This one-day class looks at the historical figure of William of Orange/’King Billy’ in the context of his reign as King of Scotland. We also do this in a wider context. Themes covered in the class include: his Dutch background and reputation prior in the Dutch Republic, prior to the Revolution of 1688. His rivalry with Louis XIV of France and Franco-Dutch rivalries in European power politics; the role of Scots exiles in the Dutch Republic and their involvement in the Revolution of 1688-90 in Scotland; the constitutional process by which William became King of Scotland; the First Jacobite Rising and the Williamite war in Ireland; his involvement in the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, and his reputation as an absentee monarch of Scotland. Wider social, cultural, and economic themes are considered too such as the devastating famine of the 1690s, the failure of the Darien Scheme and the Company of Scotland (was William complicit in its failure); population loss and emigration; witch-hunting; and educational reform for schools and universities. In cultural terms, was there a Dutch influence in Scottish society in the 1690s? What was the state of the nation when he died in 1702? What is his historical legacy for modern day Scottish society? By the end of the class, you will have a good awareness of these themes and able to self-reflect on the significance of William of Orange/’King Billy’ to the history of Scotland. There will be the opportunity to look at key primary source material. Lecture style with question & answer time.

10.00-16.00 (with an hour for lunch).