2017-04-29 Sat

Mary II of England, daughter of James II of England was born on 30th April 1662. She was married to her cousin William III of Orange. Owing to her duties as a dutiful wife, she helped overthrow her father’s rule; James II fled.

The above is a 1st Class commemorative stamp of Mary II issued on 15th June 2010. The Coinage of Great Britain during her rule had conjoined busts of William and Mary.

After her arrival in England she was persuaded to become the sole ruler of England. However, she refused and was crowned joint sovereign of England, Scotland and Ireland with William III on 11th April 1689. While William III was directing military campaigns in Ireland and on the Continent, Mary administered the government in her own name. But, she relied entirely on his advice. In the periods when William was in England she willingly retired from politics.

Mary II’s Dutch tastes had a remarkable influence on English pottery, landscape gardening, and interior decoration. Deeply troubled by her estrangement from her deposed father, she died of smallpox at the age of 32.