James II was the king of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1685 to 1688. He is also known as James VII of Scotland. James II is also referred to as James Stuart, as he was part of the Stuart dynasty. Some other synonyms for James II include James the Catholic, James the Deposed, and James the Unfortunate. James II was known for his conflicts with the Protestant majority in England, which eventually led to his overthrow in 1688 during the Glorious Revolution. Despite his short reign, James II's legacy continues to be debated and studied by historians to this day.