1688

The year 1688 marks a dynastic reversal in England: Orange supplanted Stuart, and William III replaced James II. In the novel, this transfer of the crown also changes the political conditions for the Comprachicos, whose work had been useful to the Stuart state.

The Change of Dynasty

The narrative identifies 1688 as the moment when the English dynasty changed. James II, under whose rule the Comprachicos had received a measure of protection, was replaced by William III. The transition is presented not merely as a succession of monarchs but as a change in the government’s attitude toward a secretive group whose trade had served royal interests.

The Comprachicos Under Stuart Rule

The Comprachicos’ earlier protection rested on political utility. They dealt in human beings and specialized in disappearances; the narrative explains that an inconvenient young heir could be taken and physically altered, making confiscation easier and the transfer of titles to royal favorites simpler. Their discretion and silence made them useful in affairs of state, while their provision of singers for the Holy Father’s Miserere and their devotion to Mary also pleased the religious sympathies of the Stuarts. The account’s pointed irony lies in the conjunction: James II’s piety did not prevent him from favoring people who could serve the Crown’s interests through the abuse and disappearance of children.

Consequences and Significance

With the accession of William III, the protection ended. Unlike James, William had different ideas and practices and acted severely against the Comprachicos, seeking to crush them. The year therefore becomes a hinge in the novel’s political history: the same organization that had been tolerated and employed under one dynasty became a target under the next. The abrupt reversal exposes how the group’s safety depended less on any stable justice than on its usefulness to those in power.