Anne Stuart (6 February 1665 – 1 August 1714) became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702, succeeding King William III. Her Roman Catholic father, James II, was forcibly deposed in 1688; her brother-in-law and her sister then became joint monarchs as William III and Mary II, the only such case in British history. After Mary's death in 1694, William continued as sole monarch until his own death in 1702.
On 1 May 1707, under the Acts of Union 1707, England and Scotland were united as a single state, the Kingdom of Great Britain. Anne became its first sovereign, while continuing to hold the separate crown of Queen of Ireland. Anne reigned for twelve years until her death in August of 1714.
Anne's life was marked by many crises, both personally and relating to succession of the Crown and religious polarisation. Because she died childless, Anne was the last monarch of the House of Stuart. She was succeeded by her second cousin, George I, of the House of Hanover, who was related to the Stuart kings Charles I and James I via dynastic marriage.