William III of Orange

William landed at Torbay with a Dutch fleet and army, invited by English nobles to overthrow King James II. James fled, and William and his wife Mary were declared joint monarchs. This event established Protestant succession and parliamentary supremacy in England.

William accepted the Bill of Rights, which limited royal powers and affirmed parliamentary authority. It prohibited the monarch from suspending laws, levying taxes without Parliament's consent, or maintaining a standing army in peacetime. This became a cornerstone of British constitutional law.

William organized the Grand Alliance (England, Dutch Republic, Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Savoy) to oppose Louis XIV's expansion. This coalition fought the Nine Years' War, aiming to contain French power. The alliance system became a model for European coalitions.

William personally led his army to victory over the Jacobite forces of James II in Ireland. The battle secured Protestant control of Ireland and confirmed William's throne. It remains a symbol of Protestant-Orange identity in Northern Ireland.

William negotiated the end of the Nine Years' War with France. The treaty recognized William as king of England and restored most territories conquered during the war. It temporarily stabilized European borders but did not resolve the underlying conflict over Spanish succession.

William died at Kensington Palace after his horse stumbled on a molehill, breaking his collarbone. His death without heirs led to the end of the Stuart line and the accession of Queen Anne. Jacobites toasted 'the little gentleman in black velvet' (the mole).