Why Was King James II So Unpopular?

On the throne for only three years, King James II succeeded his brother King Charles II in 1685. He was a Catholic monarch of a Protestant nation and attempts had already been made to prevent him from claiming the throne. The last of the Stuart Kings would reign for only three short years and it would be his own daughter, Mary who would be his downfall. She, along with her husband William of Orange, would overthrow the House of Stuart.

The Stuart dynasty lived through arguably the most eventful, bloodthirsty and trying period in British history, and this series - hosted by Professor Kate Williams - reassesses the royal house's history and legacy in a whole new light. Episode 4 of 4.

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