The phrase William and Mary usually refers to the joint sovereignty over the Kingdom of England, as well as the Kingdom of Scotland, of King William III and his wife Queen Mary II. Their joint reign began in February, 1689, when they were called to the throne by Parliament, replacing James II, who was "deemed to have fled" the country in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. After Mary died in 1694, William ruled alone until his death in 1702. Their rule was the only period in British history in which "joint sovereigns" with equal powers were allowed to reign; usually, the spouse of the monarch has no power and is simply a consort.
To end the Glorious Revolution, William and Mary signed the English Bill of Rights and eventually that led to democracy in Britain and new co-operation between the Parliament and the monarchs. This both signaled the end of several centuries of tension and conflict between crown and parliament and the end of hope that England would be restored to Roman Catholicism leading to the modern nation state of today known as the United Kingdom under their successor, Mary's sister Anne of Great Britain.
The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, was chartered in 1693, endowed and named in their honor.
English Crown
Alfred the Great • Edward the Elder • Athelstan the Glorious • Edmund the Magnificent • Edred • Edwy the Fair • Edgar the Peaceable • Edward the Martyr • Ethelred the Unready • Sweyn Forkbeard*† • Edmund Ironside • Canute the Great*† • Harold Harefoot • Harthacanute (Canute the Hardy)* • Edward the Confessor • Harold Godwinson • Edgar the Outlaw • William I the Conqueror • William II Rufus • Henry I Beauclerc • Stephen • Matilda • Henry II • Richard I the Lionheart • John Lackland • Henry III • Edward I Longshanks • Edward II • Edward III • Richard II • Henry IV Bolingbroke • Henry V • Henry VI • Edward IV • Edward V • Richard III • Henry VII • Henry VIII‡ • Edward VI‡ • Lady Jane Grey‡ • Mary I‡ • Elizabeth I‡
English and Scottish Crowns
James I‡§ • Charles I‡§ • Interregnum • Charles II‡§ • James II‡§ • William III‡§¶ & Mary II‡§ • William III‡§¶ • Anne‡§