King William III: Prince of Orange, the First European

by Bryan Beavan

Descended from a long line of doughty warriors and statesmen, William Prince of Orange was born in the Hague during November1650, son of a Dutch father and a Scottish Stuart Princess, eldest daughter of Charles I. Banned at first from succeeding to his hereditary offices by the Act of Seclusion, William's boyhood was rather lonely. His early life was bounded by the Anglo-Dutch naval wars during Cromwell's Protectorate and after the Restoration of Charles II. Acquiring his first military experience during the invasion of Holland by King Louis XIV in 1672, he revealed qualities of heroism and patriotism, refusing to submit to the might of France. He was, above all, a European, having an intimate knowledge of her various peoples. Bryan Bevan, in his new biography of the Prince, discusses William's qualities as a statesman, revealing his many virtues but not silent as to his marked faults. What were his real motives when invading his father-in-law James' kingdom? William III, reigning jointly with Mary II, had an unusual marriage but the deep attachment he felt for her surprised many. However, for the most part, in his private and public life, men friends mattered more to him than female society. William's bravery in battle has never been questioned. but he was never a great soldier. His greatness shone rather in his patience and skill in forging a grand alliance of nations against Louis XIV's ambition to dominate Europe. He was before his time in belief in the balance of power. 207p, 8 b/w pls (Rubicon Press 1997)

Genres: History, Biography

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1997

Reviews

[Katheryn Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly fascinating, and politically astute, man often misunderstood (especially by the English) with a tumultuous reign. Bevan captures this beautifully. Easy to read yet fully supported by a vast array of, mostly contemporary, sources, Bevan gives evidence for all of his arguments and takes numerous opinions and interpretations into account. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about the man behind the Glorious Revolution, who was invited to invade England, usurped his father-in-law, and became King of England in a bloodless revolution. He defied Louis XIV, the most powerful man in Europe, and was, in many ways, the first European.

[Emilija · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite an easy biography of William III to read, and I quite enjoyed it. Some parts did feel quite brief, but the author did really make you think that William was “the first European”.