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William III's reign was dominated by war — against the Jacobites in Ireland and Scotland, and against Louis XIV's France. The demands of warfare transformed English government, creating the fiscal-military state that would underpin Britain's rise to global power. This lesson examines the Jacobite threat, the financial revolution, and the Act of Settlement.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Context | James II landed in Ireland with French support, seeking to recover his throne |
| The battle | William personally led his multinational army to victory at the River Boyne |
| Significance | Confirmed William's control of Ireland. Still commemorated by Unionists (12 July). |
| Treaty of Limerick (1691) | Guaranteed Catholic civil rights — but these guarantees were systematically betrayed by subsequent Penal Laws |
Government troops, billeted with the MacDonalds under the laws of hospitality, murdered approximately 38 people. The massacre was devastating in its violation of hospitality and discredited William's government in Scotland.
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