") and Royalists ("Cavaliers"). * The Interregnum (1649-1660): The period between the execution of Charles I and the restoration of Charles II. While the Civil Wars and Interregnum are sometimes broadly called the "English Revolution" in certain historical analyses, in standard historical and dictionary usage (such as WordNet), "English Revolution" is definitively linked to the events of 1688-1689.
- the revolution against James II; there was little armed resistance to William and Mary in England although battles were fought in Scotland and Ireland (1688-1689)