France. James II, former king of England, dies. Shortly before, Louis XIV had declared his son James III Stuart the legitimate king of England, Scotland, and Ireland. But James III was only 13 years old, and his mother, Maria Beatrice d’Este (of the Duchy of Modena), was appointed temporary regent in his place. A regent without a kingdom. The proclamation of James III was a grave political mistake on the part of the Sun King. William of Orange, from the English throne, took it as a personal affront and did not hesitate to ally himself with the Netherlands and Austria, once again in an anti-French guise. For France, it would be the longest and most terrible war of Louis XIV’s entire reign.
