Mary II

1662-1694. Oldest child of James II and his first wife Anne Hyde.

Mary was born in London April 30 1662. She was brought up a Protestant and was very young - only fifteen - when she was married to her cousin, William of Orange (later William III), in 1677. As Mary's father tried to re-catholise England after he ascended to the throne in 1685, Mary and William were asked for help. William invaded England on 5 November 1688. In 1689, Mary became joint sovereign with her husband. The coronation of William and Mary took place in London on April 11 1689. Later, Mary acted as William's mouthpiece in his European absences and had great influence concerning e.g. ecclesiastical issues.

Mary died at the age of 32 of smallpox in London on December 28 1694. Mary and William had no children, thus the crown went on to her sister Anne after William's death in 1702.

Sources

• Kenyon, J.P.: The Stuarts. London, 1972.
• McDowall, David: An illustrated History of Britain. Harlow: Longman, 1989.
• Wende, Peter (Hg.): Englische Könige und Königinnen Von Heinrich VII. bis Elisabeth II. München 1998.
• Encyclopaedia Britannica (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/367538/Mary-II)
• The Companion to British History