The Williamite Invasion of 1688

The Williamite Invasion of 1688 is the first modern study to examine the ‘Glorious Revolution’ as a military campaign rather than primarily as a political event. Drawing on extensive archival research, it reconstructs the day-to-day movements of the Dutch invasion army and the responses of the English forces, offering a detailed operational account of one of the defining episodes in British history.

The first part of the book explores the condition of England’s defences inherited by James II, the improvements planned in anticipation of invasion, and the efforts made to expand and reform the English army during the final months of 1688. It also examines the intentions and preparations of William of Orange and his supporters in England, detailing the composition and deployment of the invasion force. In doing so, it demonstrates that William had begun planning the expedition almost a year before the supposed invitation issued by the ‘Immortal Seven’ in June 1688.

The second part presents a day-by-day narrative of the campaign, from William’s departure from the Dutch Republic and his landing in England to James II’s forced flight into exile in late December and William’s entry into St James’s Palace. Alongside the better-known engagements at Reading and Wincanton, it also sheds light on the lesser-known actions at Cirencester and Sleaford, placing them within the wider operational context of the campaign.

Based primarily on original contemporary documentation rather than later secondary accounts, The Williamite Invasion of 1688 draws on sources from English, Dutch, and Austrian archives to provide the most comprehensive reconstruction yet published of the military operations that secured William’s accession to the English throne.