Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did John Locke spend time in exile in Holland?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
John Locke
The philosopher John Locke, oil on canvas by Herman Verelst, 1689; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
John Locke fled to Holland in September 1683 due to the intense political instability in England following the exclusion controversy.
Locke was a close associate of the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, who had been a prominent supporter of excluding the Roman Catholic James II from the English throne. After Shaftesbury was tried for treason and subsequently fled to Holland, his allies in England were no longer safe. Locke, who was being closely watched by authorities, sought refuge in Holland to escape potential persecution. He remained there until the Glorious Revolution of 1688ā89, which resulted in the overthrow of James II and the accession of William III and Mary II to the throne, finally allowing Locke to return to England.12