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William III had to make a bold decision. In 1688, English/French tensions were rising, mostly because James II was Catholic. William did not want to risk any attempt on England’s throne, because of Mary II’s right to succeed as the English monarch. Regardless, when Louis’ plans became known, William moved toward England. Louis and the French diplomats warned William that his continuing movement would be a cause for war. William was more afraid to remain in the Netherlands. He risked Mary’s right to succession, open war with France, and invaded England in 1688.
William picked the right time to invade England, and skillfully brought England to war against France in the process. Louis’ most trusted military advisor Vauban’s Rhine invasion prompted William’s decision to act. He could not risk being surrounded by Louis and James. This is where Louis’ preemptive strike backfired. At first Louis’ assault was widely successful, because the Germans were locked in war with the Turks. While many German towns fell to Louis, and he became the “Lord of the Rhine”, German princes and Emperor Leopold I sent a force to halt Louis’ further advancement. The French were stunned by quick German action, and retreated. During the retreat, Louis’ troops burned and pillaged more than 20 cities including Heidelberg, Worms, and Bingen. After the initial retreat, came a German offensive to regain lost territory. The Germans were immensely successful, as they regained all conquered territory plus a few minor French landholdings. Louis’ blunder united Germany against France. Yet, while Louis was blundering along the Rhine, the Dutch King William entered England with no opposition.
William III received complete support from the Dutch States General. They viewed his English aspirations as Dutch security against French aggression, and rightly so. With France sidetracked, Louis could not stop William as he said would be done had Louis carried out his plan. French diplomats conjectured that William’s invasion would only inherit him a kingdom in civil war. They were wrong. William arrived in 1688. No bloodshed ensued, as the “Glorious Revolution” was successful. William was then crowned King William III and Mary became Queen Mary II in 1689. James fled to Louis for help, which cost him the throne, and Louis the war ultimately. England may truly have erupted into full-fledged civil war, many Catholics were outraged with such outright Protestant control; however, James’ flight to France was viewed as treason by most Englishmen. Parliament did not realize William’s crafty diplomacy was entering England in war with France, but James’ actions moved full Parliamentary support behind William against France.
By March 1689 James raised money and army (all French) to invade Ireland. The Jacobite rising was to unite Irish Catholics against Protestant England, as well as pin William’s forces down, while Louis moved into the Netherlands. James’ attempts were unsuccessful, and ground to a halt. Danish, Dutch, and Huguenots rose to aid William’s stand against James II, but disease soon took a toll on this force. French naval actions were also causing William headaches, as he suffered a few defeats on the seas. France did not follow up on successive naval victories, which allowed William to move 15,000 troops into Ireland. This new force hammered James army at the Battle of the Boyne, which forced James II to flee back to France. English armies then captured all southern ports which aided the Jacobites. At this point, William returned his focus to Europe. The Jacobite uprising was competently and completely suppressed by October 1691, when the Treaty of Limerick was signed. France was not in danger, as his plans further backfired.
armchaircapitalist 