MDMD the Line (More about the Queens)

[Eulenspiegel7646 at aol.com]

Mary the Second, Proclaimed: 13 Feb 1689 (Joint sovereign with her husband) 
Crowned:  Westminster Abbey 11 Apr 1689. Mary died of small pox on 28 
December 1694 at the age of thirty-two. Her funeral at Westminster Abbey was 
attended by both Houses of Parliament, a unique occurrence, as up till then 
the Parliament had always been dissolved on the death of a sovereign.
William III ruled jointly with Mary II 1689-1694; then alone 1694-1702.  
William accepted the Declaration of Rights passed by the Convention 
Parliament, which met on 22 Jan 1689.  In February 1702 William was riding at 
Hampton Court when his horse stumbled on a mole hill and threw him, breaking 
his collar bone.  After it had been set, he insisted on returning to 
Kensington Palace by coach, which aggravated his condition.  He became 
feverish some days later and was put to bed but died of pleuro-pneumonia a 
few days later on 8 March 1702.  The Jabobites toasted the "little gentleman 
in black velvet" (the mole) who had brought about the death of their enemy.
Queen Anne's health was not helped by her addiction to brandy. She became ill 
in the summer of 1714 and, after suffering a series of strokes, died at age 
49. She had become so stout that her massive coffin was almost square. In 
addition to her 12 children shown, there were at least six other stillbirths 
or miscarriages of unknown or unrecorded sex. Anne was kindly, warm-hearted 
and not very bright. Her title was: Queen of England, Scotland, France and 
Ireland. Later it was changed to Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland. 
During Queen Anne's reign the kingdoms of England and Scotland were united 
(1707). 



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