8 March

King William III and II by Godfrey Kneller, c.1690

8 March 1702: The death at Kensington Palace of William III and II. William died of pneumonia, which arose as a complication from a fractured collarbone sustained in a fall from his horse, Sorrel, after it stumbled over a molehill. Consequently, the Jacobites toasted “the little gentleman in the black velvet waistcoat.” Following William’s death, his sister-in-law Anne ascended to the throne, becoming the final monarch of the senior line of the House of Stuart.

Neil Ritchie
Neil Ritchie
Neil Ritchie is the founder and editor of JacobiteWars.com. Neil has a keen interest in the military history of Scotland and in particular the military history of the Civil Wars and the Jacobite Risings. He is also the editor of other online publications covering military history and defence matters. Neil can be found on Bluesky: @neilritchie.bsky.social

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