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Auction: SW1014 - Bonds & Share Certificates of the World
Lot: 109

King William III of England. 5% Bond / Obligatie. Between William the third, by Gods Grace King of Great Britain &c:&c:&c and … the General States of the United Nederland, 100.000 Rijksdaaler, Loo, 10. October 1701. This bond is a contract between the General States of the United Nederland and King William III for 100.000 Reichstaler at 5 Percent interest and had to be repaid at the beginning of the year 1702. It bears the original signature of King William III, as “William R(ex)”. William III (1650-1702) was king of England, Scotland and Ireland (1689-1702), Prince of Orange (1650-1702) and Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland and Overijssel (1672-1702). He was born the sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau. From 1672, he governed as Stadtholder over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. He was an able military commander and saved the United Provinces from being conquered by Louis XIV in the Franco-Dutch War (1672-79). People saw him as the main protector of the Protestant faith in Western Europe, especially by those in England who believed that James II was pushing the country down the road of Catholicism. William III's mother was Mary Stuart, the daughter of Charles I. Therefore, William was the perfect candidate to replace the unwanted James II. He was asked by senior political figures in England to land with a military force. In what became known as the "Glorious Revolution", on 5 November 1688, William invaded England, ultimately deposed King James II and won the crowns of England, Scotland and Ireland. In the British Isles, William ruled along with his wife, Mary II, until her death on 28 December 1694. The period of their shared reign is often referred to as "William and Mary". William's victory over James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 is still commemorated by the Orange Order. His reign marked the beginning of the transition from the personal rule of the Stuarts to the more Parliament-centred rule of the House of Hanover. William himself believed that certain areas of government were too important to delegate. He personally took control of the Treasury, foreign matters and the armed forces. Under his rule, in 1693, a National Debt, and a later, the Bank of England was created and in 1696 recoinage was introduced. William was also the main driving force behind many diplomatic matters in Europe, especially the Grand Alliance against Louis XIV. On 8. March 1702, only five month after signing this document, William died from the shock of a riding accident in Richmond Park (www.historylearningsite.co.uk/william_iii.htm). The bond is in very good condition and bears the clear and unbroken seal with the coat of arms of William III as King of England with the Anglo-Norman phrase "Honi soit qui mal y pense". One of the few loan agreements signed by a British monarch and the only one from William III we know of. EF.

Sold for
SFr14,000