2020-11-04 Wed

4 November is the day when in the year 1677William of Orange and Mary, the daughter of King James II, were married in St James's Palace by Bishop Henry Compton.

Following Britain’s Glorious Revolution, they proclaimed joint sovereigns of Great Britain under Britain’s new Bill of Rights. Popular histories usually refer to their joint reign as that of William and Mary.

Their official titles and styles upon accession were “By the Grace of God, King and Queen of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Stadholther of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau, Defenders of the Faith, etc.” William and Mary were faced in 1689 with two Jacobite attempts to regain the throne.

A Protestant, William participated in several wars against the Catholic powers in Europe. Many Protestants heralded him as a champion of their faith. In 1685, his Catholic uncle and father-in-law, James, became King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Jam es's reign was unpopular with the Protestant majority in Britain, who feared a revival of Catholicism. Supported by a group of influential British political and religious leaders, William invaded England in what became known as the Glorious Revolution.

Their heads (William and Mary) appear conjoined on the five guinea piece in Roman style, with William's head uppermost, with the legend GVLIELMVS ET MARIA DEI GRATIA.

Image Source: Wikipedia.org