queen of Great Britain, second daughter of James II., by his
first wife, Anne Hyde, was born in 1664; was married to Prince
George of Denmark in 1683; and succeeded to the crown on the
death of William III., 1702. Her reign is marked by the great
war of the Spanish Succession and the achievements of
Marlborough, the accomplishment of the legislative union of
Scotland with England, and the dashing exploits of lord
Peterborough in Spain. Anne was of a kind and yielding
disposition, and was long entirely controlled, first by the
imperious duchess of Marlborough, to whom she became warmly
attached in childhood, and afterwards by her attendant, Mrs.
Masham. Prince George died in 1708, and their six children died
young. The contention of parties during the reign of Anne was
extremely violent, in consequence of the hopes entertained by
the Jacobites that she would be induced by natural feelings to
favour the succession of her brother, the Pretender. Her reign
was also distinguished for the number of eminent writers