"Zealous for Their Own Way of Worship": Defoe, Monarchy, and Religious Toleration during the War of the Quadruple Alliance

Daniel Defoe divides his historical novel Memoirs of a Cavalier (1720) into two parts. The first follows King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden in the Thirty Years War (1618-48); the second examines Charles I and the Bishops' Wars (1639-40). This diptych portrait of kingship highlights the advantages and limits of the monarch's ability to promote religious toleration, resonating with contemporary political developments. During the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718-20), Britain partnered with Catholic countries in order to preserve the Continental balance of power. The representation of Gustavus Adolphus's ecumenical leadership in Memoirs of a Cavalier reflects Defoe's newfound appreciation for such interfaith co-operation. While eighteenth-century conflict revealed the benefits of co-operating with Catholic foreigners, it also revealed the dangers of weakening religious establishments at home. When Spain attempted to disrupt the British war effort by sponsoring an uprising of Episcopalian Highlanders, many blamed that disturbance on laws that weakened the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. For British readers in 1720, the reenactment of the Bishops' Wars was a timely reminder of the dangers that arose when king and kirk quarrelled.