In 1660 the monarchy was restored in England under Charles II but it made little difference to the Irish. Charles' brother James converted to Catholicism on his marriage to Mary, daughter of the Italian Duke of Modena. James left England in 1679, returning in 1685 when he succeeded Charles to the throne. James' daughter Mary was married to William of Orange, a Dutch prince.
With the birth of a son to James in 1688 the English establishment feared the start of a new Catholic dynasty. They declared William of Orange and Mary joint rulers of England and James was forced to flee , first to France and thence to Ireland where he hoped to find supporters among the Catholics.
James arrived in Kinsale with a
small French army. Richard Talbot, his deputy in Ireland,
had mustered an army of Catholics to support him. Talbot
marched on Derry hoping to dislodge the disloyal garrison,
but after a siege lasting 105 days in 1689 English regiments
and supply ships relieved the town and the siege was lifted.
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