James II

James II of England reigned from 1685 to 1688 and was the last Catholic monarch in England. His policies favored Catholicism, including appointing Catholic officials, which alarmed many Protestants. Tensions escalated into a crisis when he had a Catholic heir, raising fears of a Catholic dynasty. In 1688, influential nobles invited William of Orange, a Protestant, to invade. This led to James’s abdication in what’s known as the Glorious Revolution, resulting in William and his wife Mary taking the throne. This event significantly reduced royal power and established parliamentary sovereignty.