William III

William's primary achievement was to hem in France when it was in a position to impose its will across much of Europe. His life was largely opposed to the will of the French King Louis XIV. This effort continued after his death during the War of the Spanish Succession. William's reign in England ended a bitter conflict between Crown and Parliament that had lasted since the accession of the first English Stuart monarch James I. The conflict was settled in Parliament's favor by the Bill of Rights 1689, the Triennial Act 1694 and the Act of Settlement 1701. William is considered by many to be the hardest-working, most effective British monarch of his time.