The Convention Parliament voted that James II had 'abdicated' and that William and Mary should be offered the Crown (February). The Commons read the Declaration of Rights to William and Mary, which they later enacted as statute, the Bill of Rights (December). Parliament declared war on France (the Nine Years' War) (May).

Parliament passed an Act establishing a Commons' Commission of Public Accounts to oversee the Crown's use of the revenue.

The Bank of England was founded by parliamentary statute (April). The Triennial Act providing for parliamentary elections every three years was passed (November). Queen Mary died and William III became sole ruler (December)

Revelations of a plot to assassinate William III led to the drafting of an oath of loyalty to the King, rejected by many Tory MPs and peers.

The Treaty of Ryswyck ended the Nine Years' War.

The 11-year old Duke of Gloucester, last surviving child of Princess Anne and second in line to the throne, died.

June 1701
Parliament passed the Act of Settlement to prohibit Catholics from sitting on the throne and placing the succession with the House of Hanover.

James II died and Louis XIV recognised his son as James III (the "Old Pretender") as rightful king of England and Scotland (September), prompting Parliament to legislate for an oath requiring a public abjuration of the Stuarts' claim to the throne.

William III died (March), succeeded by Queen Anne, who almost immediately declared a renewed war against France (the War of the Spanish Succession).

The Act of Union between Scotland and England was ratified. The new British Parliament soon took in its first Scottish Members.

Queen Anne refused to assent to the Scottish Militia Bill, the last time the royal veto was used.

The Treaty of Utrecht ended the War of the Spanish Succession.

Queen Anne died and was succeeded by George I of Hanover by the Act of Settlement.

Related information


You can access biographies of

James II
William III (Prince of Orange)
Mary II
Queen Anne
George I
