History Daily – Episode 1275: The Fall of King James II

Date: December 23, 2025
Host: Lindsey Graham

Episode Overview

In “The Fall of King James II,” host Lindsey Graham takes listeners on a vivid, chronological journey through England’s tumultuous 17th-century political crises—culminating in the December 23, 1688 flight of the king and the end of divine monarchy in England. The episode traces the legacy of the English Civil War, the story of the Stuart royal family’s exile and restoration, the rise of religious anxieties, and the final, bloodless ousting of a Catholic monarch in the “Glorious Revolution,” forever shifting the balance of English power from crown to Parliament.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Legacy of Civil War and the Execution of Charles I

[01:07–04:27]

• The episode opens on January 30, 1649: Samuel Pepys, a schoolboy, witnesses the execution of Charles I.
• This moment is painted with intense sensory detail—the crowds, the black-draped scaffold, the ring of soldiers, and the execution itself.
• Charles’s death follows seven years of civil war over a pivotal question: Should power reside with a God-ordained king, or with Parliament elected by the people?
• “Negotiations with the defeated Charles failed, so Parliament decided that the only way to get ahead was for the king to lose his — just before 2pm, Charles I steps onto the scaffold…” — Lindsey Graham [01:52]
• His execution ushers in England’s brief experiment as a republic, yet the question of sovereignty endures.

2. Exile and Restoration: James Stuart’s Return

[06:58–12:04]

• Takes listeners to May 23, 1660: Charles I’s son, James, and his family return from exile as the monarchy is restored.
• Eleven years in European exile depicted as “scrabbling around Europe, relying on the charity of foreign monarchs.”
• The triumphant return is marked by celebration: “All the church bells will ring and wine will flow through the fountains of the old city.”
• But beneath the festivities, old wounds are unhealed—the execution of Charles I and the restoration do not settle foundational divisions about governance.

3. The Great Fire of London and James’s Heroism

[06:58–12:04]

• September 4, 1666: James, not yet king, demonstrates personal bravery during the fire. He organizes firemen, rescues a Swedish nobleman from a xenophobic mob, and wins public admiration.
• Notable Quote: “He has won the hearts of the people with his continual and indefatigable pains day and night in helping to quench the fire.” — Lindsey Graham [11:47]
• This popularity is fleeting; James’s secret conversion to Catholicism soon stokes fear—echoes of the suspicion that doomed foreigners accused in the fire.

4. Rising Tensions: Catholicism and Plots

[14:41–19:44]

• By the 1670s and 1680s, England is gripped by rumors and hysteria over Catholic conspiracies. Parliament attempts to legislate against a Catholic king, deeply dividing the nation.
• 1673: As a calculated compromise, James’s Protestant daughter Mary is married to William of Orange, but suspicions fester.
• 1683: After a failed plot to assassinate Charles II and James, the Earl of Essex’s suicide is interpreted as sign of guilt and justifies punitive action against plotters.
• “James’s opponents’ fears about his Catholicism were realized. He believes he has been made king by God himself. He has packed his army with Catholics and tried to force the courts to rule that he can ignore acts of Parliament.” — Lindsey Graham [17:09]
• The June 1688 birth of a Catholic son makes religious anxieties acute.

5. The Glorious Revolution: William of Orange’s Invasion and James’s Downfall

[14:41–22:25]

• November 1688: With William of Orange’s invasion welcomed by Protestant nobles, James musters his army but is plagued by illness and desertions.
• “Ever since he left London two days ago, marching at the head of an army 40,000 strong, he’s been suffering from repeated nosebleeds. His doctors urge him to rest. But James is in a fight for his crown.” — Lindsey Graham [16:03]
• Defections, riots, and James’s retreat from Salisbury mark the collapse of his authority.
• Anti-Catholic riots erupt in London, accelerating James’s loss of power.

6. The Abdication and Aftermath

[22:25–24:39]

• December 23, 1688: James, abandoned by supporters, flees to Rochester and then to exile in France.
• Parliament does not pursue execution; they wish to avoid martyrdom and instead declare the throne vacant.
• His daughter Mary and her husband William are invited to rule jointly, but “will only do so with the consent of Parliament.”
• This peaceful transfer cements the supremacy of Parliament over the monarchy.
• “No British king or queen will ever try to rule alone, as if ordained by God again. And the question of where ultimate power in England lies has finally been answered.” — Lindsey Graham [23:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The execution of Charles I will see England become a republic for the first time. But the new regime will not last long, and the question of who truly rules the country will fester for decades before it’s finally settled when another English king loses his crown on December 23, 1688.” — Lindsey Graham [03:33]
• “As one witness will write, ‘he has won the hearts of the people with his continual and indefatigable pains day and night in helping to quench the fire.’ But James popularity will not last.” — Lindsey Graham [11:47]
• “James begins to panic. He fears that the enemy is about to attack him in his weakened state. So he orders a retreat to London. It’s a disastrous misstep. Whatever authority James had is struck a fatal blow by his loss of nerve.” — Lindsey Graham [18:34]
• “No British king or queen will ever try to rule alone, as if ordained by God again. And the question of where ultimate power in England lies has finally been answered. Parliament is supreme and has been ever since James II fled the country in disgrace on December 23, 1688.” — Lindsey Graham [23:51]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment & Content | |--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:07 | Execution of Charles I, end of Civil War, foundational sovereignty crisis | | 06:58 | Restoration: James’s exile ends, monarchy restored, return from Holland | | 08:44 | The Great Fire of London, James’s heroism, public sentiment | | 14:41 | Catholic-Protestant tension, assassination plots, Essex suicide, marriage alliances | | 16:50 | William of Orange’s invasion, James’s illness, desertions, anti-Catholic riots | | 22:25 | James’s abdication, exile, Parliament offers crown to Mary & William, constitutional shift, final supremacy of Parliament | | 23:51 | Concluding remarks on the resolution of England’s constitutional question |

Conclusion

Lindsey Graham’s narrative brings to life the cascade of events leading to the end of divine monarchy in England. Through vivid depictions of key moments and a focus on the personal struggles and missteps of James II, the episode makes clear how a long century of conflict and anxiety over religion and sovereignty was ultimately resolved. The “Glorious Revolution” is presented not as a single day’s miracle, but as the product of decades of unresolved strife, culminating in the solidification of parliamentary democracy—a seismic shift that shapes England to this day.