William III of England

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

William III
King of England, Scotland, and Ireland
William III of England.jpg
Portrait by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1680s
Reign13 February 1689 – 8 March 1702
Coronation11 April 1689
PredecessorJames II & VII
SuccessorAnne
RegentMary II (1689–1694)
Born4 November 1650
Binnenhof, The Hague, Dutch Republic
Died8 March 1702 (aged 51)
Kensington Palace, London, England
Burial
SpouseMary II
HouseHouse of Orange-Nassau
FatherWilliam II, Prince of Orange
MotherMary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
SignatureWilliam III's signature


King_William_III_of_England,_(1650-1702)
Error creating thumbnail:
Portret_van_Willem_II_(1626-50),_prins_van_Oranje,_en_zijn_echtgenote_Maria_Stuart_(1631-60)_Rijksmuseum_SK-A-871

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

Regnal titles
Preceded by King of England, Scotland, and Ireland
1689–1702
Succeeded by
WikiMD
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD