William III of England

William III and II (William Henry; Dutch: Willem Hendrik; 4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702), also known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from 1672, and King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 until his death in 1702. He ruled England, Scotland, and Ireland with his wife, Queen Mary II, until her death in 1694; their joint reign is known as that of William and Mary.

William was the only child of William II, Prince of Orange, and Mary, Princess Royal, the daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland. His father died before his birth, making William III the prince of Orange from birth. In 1677, he married his first cousin Mary, the elder daughter of his maternal uncle James, Duke of York (later King James II).

When the Catholic French king Louis XIV attacked the Dutch Republic in 1672, William rose to power and became Louis's greatest obstacle. He made it his life's mission to oppose Louis and waged many campaigns against Louis's armies. He reorganised the Dutch army, restoring its effectiveness after the disasters of the Rampjaar and transforming it into one of the most experienced and professional forces in Europe. Convinced that the expansionist policies of Louis XIV threatened the European balance of power, William devoted much of his career to resisting French hegemony.

Many Protestants heralded William as a champion of their faith. In 1685, his Catholic uncle and father-in-law, James, became king of England, Scotland, and Ireland. James's reign was unpopular with British Protestants, who opposed James's use of rule by decree, Catholic emancipation, and a Catholic succession to the throne. Supported by a group of influential English political and religious leaders, William invaded England with a Dutch force in November 1688. He landed at the south-western English port of Brixham and James was deposed shortly afterward. After occupying London he was swiftly offered the crown alongside his wife Mary. The event would be known as the Glorious Revolution, leading to the adoption of the English Bill of Rights.