Which monarchs do the names William and Mary refer to?

• A. William III and Mary II
• B. William II and Mary I
• C. William IV and Mary II
• D. William I and Mary II

Answer: (A)

William and Mary refers to the joint reign of William III and Mary II after the Glorious Revolution when Parliament invited William of Orange to take the throne and Mary, his wife, ruled with him. They began ruling together in 1689, a pairing that became famous as a single monarchy and helped establish a constitutional framework—limiting royal power and strengthening Parliament, with the Bill of Rights of 1689 as a key milestone. Mary died in 1694, after which William continued to rule alone until 1702, but the period of joint rule is remembered as William and Mary. The other options mix different Williams and Marys from different centuries who did not rule together, so they don’t fit.