Is history still the thing? These two books seemed designed to test the vaunted appetite of the general reader for historical narrative. Both try to explain what remains one of the most important and unconsidered events in British history: the so-called “Glorious Revolution” of 1688. The Roman Catholic King James II, who had succeeded his brother Charles II in 1685, was deposed by his nephew William of Orange, husband of his Protestant daughter Mary. William’s Dutch invasion force landed in Torbay on November 5 1688 and James, though he had a larger army, “lost his nerve”, as Edward Vallance bluntly puts it, and tried to flee the country. He was captured, but 10 days later allowed to “escape” to France. On February 13 1689, William and Mary were crowned joint monarchs. for more click here
