Who was William III of England?

1 ANSWERS

1. GiGi
   

   William III (14 November 1650 – 8 March 1702) was a Prince of Orange by birth. From 1672 onwards, he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over most provinces of the Dutch Republic. In addition, from 1689 onwards, he reigned as King William III over England and Ireland, and as King William II over Scotland. He is informally known in Northern Ireland and Scotland as "King Billy". Born a member of the House of Orange-Nassau, William won the English, Scottish and Irish crowns following the Glorious Revolution, in which his uncle and father-in-law, James II, was deposed. In England, Scotland and Ireland, William ruled jointly with his wife, Mary II, until her death on 28 December 1694.
   
   A Protestant, William participated in several wars against the powerful Catholic King Louis XIV of France in coalition with Protestant and Catholic powers in Europe. Many Protestants heralded him as a champion of their faith. Largely due to that reputation, William was able to take the British crowns where many were fearful of a revival of Catholicism under James. William's victory over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 is commemorated by the Orange Institution in Northern Ireland to this day. His reign marked the beginning of the transition from the personal rule of the Stuarts to the more Parliament-centered rule of the House of Hanover.

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