#king billy

Seasson 2.

Like or reblog to save! :)

And only a court jester hat 👀

4 November 1650

King William III was born

👑 William III was sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, & Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from 1672, & King of England, Ireland, & Scotland from 1689 until his death. It is a coincidence that his regnal number (III) was the same for both Orange & England. As King of Scotland, he is known as William II. He is informally & affectionately known by sections of the population in Northern Ireland & Scotland as "King Billy".

◼ William inherited the principality of Orange from his father, William II, who died a week before William's birth. His mother Mary, Princess Royal, was the daughter of King Charles I of England. In 1677, he married his mother's niece & his first cousin, Mary, the daughter of his maternal uncle James, Duke of York.

◼ A Protestant, William participated in several wars against the powerful Catholic king of France, Louis XIV, in coalition with Protestant & Catholic powers in Europe. Many Protestants heralded him as a champion of their faith. In 1685, his Catholic father-in-law, James, became king of England, Ireland & Scotland. James's reign was unpopular with the Protestant majority in Britain.

◼ William was invited to invade England by a group of influential political & religious leaders in what became known as the "Glorious Revolution", on 5 November 1688, William landed at the southern English port of Brixham. James was deposed & William & Mary became joint sovereigns in his place. They reigned together until her death on 28 December 1694 after which William ruled as sole monarch.

◼ He died on 8 March 1702, of pneumonia, a complication from a broken collarbone following a fall from his horse, Sorrel

📷 Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020