JAMES II & VII 1685-1688

James II was born on the 14th of October 1633, at St. James's Palace in London.
He was the third son of King Charles I and of his wife, Princess Henrietta Maria of
France.
In 1648 James escaped from Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary forces which
would execute his father the following year. James lived the next twelve years in exile
in France. With his mother and brother Charles II. On the 25th of May 25 1660 James
returned to England with his brother King Charles II. In September the 3rd 1660, he
married Anne Hyde.
They had eight children together but only two daughters survived to adulthood.

After his brother Charles II's death he Became king on the 6th of February 1685,
James II was a devout Catholic and after he became king he attempted to force
Catholicism on England. This angered the Protestant Parliament who in-turn turned
to William of Orange urging him to save England from a Catholic takeover. Williams
forces landed in England in November 1688. The mostly Protestant army did not put
up a fight and James II was forced to flee to France. James II made one attempt to
regain the crown, but his French and Irish forces were easily defeated.
James II ended up spending the rest of his life and dying in France.