Jacob Leisler: New York's Rebel for William and Mary Hanged for Treason

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In 1689 New York was a muddy, poorly defended outpost divided by wealth and religious fear. Jacob Leisler, a German-born Calvinist merchant and militia captain, stood outside the Dutch patroon elite. James II had folded New York into the Dominion of New England under Sir Edmund Andros, with Francis Nicholson as lieutenant governor in New York and no elected assembly. When news came that the Glorious Revolution had replaced James with William III and Mary II and Boston had ousted Andros, Nicholson tried to suppress the news while levying unpopular taxes to repair the fort. After Nicholson said he would rather see the town on fire than be commanded, the militia seized Fort James in May 1689 and Nicholson fled to England. Leisler's Committee of Safety claimed to hold the colony for the new monarchs, and a royal letter addressed to Nicholson or whoever was keeping the peace let Leisler call himself lieutenant governor.

Elites such as Nicholas Bayard and Stephanus van Cortlandt formed the rival Albany Convention, which held out until the February 1690 French and Native American raid on Schenectady pushed Albany to submit. Leisler's planned invasion of New France collapsed amid disease and broken supply lines. In January 1691 Richard Ingoldesby arrived with British regulars but without his commission, setting off a six-week armed standoff. When Governor Henry Sloughter arrived in March, Leisler surrendered, and a special court packed with his enemies sentenced him and his son-in-law Jacob Milborne to death. Both were hanged on May 16, 1691.

• Jacob Milborne's armed expedition to Albany turned back when local Native American groups said they would side with Albany.
• After the expedition failed, Leisler had its commander, Fitz-John Winthrop of Connecticut, arrested.
• At trial Leisler and Milborne refused to enter a plea, arguing only the king could judge them.
• Sloughter died months later and left a letter claiming others had pressured him to carry out the execution.
• Parliament reversed the attainder in 1695, and by 1698 the Earl of Bellomont had the two men honorably reburied in the Dutch Reformed Church.