ABSTRACT
William began an invasion of the Stuart realms which had been months in preparation, and which would rapidly lead to his seizure of the throne in London. At the start of James's reign, William seemed keen to establish a close working relationship with his uncle, and lent him considerable support when Charles's illegitimate son, the duke of Monmouth, invaded England to claim its crown for the Protestant religion. On several occasions in the 1670s and earlier 1680s he had focused his attention on the Stuart realms: but as might be expected during these years when the prince was trying to save his inheritance from France, it was European, rather than British concerns which led to his interest. The bulk of William's time in his last eleven years was therefore spent in London, and much of it was employed dealing with the British political nations, attempting to make them stronger, and trying to preserve the Stuart family's role within them.
