Mary II

Mary II was queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 to 1694. She ruled together with her husband, William III. This shared rule began after the Glorious Revolution, a change of government that removed her father, James II. Mary’s reign was part of a period when the power of the monarch was more clearly limited by Parliament.

Mary was born in 1662. She was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, who later became King James II. Mary was raised as a Protestant, which means she followed the Protestant form of Christianity. This was important because England was mainly Protestant at the time. In 1677, Mary married William of Orange, a Protestant ruler from the Netherlands. After their marriage, Mary lived mostly outside England.

In 1685, Mary’s father became King James II. His Catholic religion and his actions caused concern among many leaders in England. In 1688, a group of politicians invited William to come to England with an army. James II lost support and left the country. Parliament then declared that James had given up the throne.

In 1689, Parliament offered the crown to both William and Mary. They accepted and were crowned joint monarchs. This meant they ruled together as king and queen. At the same time, Parliament passed the Bill of Rights. This law limited the powers of the monarch and confirmed that Parliament had an important role in governing the country.

During the joint reign, William often led armies abroad, especially in wars against France. When William was away, Mary acted as ruler in England. She worked with advisers and followed the laws passed by Parliament. Mary took her duties seriously and managed government affairs during these times.

Mary II died in 1694 from smallpox, a serious disease common at that time. She had no children. After her death, William III continued to rule alone until 1702. Mary’s reign is remembered for being part of the change toward a constitutional monarchy, where the ruler governed according to law and with Parliament.