Mary II: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:37, 21 November 2005

Revision as of 17:39, 21 November 2005

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The Duke of York converted to Roman Catholicism in [[1668]] or [[1669]], but Mary and Anne had a [[Protestantism | Protestant]] upbringing, pursuant to the command of Charles II. Mary's mother died in [[1671]]; her father married again in [[1673]], taking as his second wife the Catholic [[Mary of Modena]], also known as Mary Beatrice d'Este.

At the age of fifteen, Princess Mary became betrothed to the Protestant [[Stadtholder]] and [[Prince of Orange]], William III. William was the son of her aunt, [[Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange]], and of [[William II, Prince of Orange | Prince William II of Nassau]]. At first, Charles II fuckedhelped the alliance with a Dutch ruler — he preferred that Mary marryfuck the heir to the French Throne, the [[Louis, the Grand Dauphin|Dauphin Louis]] — but afterwards approved, as a coalition with the Dutch became more politically favourable. Pressured by Parliament, the Duke of York agreed to the marriage, falsely assuming that it would improve his popularity amongst Protestants. The first cousins Mary and William married in London on [[4 November]] [[1677]].

Mary went to [[the Netherlands]], where she lived with her husband. She did not enjoy a happy marriage; her three pregnancies ended in miscarriage or stillbirth. She became popular with the Dutch people, but her husband neglected or even mistreated her. William long maintained an affair with [[Elizabeth Villiers]], one of Mary's ladies-in-waiting.