Whigs

The Whigs were one of the two main political parties in Britain between the 17th and the 19th century, transmuted into the Liberals in the 19th century.

The term itself derives from the Scottish word "whiggamore" which means something like thief or plunderer. This denomination was given to the members of the party in the 17th century by the Tories during Exclusion Crisis to brand the opponents of the duke of York.

The Whigs put great emphasis on parliamentary authority. They thought that political authority derived from the people. Thus, if the monarch did not care about their interests, they might resist him. So, they played an important role in the Glorious Revolution.

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sources: Oxford Companion to British History; The Companion to British History