A school of higher education for both Native American young men and the sons of the colonists was one of the earliest goals of the leaders of the Colony of Virginia. The College was founded on February 8, 1693, under a royal charter (legally, letters patent) to "make, found and establish a certain Place of Universal Study, a perpetual College of Divinity, Philosophy, Languages, and other good arts and sciences... to be supported and maintained, in all time coming. '' Named in honor of the reigning monarchs King William III and Queen Mary II, the College is the second oldest college in the United States. The original plans for the College date back to 1618 but were thwarted by the Indian Massacre of 1622, a change in government (in 1624, the Virginia Company 's charter was revoked by King James I and the Virginia Colony was transferred to royal authority as a crown colony), events related to the English Civil War, and Bacon 's Rebellion. In 1695 before the town of Williamsburg existed, construction began on the College Building, now known as the Sir Christopher Wren Building, in what was then called Middle Plantation (Virginia). It is the oldest college building in America. The College is one of the country 's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution. The Charter named James Blair as the College 's first president (a lifetime appointment which he held until his death in 1743). William & Mary was founded as an Anglican institution; students were required to be members of the Church of England, and professors were required to declare adherence to the Thirty - Nine Articles.
who was william and mary college named for
the reigning monarchs King William III and Queen Mary II