The Restoration(1660-1714)

The Monarchs

Charles II (1660-1685)James II (1685-1688)

William and Mary (1688-1702) Anne (1702-1714)

Charles II• Charles II was the son of

Charles. He was in exile in France and was called by the Parliament to restore monarchy.

• He had French tastes for theatre, art and luxury and his court was devoted to pleasure.

• He had a good relationship with Parliament, but died without an heir.

During Charles II’s reign…• In 1665 there was a virulent epidemic

of bubonic plague, followed in 1666 by the Great Fire of London.

• In 1662 the Parliament passed the Clarendon Acts, which excluded non-conformists from public office.

• In 1673 the Parliament passed the Test Acts, which excluded Catholics from public office.

• Due to some Popish Plots to favour the King’s brother, James, two factions emerged in Parliament: The Whigs (who did not want absolute monarchy) and the Tories (who were supporters of the legitimate power of the King)

James II and the Glorious Revolution• He succeeded his brother Charles

II. He was a CATHOLIC supporter, and the Parliament was alarmed by his behaviour.

• James was banished and in 16888 his daughter, Mary, became Queen with her husband, William of Orange, already ruler of Holland. This succession is remembered as THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION.

• This Revolution is also called Bloodless, because no war was needed and nobody’s blood was shed.

William and Mary• William signed the Bill of

Rights which gave the Parliament only the power to raise taxes, pass laws and control the army.

• In 1701 William signed the Act of Settlement which indicated Anne (Mary’s sister) as the heir to the throne.

• William sent a punitive expedition to Ireland, because the Irish population was a supporter of James.

Queen Anne• In 1702 Anne succeeded to

the throne.• During her reign England:– fought the War of

Spanish succession– won the French

possessions in Canada with the Peace of Utrecht

– was emerging as a colonial power

• With the Act of Union in 1707 Scotland was united to England.

Scientific Rigour and intellectual clarity

• In 1662 the Royal Society was founded for the development of the new science.

• Natural Philosophy started to study the universe and its mysteries. It helped to study the order and the harmony given by God to his universe (this philosophy was not against religion).

• John Locke, Isaac Newton and Thomas Hobbes were the most influential philosophers of the age.

In literature...

• In literature, social events became the main object of interest, with their ethics, rules and ideals.

• Neo-classicism flourished. Poetry was mainly satirical and translations of the Classics were promoted.

• Natural philosophy encouraged self-confidence and belief in human progress; it freed the mind from superstition. The diary became one of the most popular writing forms.

• In art, the useful and simple replaced the ornate and rich.

To conclude...

• The Restoration period is important in the history of the English culture because in this period some of the typical traits of the English character emerged:– A materialistic and practical mind– Tolerance– Reasonableness– Common sense