Would James II have issued the Declaration of Breda

Would James II issue the Declaration of Breda and what would happen?

  • No, the Commonwealth stumbles on, earlier Jacobites

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • No, the Commonwealth collapses, James II gets invited back on his terms

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Yes, it all goes badly, next round of Civil War starts by 1665

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Yes, he does an okay job of ruling, but sets off a Glorious revolution type intervention

    Votes: 1 12.5%
  • Yes, he does as goof a job as Charles II

    Votes: 3 37.5%
  • Others

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    8
Here's the scenario


  • Charles II was caught in the Oak Tree in 1651.
  • James II survives the next decade
  • The Commonwealth sputters to a close as per OTL
  • Monck acts as OTL and communicates with the exiled royals and suggests the conditions on which the crown would be restored.
Here's my question...Would James II have issued the Declaration?

The later James II of OTL probably wouldn't have. I see him as far too rigid in his beliefs about kingship.

Was the younger, pre-Catholic, James smart enough and flexible enough to make the needed compromises to get back his throne?

Any thoughts on what would happen over the next decade?
 
Last edited:
Here's the scenario


  • Charles II was caught in the Oak Tree in 1651.
  • James II survives the next decade
  • The Commonwealth sputters to a close as per OTL
  • Monck acts as OTL and communicates with the exiled royals and suggests the conditions on which the crown would be restored.
Here's my question...Would James II have issued the Declaration?

The later James II of OTL probably wouldn't have. I see him as far too rigid in his beliefs about kingship.

Was the younger, pre-Catholic, James smart enough and flexible enough to make the needed compromises to get back his throne?

Any thoughts on what would happen over the next decade?

In the 1680s, it's not that James showed no willingness to compromise, it's that he tended to compromise badly. He did volte-faces, pissed off powerful people unnecessarily, and behaved arbitrarily. The Commonwealth is dead enough that he'll be crowned, but he'll renege, disrespect Parliament, support Catholicism (until he doesn't)... and the realm will fall apart again.
 
Top