Profile of the Day: William III of England

On this day in 1689, William III and Mary II were crowned as joint sovereigns of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The couple reigned together until Mary’s death in 1694 at the age of 32.

Image: William III and Mary II / WIkimedia Commons

Born in The Hague in the Dutch Republic, William was the only son of William II, Prince of Orange, and Mary, Princess Royal. His mother was the eldest daughter of King Charles I and the sister of King Charles II and King James II. In 1677, William married his first cousin, Mary, the eldest surviving daughter of James, Duke of York, who would later become King James II.

Following the Glorious Revolution, which saw the overthrow of King James II, William and Mary were proclaimed joint monarchs of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After Mary’s death in 1694, he continued to rule alone.

In 1702, William broke his collarbone after falling from his horse when it stumbled on a molehill. Following his injury, his health declined rapidly. On March 8, 1702, William died of pneumonia. He was buried in Westminster Abbey beside his wife.

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