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Great Britain 1689 William III & Mary II Half Crown
Great Britain 1689 William III & Mary II Half Crown
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Great Britain 1689 William III & Mary II Half Crown
In 1689, the Glorious Revolution unseated Catholic King James II and replaced him with Protestant William of Orange (1650-1702) and his wife, Queen Mary II (1662-1694). They were Britain's first and only pair of joint monarchs, sharing equal power until Mary died of smallpox in 1694. William handled foreign policy and military affairs, whilst Mary managed domestic matters. Mary proved very popular, working to improve England's moral standards by reducing prostitution, drunkenness and irreligion. She established the Royal Hospital at Greenwich to care for wounded sailors, founded the Society for the Reformation of Manners, and improved the gardens at Hampton Court. Abroad, William proved himself a great field commander, blocking France from imposing its will on the rest of Europe and making a lifelong enemy of French King Louis XIV. Most importantly, it was William and Mary's joint reign that established Britain as a constitutional monarchy. They accepted the 1689 Bill of Rights, which limited monarchial powers going forward. Henceforth, England's kings and queens could not suspend laws, tax without Parliamentary approval, keep a standing army in peacetime, or interfere with free elections. It also protected against cruel and unusual punishments, excessive bail or fines, and guaranteed rights like trial by jury. This is the system that the United Kingdom and much of the Commonwealth, including Canada, operates under today.
This half crown, made of sterling silver, features the laureate conjoined busts of William and Mary. The reverse displays the quartered shield of arms with crown.
In 1689, the Glorious Revolution unseated Catholic King James II and replaced him with Protestant William of Orange (1650-1702) and his wife, Queen Mary II (1662-1694). They were Britain's first and only pair of joint monarchs, sharing equal power until Mary died of smallpox in 1694. William handled foreign policy and military affairs, whilst Mary managed domestic matters. Mary proved very popular, working to improve England's moral standards by reducing prostitution, drunkenness and irreligion. She established the Royal Hospital at Greenwich to care for wounded sailors, founded the Society for the Reformation of Manners, and improved the gardens at Hampton Court. Abroad, William proved himself a great field commander, blocking France from imposing its will on the rest of Europe and making a lifelong enemy of French King Louis XIV. Most importantly, it was William and Mary's joint reign that established Britain as a constitutional monarchy. They accepted the 1689 Bill of Rights, which limited monarchial powers going forward. Henceforth, England's kings and queens could not suspend laws, tax without Parliamentary approval, keep a standing army in peacetime, or interfere with free elections. It also protected against cruel and unusual punishments, excessive bail or fines, and guaranteed rights like trial by jury. This is the system that the United Kingdom and much of the Commonwealth, including Canada, operates under today.
This half crown, made of sterling silver, features the laureate conjoined busts of William and Mary. The reverse displays the quartered shield of arms with crown.
