William (of Great Britain) III - The Principality of Orange, United Provinces of the Netherlands, Kingdom of the Netherlands

Stadtholder of the United Provinces (1672–1702) and king of Great Britain (1689–1702), born in The Hague, W Netherlands, the son of William II of Orange by Mary, the eldest daughter of Charles I of England. Before he attained his majority, he was kept out of national politics by Johan de Witt, Raadpensionaris (Grand Pensionary) of the province of Holland. His later marriage (1677) to his cousin, Mary (1662–94), the daughter of James II by Anne Hyde, further increased his involvement in foreign politics. Once he reached 18 years of age, the States-General appointed him as commander for the duration of a single campaign, and he became stadtholder in 1672, initially only of Holland and Zeeland, but other provinces soon joined in appointing him. That year de Witt, who was William's principal antagonist, was executed following a plot. Afterwards William achieved military successes against Prussia and France, thus increasing his power. Invited to redress the grievances of the English against King James II, William landed at Torbay in 1688 with an English and Dutch army, and forced James to flee. William and Mary were proclaimed joint rulers early the following year. He defeated James's supporters at Killiecrankie (1689) and at the Boyne (1690), then concentrated on the War of the League of Augsburg against France (1689–97), in which he was finally successful. In later years, he had to withstand much parliamentary opposition to his proposals, and there were many assassination plots. His political ambitions were European in scale, and tended to conflict with the interests of The Netherlands. He died in London, childless, the crown passing to Mary's sister, Anne.

The Principality of Orange

The following princes of Orange were also known as William of Orange:

William I of Baux (c.1155-1218) William II of Baux (c.1200-1239) William III of Baux (c.1220-1256) William IV of Baux (c.1240-1281) William VIII of Chalon (c.1415-1475)

United Provinces of the Netherlands

After the counts of Nassau inherited the principality, the following princes of Orange-Nassau (and stadtholders in the Netherlands) were also known as William of Orange:

William (I) (1533-1584), Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau(-Dillenburg), Lord of Egmond, Count of Buren, founder of the House Orange-Nassau (and so known as William of Orange-Nassau), Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht, later Stadtholder of Friesland, best known as William the Silent (In Dutch: "Willem de Zwijger"), also known as father of the fatherland (In Dutch: "vader des vaderlands"), Wilhelmus van Nassouwe (as in the Dutch National Anthem composed in his honour), and somewhat ambiguously as William I and as William I of Orange-Nassau. William III of England, William II of Scotland,"King Billy", and William Henry (In Dutch: "Willem Hendrik") William IV of Orange-Nassau William V of Orange-Nassau

Kingdom of the Netherlands

The following kings of the Netherlands from the House of Orange-Nassau may also sometimes be known as William of Orange, particularly as the Heir Apparent to that throne is constitutionally Prince of Orange:

William I of the Netherlands, also known as William Fredrik of Orange-Nassau or William VI of Orange before his accession. William II of the Netherlands (The Prince of Orange who fought at the Battle of Waterloo, sometimes known as William VII) William III of the Netherlands. William, Crown Prince of the Netherlands, eldest son of William III, died before his father and therefore never succeeded as king William Alexander, Crown Prince of the Netherlands, the current heir apparent, as eldest son of Queen Beatrix.