Person    | Male  Born 14/10/1633  Died 5/9/1701

King James II

Categories: Race Issues, Royalty

Countries: France

England's last Roman Catholic king, James II of England but James VII of Scotland. Born in St James's Palace and designated Duke of York until he ascended the throne in 1685 on the death of his brother Charles II. Married Anne Hyde. He was Catholic and persecuted the Protestants. New York City was named for him.

This may be overstating the case: 2016 - we were contacted by Antone Martinho who writes “It is completely inaccurate to suggest that he persecuted Protestants, when his reign was fundamentally pro-toleration.” We are far from experts on James II and rely on Wikipedia which include text such as “James sent a letter to the Scottish Privy Council advocating toleration for Catholics but that the persecution of the Presbyterian Covenanters should continue….”. Antone would like this added: "However, he established toleration for the dissenting Protestants as well as Catholics, ultimately granting relief even to the Covenanters he initially opposed." This is a complex topic and we advise anyone who want to understand it to look elsewhere.

His first wife, Anne Hyde, was Protestant and produced a daughter, Mary, who was raised Protestant. James and Anne were then drawn to the Catholic faith. He converted and when Anne died in 1671 he chose a Catholic for his second wife, Mary of Modena, who produced his first surviving son, James. This meant that both the Protestant faction and the Catholic faction each had a potential ruler to promote.

His daughter Mary married the Protestant William of Orange who effectively invaded England thus deposing James, in 1689, the Glorious Revolution. James fled and died in France, leaving his son James (1688 – 1766) as, according to some, the rightful heir to the throne. That James's son, Charles, born 1720, became known as the 'Young Pretender', making his father the 'Old Pretender'.

The only other statue in England of James II is at University College, Oxford.

As Duke of York he was the largest investor in, and was the first governor (for 16 years) of the Royal African Company which became one of the biggest in the Atlantic slave trade, achieving a 74% of the market.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
King James II

Commemorated ati

George Jeffreys

The Town of Ramsgate, London. The Hanging Judge. In this place in 1688 follow...

Read More

Hanbury Hall - white plaque - removed

Christ Church Hall Built in 1719 as a French Hugeonot {sic} church it stood b...

Read More

James II statue

Sculpted by Grinling Gibbons or one of his pupils this is considered a very f...

Read More

Monarchs - board in Wine Office Court

When they add Charles III we wonder if they will remember to also increment t...

Read More

Monarchs - board on Fleet Street

This board reads as if the pub has been rebuilt in each of the monarchs' reig...

Read More

Show all 8

Other Subjects

Newman Hall

Newman Hall

Non-conformist minister and hymn writer. Born Maidstone, Kent as Christopher Newman Hall. 1854 became minister of Surrey Chapel. Promoted the abolition of slavery and in 1867 visited North America,...

Person, Music / songs, Race Issues, Religion

2 memorials
David Hartley

David Hartley

Politician and inventor of fireproofing systems. Born in Bath, he moved to London where he met and became close friends with Benjamin Franklin. As an MP, he represented Kingston-upon-Hull and becam...

Person, Engineering, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, USA

2 memorials
St Mary Woolnoth

St Mary Woolnoth

Has a strong historical connection with the abolitionist movement of the 18th and 19th centuries.  Rev John Newton, a slave-trader turned preacher and abolitionist, was rector 1780 – 1807.  Carolin...

Building, Race Issues, Religion

1 memorial
Mangrove Restaurant

Mangrove Restaurant

At 8 All Saints Road, Notting Hill.  Created and owned for 24 years by Crichlow.  It was a centre for political and social activism within the African and Caribbean culture.  Visitors included: Jim...

Place, Commerce, Community / Clubs, Food & Drink, Race Issues

1 memorial
Captain John Smith

Captain John Smith

Citizen and cordwainer (cobbler), first among the leaders of the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia from which began the overseas expansion of the English speaking peoples. Born Lancashire. 16 year...

Person, Exploring, Race Issues, USA

2 memorials