I
Dutch Willem Frederik George Lodewijk
born Dec. 6, 1792, The Hague, United Provinces of the Netherlands
died March 17, 1849, Tilburg, Neth.
King of The Netherlands and grand duke of Luxembourg (1840–49).
Son of William I , he lived in exile with his family in England from 1795. He commanded Dutch troops in the Battle of
II
Dutch Willem
born May 27, 1626, The Hague, United Provinces of the Netherlands
died Nov. 6, 1650, The Hague
Prince of Orange, count of Nassau, and stadtholder of the Netherlands (1647–50).
The son of Frederick Henry , prince of Orange, he married Mary Stuart, eldest daughter of Charles I of England, in 1641 and later succeeded to his father's offices (1647), which included the stadtholdership of all the provinces of the Netherlands except Friesland. Despite the treaty with Spain in 1648 that recognized the independence of the United Provinces, he planned to conquer part of the Spanish Netherlands (modern Belgium). He imprisoned members of the assembly of Holland who opposed his war policy but died of smallpox before his influence could be tested.
III
German Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert known as Kaiser Wilhelm
born Jan. 27, 1859, Potsdam, near Berlin, Prussia
died June 4, 1941, Doorn, Neth.
German emperor (kaiser) and king of Prussia (1888–1918).
Son of the future Frederick III and grandson of Britain's Queen Victoria , William succeeded his father to the throne in 1888. Two years later, he forced the resignation of Otto von Bismarck . He was characterized by his frequently militaristic manner and by his vacillating policies that undermined those of his chancellors, including Leo, count von Caprivi , and Bernhard, prince von Bülow . From 1897 he encouraged Adm. Alfred von Tirpitz to strengthen the German fleet and challenged France's position in Morocco (see Moroccan crises ). He sided with Austria-Hungary in the crisis with Serbia (1914), and in World War I he encouraged the grandiose war aims of the generals and politicians. After Germany's defeat, he fled to The Netherlands, ending the monarchy in Germany, and lived in exile until his death.
IV
Italian Guglielmo known as William the Good
born 1154
died Nov. 18, 1189, Palermo, Kingdom of Sicily
Last Norman king of Sicily (1166–89).
His mother served as regent until 1171, after which he ruled alone, winning a reputation for clemency and justice. His friendship with Manuel I Comnenus ended when the Byzantine emperor thwarted William's proposed marriage to his daughter. Turning against the Byzantines, William allied with Frederick I Barbarossa. He agreed to his aunt's marriage to Frederick's son Henry (later Henry VI ), giving Henry a claim to Sicily. He attacked the Byzantines (1185) with early success but was defeated within sight of Constantinople.
V
or William Rufus
born с 1056
died Aug. 2, 1100, near Lyndhurst, Hampshire, Eng.
King of England (1087–1100) and de facto duke of Normandy (1096–1100).
He inherited England from his father, William I (the Conqueror), and quelled a rebellion (1088) by barons loyal to his brother Robert II . A tyrannical ruler, he brutally punished the leaders of a second revolt (1095). He forced St. Anselm , archbishop of Canterbury, to leave England and seized his lands (1097). He reduced the Scottish kings to vassals (1093), subjugated Wales (1097), and waged war on Normandy (1089–96), gaining control when Robert mortgaged the duchy. His death in a hunting accident may have been an assassination ordered by his brother Henry (later {{link=Henry">Henry I ).