h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Huge historical error. William was the third King William of England and the First of Scotland. The entity of Britain, the unification of Crowns did not occur until the early 1700's. Therefore it is wrong also to refer King James II as British. He was King of Scotland, England and Ireland, that is all.

Furthermore, the Orange Order formed out of the protestant Peep O'Day boys after the Battle of the Diamond at Loughgall, County Armagh. This was bitter sectarian faction fight with a similar catholic society. Such was the protestant success that it was likened to the battle of the Boyne and was thus celebrated since.

Presbyterians who were seen as dissenters were not at first allowed to join the Orange Society later the Orange order. The reconcilliation of Presbyterians and Anglican churches enabled the isolation of Catholics in the North, the destruction of dissenter values that led to a Catholic/Protestant United Irishmen rebellion in 1798 and the foundation for modern unionism.

You seem to be forgetting William the Lion King of the Scots in 1165 -1214 which would have made him William II of Scotland. However and as he came to be William the III of England and was acknowledged as such Before he became the ruler of Scotland as well, as trhe lairds refused to acknowledge him as well until after the had defeated James II (VII). Regnal numbers at this point do get confusing, but I did initally think I had the footnotes added to this entry before it was edited.

If you are interested in this further then read "Highlanders, A History of the Gaels" by John Macleod. On page 140 there are details on the Glencoe massacre where a bunch of highlanders were delayed a bit in submitting to William of Orange and then submitted in the wrong garrison. Terrible slaughter etc.
Sorry for being pedantic about regnal numbers. I think it is very interesting and good at making people think about history. I had forgotten about William I of Scotland. At the same time William of Orange was never William 111 of Ireland. Think about it!! He became King of the realm before the different Acts of Union between Scotland, England and then Ireland.
This year during the present Queen's Jubillee the Scottish Nationalist Party wishes that the present monarch it be made clear that she is Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I of Scotland. I think the post boxes are different to everywhere else in the UK. Northern Ireland therefore should follow suit.Poor old Wales was considered as part of England under Henry VIII so they don't even get a look in. But then I did say I was a bit of a pedant!

I'm not going to get dragged into any argument over regnal numbers again. He is most prominently known as William III check any encyclopedia that is where he will be found. And that is the term by which he is most readily recognised by the majority of the readership of the guide.

If you check some of my other enties you will see that I also give Gaelic place nemaes for palces where I can get them. I'm not going to get drawn to much into the politics of the whole issue. I was never a member of any political party back home as I couldn't agree with any of them.