Act of Settlement
Quick Summary
The Act of Settlement was an act of the English Parliament passed on June 12, 1701. Its primary purpose was to regulate the succession to the throne of Great Britain.
At the time, King William III was ill and childless, and Queen Anne, his sister-in-law, had recently lost her only surviving child. To ensure a Protestant succession and prevent the return of the exiled Catholic King James II, the act decreed that if neither William nor Anne had heirs, the crown would pass to Sophia, the granddaughter of James I, and her Protestant descendants. This led to the accession of George I in 1714.
The act also included significant constitutional provisions, such as requiring monarchs to be in communion with the Church of England and ensuring judges held office during good behavior, not at the sovereign's pleasure. It also stipulated that England would not be obligated to defend territories not belonging to the English crown.
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