Battle of Reading (1688) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Reading
Part of the Glorious Revolution
Portrait of William III of England (1650-1702)
Date 9 December 1688 Location Reading, Berkshire Result Dutch-Williamite victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of England Kingdom of Ireland	Dutch Republic English rebels
Commanders and leaders
Patrick Sarsfield	William III of Orange
Strength
600, Jacobites and Loyalists of James II	280 Dutch horse and dragoons Reading militia, protestant trainbands
Casualties and losses
12	Few

The Battle of Reading happened on 9 December 1688 in Reading, Berkshire. It was a key moment during the Glorious Revolution. This battle was one of only two major fights in England during that time. It was a clear win for the forces supporting William III of Orange. People in Reading celebrated this victory for many years afterwards.

What Led to the Battle?

The year 1688 was a time of big changes in England. The country had a Catholic king, King James II. Many people, especially Protestants, were worried about his rule. They invited William III, who was a Dutch prince and a Protestant, to come to England.

William Arrives in England

On 5 November 1688, William III landed in Devon, England. He brought a large Dutch army with him. His goal was to take control of England from King James II. About five weeks later, on 7 December, William and his troops reached a town called Hungerford. Many English supporters, including cavalry led by important lords, joined him there.

King James's Plan

King James II's main army was stationed near London. He sent some of his trusted advisors to talk with William. James suggested that they should discuss their disagreements in Parliament. He also proposed that William's army should stay at least 30 miles away from London. William discussed these ideas with his English advisors. They decided to reject James's proposals. Instead, William sent his own counter-proposals back to King James.

The Battle of Reading

King James II had sent about 600 Irish Catholic soldiers to Reading. These soldiers were led by Patrick Sarsfield. Their job was to stop William's Dutch army from marching towards London.

Rumours and Help

Wild rumours spread in Reading that these Irish soldiers planned to harm the townspeople. This caused a lot of fear. Because of these fears, the people of Reading asked William for help.

The Attack

On Sunday, 9 December, William sent a group of 280 Dutch soldiers to Reading. These soldiers were called dragoons. They were warned about where James's soldiers were hiding. So, they attacked from a direction the Irish soldiers did not expect.

The Dutch soldiers managed to get into the center of Reading. People from Reading also helped them by shooting from their windows. King James's forces became confused and quickly retreated.

Casualties

No one knows exactly how many soldiers died in the battle. Reports vary, saying anywhere from 12 to 50 of James's men were killed. Many of the dead were buried in the churchyard of St Giles' Church. The number of casualties for William's men is not known, but at least one Catholic officer fighting for William was mentioned as a casualty.

An Eyewitness Account

A writer named Daniel Defoe wrote about the battle. He was very biased because he supported William. Defoe described how the Irish soldiers were defeated by the "irresistible fury" of the Dutch forces. He said the Dutch chased many fleeing soldiers to a nearby town called Twyford.

What Happened Next?

King James II was already worried that only his Irish troops would stay loyal to him. The defeat at Reading, and the fact that people in Reading helped William, showed James that his position was very weak.

James Flees

On Tuesday, 11 December, King James tried to escape from London. He eventually managed to get to France, where the French King Louis XIV supported him. Later, he went to Ireland, where most people still supported him. However, his hopes of getting his throne back ended when he was defeated in the Williamite War in Ireland.

William's March to Windsor

After receiving James's proposals, William had decided not to go straight to London. Instead, he planned to visit the University of Oxford. On 11 December, William set off for Abingdon. But when he heard that James had fled, William changed his plans. He turned and headed down the Thames valley. He passed through towns like Wallingford and Henley. Along the way, any soldiers loyal to James who he met surrendered to him. William finally arrived at Windsor on 14 December 1688.