Dr David Onnekink, Edinburgh University

Although few English cared for William 'the man', many liked 'the idea' of King William. So what, then, was this 'idea' most English people liked so much? The Jacobites and Irish Catholics regarded him as a heretic and a usurper. But to the Protestants of Ireland, the Scottish Presbyterians, French Huguenot refugees, Orangist ministers and most English Protestants, William symbolised the Protestant religion and the liberties of the nation.

William may very well turn out to be one of the most important monarchs of early modern Britain, because his legacy is inextricably linked to the rise of a parliamentary monarchy, the financial revolution and the emergence of Britain as a Great Power.

The Glorious Revolution of 1688/89 set in motion all these changes. The event solved several fundamental problems, which had made the Stuart monarchy deeply unstable for almost a century and even caused a civil war.

William's Third Declaration

The first problem was constitutional in nature. Although the King could call Parliament as he pleased, there was a deeply rooted feeling that it represented the nation and as such should be in session frequently and remain independent. Throughout the 17th century the Stuart monarchs had tried to manipulate, or even rule without Parliament. After 1688 the Houses of Commons and Lords would assemble annually and became a permanent feature of the British political system, although, admittedly, they still needed to achieve full independence from the King.

This was partly achieved by solving a second problem, that of the revenue of the crown.

King William's main purpose was to fight a war against the French, so he was in constant need of money. Parliament was willing to provide him with men and troops, in exchange for relinquishing certain prerogatives which gave the King power over Parliament. Whilst William could now wage his war, Parliament managed to gain some control over war expenditure and voted for legislation to establish itself on a permanent basis. Never again could a King use his arbitrary power and troops to subdue Parliament because it now controlled the army through the purse and had to reassemble at least once in every three years.

The last problem that was solved was a religious one. Parliament was willing to entrust the sole executive power to William because he was a Protestant and would not endanger the liberties and Protestant religion of England. Whereas Charles II and James II had sympathised with Catholicism, William, as a Calvinist, could be trusted. Under William's reign all Protestants could worship in freedom without fear of prosecution, and the danger of 'popery' was crushed for good.

When William died in 1702 he had established his legacy. Britain was one of the Great Powers of Europe with a sound financial system (the Bank of England was founded in 1694) and a stable government; Parliament was firmly established and the fear of absolute rule was eradicated. The great paradox was that to a certain extent William never intended all these changes; they were the result of the interaction between King and Parliament and the circumstances of war. But while the man is now half forgotten and lies buried in one of the darkest corners of Westminster Abbey, the idea and his legacy still live on today.