William III of England

William III of England was king of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 to 1702. In Scotland, he was known as William II. William became king after the Glorious Revolution, a political change that removed James II. He ruled at first together with his wife, Mary II, who was James II’s daughter.

William was born in 1650 in the Netherlands. He was known as William of Orange, a title that came from his family lands. Before coming to England, William was a ruler in the Dutch Republic, a state governed without a king. He was a Protestant leader in Europe and was involved in wars against France.

James II was removed from power in 1688 after losing support in England. Many leaders were worried about James’s actions and his Catholic religion. They invited William to come to England with an army. William landed in England in 1688. James II fled the country. Because James left, Parliament declared that he had given up the throne.

In 1689, William and Mary were offered the crown by Parliament. They accepted and were crowned joint monarchs. This was unusual because two people ruled together as king and queen. Parliament passed important laws at this time. One of these was the Bill of Rights, which limited the power of the monarch and strengthened the role of Parliament.

Mary II died in 1694. After her death, William III ruled alone. He continued to work with Parliament and led England during several wars in Europe. England, Scotland, and Ireland were ruled together under one crown. William spent much time abroad because of military campaigns.

William III died in 1702 after a riding accident. He had no children. After his death, Mary’s sister Anne became queen. William III’s reign helped establish that the monarch ruled with Parliament, not above it. This system shaped how England was governed in the future.