Restoration and Revolution in Britain: Political Culture in the Era of Charles II and the Glorious Revolution

by Gary S. De Krey

Overview

Charles II was restored to the rule of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1660, less than twelve years after the execution of his father, Charles I, and the ensuing republican experiment in government. Popular at first, the Restoration nevertheless failed to provide lasting settlement in any of the British kingdoms.

Restoration and Revolution in Britain examines the political history of these kingdoms, from the Interregnum through Britain's eighteenth-century rise to power. Written especially for students approaching the Restoration for the first time, this essential introduction:
- Assesses the reasons for the failure of settlement in the reigns of Charles and of his brother, James II
- Integrates the histories of Charles's different realms
- Examines the many connections between politics and Protestant religious disagreements
- Provides helpful historical context for understanding a range of contemporary authors such as Bunyan, Locke and Milton
- Concludes with an examination of the Glorious Revolution of 1688-89 and explains why settlement was finally achieved through revolution rather than through restoration

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780333651032
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	08/01/2007
Series:	British Studies Series , #11
Edition description:	2007
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

GARY S. DE KREY is Professor of History at St Olaf College, USA. A past president of the Midwest Conference on British Studies, his publications include London and the Restoration, 1659-1683 (2005) and numerous journal and anthology articles about Restoration England.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements
Maps
Revolution and Restoration, 1658-65
Court and Kingdoms, 1665-72
Church and Country, 1672-78
The Restoration Crisis, 1678-83
Resettlement and Unsettlement, 1683-88
The Glorious Revolution and its Aftermath
Abbreviations
Endnotes
Select Bibliography
Index.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

De Krey has done a marvelous job of synthesizing the available material, producing a very readable narrative of the political and religious history of the late seventeenth century.' - Melinda Zook, Purdue University, USA.

'A well-written, entertaining, and accessible introduction to the politics (and much more) of the Restoration period.' - David Scott, History of Parliament Trust, UK

'[a] very readable book.' - Keith Richmond, The Tribune