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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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Battle of the Boyne
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(11 July 1690) Victory by William III and an army of some 35,000 men over the deposed *James II (with about 21,000); the site of the battle, in the republic of Ireland, was south of the river Boyne and about 40km/25m north of Dublin. James's flight from the battlefield and from Ireland ended his attempt to reclaim his crown. The victory is celebrated annually by Protestants in Northern Ireland on July 12, a public holiday sometimes referred to as the Glorious Twelfth.
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The error of one day in the date was the result of confusion about the change from Old Style to New Style (see *calendar). The OS date of the battle was July 1; the variance on dates in the 17C was ten days, so the NS date is July 11. But by the time Britain made the change to New Style (in 1752) the necessary adjustment for contemporary dates was 11 days. This number was added, incorrectly, to a date from the previous century.
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