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How did the death of William III affect Joseph Addison's political patrons?
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Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison, oil painting by Michael Dahl, 1719; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
The death of William III in March 1702 resulted in the immediate loss of power for Joseph Addison’s two chief political patrons, John Somers and Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax.1
Addison, who was traveling in Switzerland at the time, learned of the king's death and the subsequent political displacement of his patrons while abroad. This shift in the political landscape occurred as Queen Anne ascended to the throne, leading to a period where Addison's Whig allies faced diminished influence until their eventual return to the Privy Council in 1705.12