Glorious Revolution and religious settlement in Britain
Poet involved
What happened
The Glorious Revolution of 1688 resulted in the overthrow of King James II, a Catholic monarch, and the ascension of William III and Mary II to the English throne. This event established Protestant supremacy in Britain and led to the enactment of the Toleration Act of 1689, which allowed Nonconformists to worship freely. The revolution was significant as it laid the foundation for constitutional monarchy in Britain and marked a shift towards greater religious tolerance and political stability.
Literary impact
The Glorious Revolution secured conditions for Dissenting literary culture—Nonconformist poets, hymn writers, and later the Romantic generation all worked within freedoms established here; Dryden's conversion to Catholicism made him a conspicuous literary casualty. This period also saw the emergence of poets like Isaac Watts, whose hymns reflected the evolving religious landscape and the quest for personal faith.
Source: Wikipedia
