Williamite Invasion of 1688: The Last Successful invasion of England

The Williamite Invasion of 1688 is the first modern account to look at the 'Glorious Revolution' purely as a military campaign and not as a political event. This is achieved by in-depth research into the day-to-day movements of the Dutch invasion army as well as the actions of the English forces. The first part of the book discusses the state and location of England's defences inherited by James, along with the planned upgrades to the country's defences before the anticipated invasion. It evaluates the changes made to the English army and the efforts to expand it in the final months of 1688. The Williamite Invasion of 1688 then examines the intentions and actions of William of Orange and his supporters in England. It outlines the size and disposition of William's invasion force, and confirms that William began organising the invasion a year prior to his supposed invitation in June 1688 by the 'immortal seven'. The second part provides a day-by-day account of the invasion, from William's departure from Holland through James II's forced flight and exile from England in late December, to William's arrival at St James's Palace. The book describes the two well-known military actions at Reading and Wincanton, as well as the lesser-known engagements at Cirencester and Sleaford. The Williamite Invasion of 1688 relies on detailed archival research into the day-to-day movements of Dutch and English forces. The daily accounts are sourced primarily from original documentation whenever possible, rather than secondary sources, by using material from English, Dutch, and Austrian archives. AUTHOR: Mark Shearwood is an independent early-modern historian specialising in late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century military history, with a main focus on the reign of James II and William III. He was awarded a MA in War and Strategy and PhD from the University of Leeds. He has written two other books for Helion on the history of the plug bayonet (The Perfection of Military Discipline) and Wargaming the Great Northern War (Waking the Bear). 30 b/w illustrations, 8 colour illustrations, 1 colour photo, 1 b/w map, 6 tables