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Book Review By John Van der Kiste
William and Mary by John Van der Kiste

William and Mary
John Van der Kiste
Sutton, Stroud (UK), 2003
ISBN: 0750930489

William III and Mary II were the only joint reigning sovereigns in English history. They ascended the throne as a result of the Glorious Revolution of 1688-9 in England which deposed Mary's father, James II.

When Mary was told as a girl of 15 that she was going to marry her cousin William from Holland, she is said to have wept for a day and a half. In November 1677, on William's 27th birthday, their wedding took place in a private ceremony at St James's Palace, with a solemn bridegroom and a bride in floods of tears. Nevertheless it developed into a love match, though Mary was deeply saddened by her inability to bear her husband any children, and the fact that she and her husband had been partly responsible for deposing her father and sending him into exile always weighed heavily on her conscience.

Mary died in 1694 from smallpox and William, who was desolate at her death, reigned until 1702. This dual biography deals with their personal and political lives, covering William's rumoured homosexuality (almost certainly fabrication by his enemies, who had a vested interest in trying to disgrace him) and Mary's hinted-at lesbianism, Mary's troubled personal relations with her father, and the difficult relationship between Mary and her sister (and husband's successor) Anne.

Though theirs was a short reign of only thirteen years, it was a notable period in British history for the inauguration of the Declaration of Rights, triennial elections, and subsequent limits on the power and prerogative of the sovereign. It also saw Britain reaffirming her place as a European power, and helping other countries on the continent to act as a bulwark against the might of France.


Plot & Themes
Royalty bio Yes
Period of greatest activity? - ancient times

Subject of Biography
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Ethnicity - White
Nationality - British

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 ()
Misc setting - Fancy Mansion
Century: - distant past

Writing Style
Book makes you feel? - thoughtful
Pictures/Illustrations? - A ton 16-20 B&W
How much dialogue in bio? - little dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 76%-100% of book
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