Invitation to William facts for kids
The Invitation to William was a very important letter. Seven famous Englishmen sent it to William III, Prince of Orange. These seven men later became known as the Immortal Seven. William received the letter on June 30, 1688.
At that time, James II of England was the King of England. He was William's father-in-law. King James was Catholic. His new son, James Francis Edward Stuart, was also Catholic. This meant the new baby would likely become the next king. The letter asked William to come to England. It wanted him to make sure King James's oldest daughter, Mary, became the heir instead. Mary was William's Protestant wife. The letter even suggested that the new baby might not truly be King James's son. This was a way to challenge the baby's right to the throne.
The letter told William that if he came to England with a small army, many people would support him. It listed many complaints against King James. It also mentioned the rumor that the King's new son was not truly his. The letter was carried to William in The Hague by Rear Admiral Arthur Herbert. He was disguised as a common sailor. The message was written in a secret code.
The Invitation to William helped William decide to go ahead with his plans. He landed in England with a large Dutch army. This event led to the Glorious Revolution. King James was allowed to leave the country. William and Mary then became the joint rulers of England.
Who Signed the Invitation?
The seven important men who signed the letter were:
- The Earl of Danby
- The Earl of Shrewsbury
- The Earl of Devonshire
- The Viscount Lumley
- The Bishop of London (Henry Compton)
- Edward Russell
- Henry Sydney (He was the one who wrote the letter.)
Images for kids
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Henry Sydney, who wrote the Invitation to William
See also
In Spanish: Invitación a Guillermo para niños
