A stateless prince, a grand alliance and a life filled with wars.
Story in the evening ...
Story in the evening ...
https://twitter.com/Arby_K/status/1353892939101999104
Willem Hendrik was born in 1650 posthumously to Willem II, Prince of Orange, and Princess Mary Henrietta, the daughter of the beheaded King Charles of England, Scotland & Ireland. His father was also the Stadtholder of 5 of the 7 provinces of Netherlands. 1/10 
His father's unexpected death allowed Johan de Witt to gain power as the Grand Pensionary. The next two decades saw the Dutch advance as a commercial power, but the call for return of Willem increased after his uncle's restoration & a declaration of war by Louis of France. 2/10
In 1672, France and England declared war of Netherlands. The year started disastrously for the Dutch, but Willem managed to enlist the Habsburgs and Brandenburg as allies. Though Willem got his father's Dutch titles, the Principality of Orange had been seized by France. 3/10
The English soon had to back off and France became encircled by enemies as a result. The war expanded to the neighbours but it lagged on eventually ending in treaties at Nijmegen. Willem regained his principality, but the French King Louis came out stronger in Europe. 4/10
The rivalry between Willem and Louis still had a long way to go. To face Louis, Willem worked on setting up an alliance, but Ottomans kept Europe occupied in Vienna, while France gained. Willem married his cousin Mary, who was also third in line to the English throne. 5/10
The birth of a brother-in-law led to English nobles calling Willem to England. With his father-in-law running away to France, Willem and Mary were crowned King and Queen of England in 1689. Scotland soon followed, but Ireland took a bit more time. 6/10
With the Habsburgs managing to keep a check on the Ottomans, Willem coordinated the creation of an anti France alliance with the support of the Holy Roman Emperor. The war that had been simmering in the background finally came to the forefront. 7/10
Though the French put up a strong fight, their navy met with a disastrous defeat against the Anglo Dutch force. As the war in Europe came to a stalemate, the war between Willem and Louis continued in the Americas, in India and in Africa. 8/10
Finally the war was brought to a pause at Ryswick in 1697. A compromise in the division of the territories ruled by the Spanish Habsburgs was also set, but that got undone with the death of the intended heir. 9/10
The death of Carlos brought Europe back to battlefield, with both Austrian Habsburgs & French Bourbons claiming the domain of now extinct Spanish Habsburg line. But Willem's death ended his role in the war and the war saw completion of the annexation of Orange by France. 10/10
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