The legacy of the Glorious Revolution continues to shape our lives today.
Its principles are the bedrock of which modern constitutional democracy is based.
The American and French revolutions both owe their motivation, in part, to the changes that occurred in the British isles between 1688 and 1691.
Central to these changes was William Prince of Orange who became king William III
Not only was the Revolution a triumph of liberty over arbitrary power, but it embedded freedom.
A Bill of Rights and associated legislation, has ensured that the Revolution became both an enduring and evolving settlement.
Crucially, the Glorious Revolution was not just a revolution by, or for, the elite, but a popular rising in favour of something new.
The consequence was significant. Constitutional change, change that continues to shape the free World to this day.
The Loyal Orange Institution, sees itself as an heir and custodian of the Revolution, and is the only organisation that publicly celebrates the achievements of one of our greatest monarchies.
It was, after all on the battlefields of Ireland that the legacy of liberty was initial secured.
For those who took part the Revolution was more than an act of Parliament, it was an act of sacrifice that has left a legacy of liberty for all.
The events of this period (1688 to 1691), and the ideas they embedded are the reason why we celebrate the 12th of July.
Dr Jonathan Mattison