James II (1685 - 1688)
James was a Stuart king of England, Scotland and Ireland who in 1688 was overthrown in the 'Glorious Revolution' by William III.
James was born on 14 October 1633 to Charles I and his French wife, Henrietta Maria and was named after his grandfather, James I and VI. During the English Civil War he was captured but fled to exile on the continent. He distinguished himself a soldier, returning to England at the Restoration of his brother, Charles II, in 1660. He commanded the Royal Navy from1660 to1673. In 1660, James married Anne Hyde, daughter of Charles II's chief minister and they had two surviving children, Mary and Anne. In 1669, James converted to Catholicism and took a stand against a number of anti-Catholic moves, including the Test Act of 1673. This did not impede his succession to the throne on Charles' death in 1685.
Later that year James faced rebellion, led by Charles II's illegitimate son the Duke of Monmouth. The rebellion was easily crushed after the battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, and savage punishments were imposed by the infamous lord chief justice, Judge Jeffreys, at the 'Bloody Assizes'. Monmouth himself was messily beheaded.
This, together with James's attempts to give civic equality to Roman Catholic and Protestant dissenters, led to conflict with parliament. In 1685, James prorogued it and ruled alone. He attempted to promote Catholicism by appointing Catholics to military, political and academic posts. In 1687, he issued a Declaration of Indulgence aiming at complete religious toleration and instructed Anglican clergy to read it from their pulpits.
In June 1688, James's second wife Mary of Modena, gave birth to a son, James Francis Edward. Fearing that a Catholic succession was now assured, a group of Protestant nobles appealed to William of Orange, husband of James's older, and Protestant, daughter Mary. In November, William landed with an army in Devon. Deserted by an army and navy who he had completely alienated, James completely lost his nerve and fled abroad. In February 1689, parliament declared that James's flight constituted an abdication and William and Mary were crowned joint monarchs.
James landed in Ireland where, with French support, he raised an army. He was defeated by William at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690. James died in exile in Saint-Germain in France on 16 September 1701.
Fascinating series of Gun money
JAMES II IN IRELAND
Gun money (Irish: airgead gunna) was an issue of coins made by the forces of James II during the Williamite War in Ireland between 1689 and 1691. They were minted in base metal (copper, brass or pewter), and were designed to be redeemed for silver coins following a victory by James II and consequently bore the date in months to allow a gradual replacement. As James lost the war, that replacement never took place, although the coins were allowed to circulate at much reduced values before the copper coinage was resumed. They were mostly withdrawn from circulation in the early 18th century.
The name "gun money" stems from the idea that they were minted from melted down guns. However, many other brass objects, such as church bells, were also used.
The PROMISE TO REPAY LOYALTY
There were two issues. The first "large" issue consisted of sixpences, shillings and half crowns (2½ shillings). The second, "small" issue consisted of shillings, half crowns and crowns (5 shillings). Some of the second issue were overstruck on large issue pieces, with shillings struck over sixpences, half crowns on shillings and crowns on half crowns. The most notable feature of the coins is the date, because the month of striking was also included. This was so that after the war (in the event of James' victory), soldiers would be able to claim interest on their wages, which had been withheld from proper payment for so long.
Specimen striking's were produced in silver and gold for most months, and these tend to be extremely rare.
Pewter money, GOLD RESTRIKES BY BOLTON
Pewter money is a rarer type of gun money, manufactured out of pewter, an alloy containing mostly tin, and smaller amounts of copper, antimony, bismuth and lead. Some of the coins had also a brass plug. Half crowns and Crowns were issued in 1690 with the same dies as other gun money coins. Both these coins are extremely rare, along with a groat struck in 1689 which is probably a pattern. Halfpennies and Pennies were also produced in 1689 and 1690, and less rare, although the 1689 penny is virtually unknown. The gold, silver and copper Crowns were made from original 17th C dies but by Bolton for commemorative pieces to order in the 1800’s and made to order & boxed in presentation case. As such, they were not contemporary pieces but are exceedingly rare and very collectible.
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