William III of England

King_William_III_of_England,_(1650-1702)

Portret_van_Willem_II_(1626-50),_prins_van_Oranje,_en_zijn_echtgenote_Maria_Stuart_(1631-60)_Rijksmuseum_SK-A-871

Jan_davids_de_heem-fleurs_avec_portrait_guillaume_III_d'Orange

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Willem_III_inspecteert_Waterlinie,_1672

Recapture_of_Naarden_by_William_III_in_1673_-Belegeringe_der_Stadt_Naerden_(Romeyn_de_Hooghe)

King of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1650–1702)

William III
Portrait by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1680s
Title	King of England, Scotland, and Ireland
Reign	13 February 1689 – 8 March 1702
Coronation	11 April 1689
Predecessor	James II & VII
Successor	Anne
Spouse	Mary II
Issue
Full Name
House	House of Orange-Nassau
Father	William II, Prince of Orange
Mother	Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Birth Date	4 November 1650
Birth Place	Binnenhof, The Hague, Dutch Republic
Death Date	8 March 1702 (aged 51)
Death Place	Kensington Palace, London, England
Burial Date
Burial Place	Westminster Abbey

William III (4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702) was a sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic, and King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 until his death in 1702. He is sometimes informally known as "William of Orange" in reference to his Dutch title, and "King Billy" in Ireland and Scotland.

Early Life

William was born in the Binnenhof in The Hague in the Dutch Republic. He was the only child of William II, Prince of Orange, and Mary Stuart, the eldest daughter of Charles I of England. His father died of smallpox a week before William's birth, leaving him the sovereign Prince of Orange from the moment of his birth.

Marriage to Mary II

In 1677, William married his first cousin Mary, the daughter of the future James II & VII. The marriage was intended to unite the interests of the English and Dutch Protestant states against the Catholic Louis XIV of France.

Glorious Revolution

In 1688, William was invited by a group of English nobles to invade England and overthrow the unpopular Catholic king, James II. William landed at Brixham in November 1688, and James fled to France. William and Mary were declared joint sovereigns of England, Scotland, and Ireland in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

Reign

William's reign was marked by the ongoing conflict with France, known as the Nine Years' War, and the subsequent War of the Spanish Succession. Domestically, his reign saw the establishment of the Bank of England and the passing of the Bill of Rights, which limited the powers of the monarchy and laid the foundation for a constitutional monarchy.

Death and Legacy

William died on 8 March 1702 from complications after a fall from his horse. He was buried in Westminster Abbey. His death marked the end of the House of Orange-Nassau's direct influence on the British throne, as he was succeeded by his sister-in-law, Queen Anne.

Related Pages

• Mary II of England
• James II of England
• Glorious Revolution
• Nine Years' War (1688–1697)
• War of the Spanish Succession
• Bill of Rights 1689
• Bank of England
• House of Orange-Nassau