Association of 1696 facts for kids

The Association was a special promise people had to make in England after a secret plan to kill King William III of England failed in 1696. It was created to make sure everyone showed their loyalty to the King.

A smart politician named Lord Somers came up with the idea. He based it on an older promise from Queen Elizabeth I's time. This new promise put a lot of pressure on people in public jobs, especially those who didn't fully support King William, to say he was their "rightful and lawful King."

Many people, not just officials, signed the Association. It quickly became a law. All government workers had to sign it. Some people who refused lost their jobs. The Association was a legal requirement until 1702. When King William died, the promise was no longer needed, and the law was removed.

Why Was the Association Created?

Even though some important politicians, called High Tories, didn't like King James II of England's religious rules, they felt uneasy about how King William and Queen Mary came to power. This was after the Glorious Revolution.

The law said that King James had given up his throne. But many Tories felt this didn't cancel the promises they had made to him before. A new promise was created, asking people to be loyal to King William and Queen Mary. Some people, called nonjurors, refused to make this new promise. Others, called nonresistant Tories, agreed to work with the new government, even if they didn't fully believe William and Mary had the right to rule.

Lord Somers tried twice in Parliament to pass laws that would make people promise to reject King James and accept William's right to the crown. Both times, his ideas were voted down. But then, in February 1696, someone tried to kill King William. This gave Lord Somers another chance. He wanted to remove people from public jobs who weren't truly loyal to the King.

How the Association Became Law

Soon after the assassination attempt, the Association became a law. A new law, called the Security of King and Government Act 1695, supported the idea of the Association. It ordered many people to sign it within a year.

Who Had to Sign?

• All officers and people paid by the King.
• People working for Prince George and Princess Anne.
• Future officers and new government workers.
• Members of the House of Commons (MPs).

What Happened if You Didn't Sign?

If you didn't sign the Association, you would lose your job. If you kept working after refusing to sign, you could face serious penalties. Members of Parliament who didn't sign were not allowed to sit in Parliament and lost their seats.

Courts like the Chancery and King's Bench kept lists of who signed and who refused. By July 1696, many officials had been removed from their jobs. This included 86 local judges (called justices of the peace) and 104 military officers (called deputy lieutenants). They were removed because they didn't sign the Association, or they signed it too late and without much enthusiasm.

The Association's Final Years

Later, a new law in 1698 gave people more time to sign the Association. They had until August 1, 1700.

Changes Over Time

After King James II died in 1701, the wording of the Association changed. Instead of promising loyalty "against the late King James and all his Adherents," it now said "against all His Majesties Enemies whatsoever." This made it more general.

The End of the Association

When King William died in 1702, the Association was no longer needed. It became "nullity," meaning it had no legal power anymore. A new law in 1702 removed the requirement for MPs and other officials to sign it.