Battle of Reading (1688)

Battle of Reading

Date	9 December 1688
Location	Reading, Berkshire Coordinates: 51°27′21″N 0°58′24″W / 51.4557°N 0.9733°W / 51.4557; -0.9733
Result	Decisive Williamite victory James flees to France

Belligerents

Soldiers loyal to James II

Dutch Republic

Commanders and leaders

Patrick Sarsfield

William III of Orange

Strength

600, mostly Irish, soldiers

250 Dutch soldiers
Some people of Reading

Casualties and losses

20–50+

Few

The Battle of Reading took place on 9 December 1688 in Reading, Berkshire. It was the only substantial military action in England during the Glorious Revolution and ended in a decisive victory for forces loyal to William of Orange. It was celebrated in Reading for hundreds of years afterwards.

On Wednesday 5 November 1688 William, then the Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of the Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, and Overijssel provinces of the Dutch Republic, landed in Devon at the head of a Dutch army in an attempt to wrest control of the country.

Five weeks later, on 7 December, the Prince of Orange and a strong body of troops had reached Hungerford. After retreating from Salisbury, James II's main force was stationed on Hounslow Heath. James posted an advance guard of 600 in Reading to stop the march of the Dutch towards London. These 600 troops were composed of Irish Catholics under Patrick Sarsfield, who wild rumour asserted were planning to massacre the townsfolk.

While the Prince of Orange was in Hungerford, his English supporters came into the town, including a body of several hundred cavalry headed by northern lords. On Saturday 8 December, James sent Lord Halifax, Lord Nottingham, and Lord Godolphin to Hungerford to confer with William. Halifax presented James' proposals: that the points of dispute would be laid before Parliament; and that while Parliament deliberated, William's army would not come nearer than 30 miles from London. Halifax then handed a letter from James to William. William asked his English advisers to discuss the proposals. They met under the chairmanship of Lord Oxford, and after a long debate they advised the rejection of James's proposals. William decided to negotiate with James and put his own counter proposals in writing for Halifax to deliver to James.

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