William III
Born | William Henry 14 November 1650 The Hague, Dutch Republic |
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Died | 2 May 1712 (age 61) Isle of Thanet, United Kingdom |
Issue (details) | William IV Elizabeth, Duchess of Cumberland Maurice II, Prince of Orange |
Father | William II, Prince of Orange |
Mother | Henrietta I |
Religion | Anglicanism prev. Dutch Reformed |
William III (William Henry; Dutch: Willem III; 14 November 1650 – 2 May 1712) was the sovereign Prince of Orange and Count from Nassau from birth, serving until death as Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic from 1686, Elector-Palatine from 1690, and King of the United Kingdom from 1692. His reign over much of Western Europe and North America saw the protection of Protestant interests in opposition to France, the merger of England and Scotland and their respective churches with the Acts of Union, and increased commercial, financial, and societal collaboration between the Netherlands and Britain.
Though the scion of the House of Orange-Nassau, he was founder of the House of Stuart-Nassau, a royal clan which would rule the United Kingdom until the late 18th century. Due to his origins, he was commonly known as William of Orange (Willem van Oranje; German: Wilhelm von Oranien).