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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Act of Settlement
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(1701) Act of parliament settling the succession to the throne. The *Bill of Rights (1689) had limited the succession to the children of *Mary and *Anne (the daughters of *James II) and of their cousin *William III. But by 1701 Queen Mary had already died, childless, and her husband William III showed no likelihood of remarrying. Anne, next in line to the throne, had no living heir in spite of 15 pregnancies. Parliament's main concern was to ensure that no Catholic descendant of the *Stuarts should inherit. So they settled the inheritance on the heirs of Sophia, a Protestant grandaughter of James I (see the *royal house), who had married the elector of Hanover. Her son became king, on the death of Queen Anne in 1714, as the first ruler of the house of *Hanover, George I. The act also imposed certain lasting restrictions on the *royal family.
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