Background:
In the 17th century, England experienced a period of religious and political turmoil due to conflicts between Protestants and Catholics. King James II, a devout Catholic, ascended to the throne in 1685. His policies and attempts to grant religious freedom to Catholics worried many Protestant nobles and politicians.
The Invitation to William and Mary:
A group of influential English nobles and parliamentarians, known as the "Immortal Seven," secretly invited William of Orange, the Protestant stadtholder of the Netherlands, and his wife Mary, James II's Protestant daughter, to invade England and take the throne. This invitation had the support of many who feared the erosion of Protestant dominance and the growing influence of Catholicism.
The Glorious Revolution:
In November 1688, William landed in England with a significant army without encountering significant resistance. King James II fled to France, and the English Parliament declared the throne vacant. William and Mary were jointly proclaimed King and Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland on February 13, 1689.
The Act of Settlement:
With the Glorious Revolution successfully concluded, the English Parliament passed the Act of Settlement in 1701 to ensure a Protestant succession to the throne. The act excluded Catholics and any heirs that married Catholics from inheriting the Crown.
George I's Succession:
Since King William III (William of Orange) and Queen Mary II had no surviving children, the Act of Settlement designated the nearest Protestant heir to be Sophia of Hanover, a granddaughter of King James I. However, Sophia died in 1714, just two months before Queen Anne, the last monarch from the Stuart dynasty.
As per the Act of Settlement, Sophia's son, George Louis, Elector of Hanover, inherited the British throne upon Queen Anne's death on August 1, 1714. He became King George I of Great Britain.
In essence, King George I ascended to the British throne through a combination of political intrigue, the Glorious Revolution, the Act of Settlement, and the Protestant succession established to maintain religious stability in England, Scotland, and Ireland.