Charles II, King of England, dies. England lives in fear that his brother, the unpopular and arrogant James II, will attempt to convert the country into a Catholic nation. James II Stuart then becomes king, and his wife, Maria Beatrice d’Este, from the Duchy of Modena, becomes queen. James II’s accession to the throne is initially welcomed, even in Anglican circles, especially because of the freedom of conscience advocated by the new regency, which did not oblige the country to become Catholic. In neighboring France, however, the Edict of Fontainebleau, issued by Louis XIV of France on October 18, 1685, revokes Henry IV’s Edict of Nantes and legally establishes France as a Catholic nation.
