Charles II of England had an heir named James.
Charles II of England . In 1679 , Titus Oates 's revelations of a supposed `` Popish Plot '' sparked the Exclusion Crisis when it was revealed that Charles 's brother and heir ( James , Duke of York ) was a Catholic . Charles sided with the Tories , and , following the discovery of the Rye House Plot to murder Charles and James in 1683 , some Whig leaders were executed or forced into exile . He was succeeded by his brother James .