The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England at the death of his elder brother Charles II on 6 February 1685. James II was unpopular because he was Roman Catholic and many people were opposed to a “papist” king. James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, an illegitimate son of Charles II, claimed to be rightful heir to the throne and attempted to displace James II.

The rebellion ended with the defeat of Monmouth’s forces at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6 July 1685. Monmouth was executed for treason on 15 July, and many of his supporters were executed or transported in the “Bloody Assizes” of Judge Jeffreys.

The biblical King David represents King Charles II, who had many illegitimate children but no legitimate heir to the throne. Absalom represents the Duke of Monmouth – Charles’ (illegitimate) oldest son, and Achitophel is a stand in for the Earl of Shaftesbury- a leader of the Whig party who supported the Duke.

You won’t need to know all these detail for the GRE, just the basic allegorical intent of the poem.

Listen to lines lines 1-490 “Absalom and Achitophel.”

Read the text on google bookshere.

Read the full text here.

Listen to the audio book here, courtesy of Eighteenth Century Audio. and