Mary II (1662-1694) was queen of England from 1689 to 1694. She ruled jointly with her husband, King William III.
Mary was born in London on April 30, 1662. Although her father, James II, was a Roman Catholic, Mary was raised a Protestant. In 1677, she married William of Orange, the Protestant ruler of the Netherlands. In 1688, leaders in England’s Parliament, weary of James II’s Catholic policies, invited William to invade England. This “Glorious Revolution,” as it became known, forced James to flee the country. In 1689, Parliament declared William and Mary joint rulers. As queen, Mary devoted much of her time to religious and charitable projects. She helped found the College of William and Mary in Virginia in 1693. She died of smallpox on Dec. 28, 1694.
See also William III .
