The invitation appealed to William. Louis XIV of France was one of his staunchest political enemies and he saw the English throne as a means to combat France. William recruited an army, invaded England, and stated his intention to take the English throne. The parliament welcomed him as promised, the army refused to fight him as predicted and James II was forced to flee the realm. William entered London with great fanfare in what would later be known as the Glorious Revolution. This time not a single drop of blood was shed in deposing the king and it was clear to everyone that the true power of the realm lay in the parliament. 

Since William’s claim to the throne was through his wife, Mary was named as co-monarch. On taking the throne the monarch signed into law two acts of Parliament. The Bill of Rights clearly outlined Parliament’s power to govern the nation and ensured basic civil rights for each citizen. The Act of Toleration cemented religious liberty for all. With the enactment of these laws England fully embraced constitutional monarchy as a form of governance. 

The Glorious Revolution strengthened religious and political freedom which created an atmosphere of intellectual growth, paving the way for the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment in England.  With the rise of the gentry in positions of power within the parliament, the power of the nobility began to decline. The gentry changed the pulse of the nation by stimulating economic change. England emerged from the upheavals of the 17th century, as a new nation.