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James Francis Edward Stuart

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The Prince James, Prince of Wales (James Francis Edward Stuart; "The Old Pretender" or "The Old Chevalier"; 10 June 1688 – 1 January 1766) was the son of the deposed James II and VII. As such, he claimed the English, Scottish and Irish thrones (as James III and VIII) from the death of his father in 1701, when he was proclaimed king of England, Scotland and Ireland by his cousin Louis XIV of France.

Birth and childhood

From the moment of his birth, on 10 June 1688, at St. James's Palace, the prince was the subject of controversy. He was born to the reigning king, James II of England and VII of Scots, and his Roman Catholic second wife, Mary of Modena.

James II had two adult daughters from his first marriage who had been brought up in the Protestant faith. As long as there was a possibility of one of them succeeding him directly, his opponents saw his rule as only a temporary setback. When people began to fear that Mary would produce a son and heir, a movement grew to replace James by force with his elder daughter Princess Mary & son-in-law/nephew, William of Orange.

When the young prince was born, a false rumour was immediately spread that the call for a "warming-pan" had been the pretext for a substitution, the real baby having allegedly been born dead. On 10 December, within six months of his birth, Mary of Modena left London and took him to France for safety, while his father continued to fight (unsuccessfully) to retain his crown.

With his sister Louisa Maria, the prince was brought up in France. There, recognised by King Louis XIV of France as the rightful heir to the English and Scottish thrones, he became the focus for the Jacobite movement.

Struggle for the throne

On his father's death in 1701, he declared himself King, with the title of James III and VIII and recognised as such by France, Spain, the Papal States and Modena. All of these states refused to recognise William III, Mary II or Queen Anne as the legitimate British sovereign.

Jacobite rising

Having been delayed in France by an attack of measles, James attempted an invasion, trying to land at the Firth of Forth on 23 March, 1708. His French ships were driven back by the fleet of Admiral Sir George Byng.

Had he renounced his Roman Catholic faith, he might have succeeded to the throne after the death of his half-sister Anne, but he refused to do so. As a result, in 1714, a German Protestant became King—George I of Great Britain.

French forces were defeated, and Louis XIV of France was forced to accept peace with England and her allies. He signed the Treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, that, amongst other conditions, required him to expel James from France.

The Fifteen

In the following year, the Jacobites instigated "The 'Fifteen" Jacobite rising in Scotland, aimed at restoring "James III and VIII" to the throne. In 1715, James finally set foot on Scottish soil, following the indecisive Battle of Sheriffmuir, but he was disappointed by the strength of support he found. Instead of carrying through the plans for a coronation at Scone, he returned to France, sailing from Montrose. He was not welcomed back, because his patron, Louis XIV, was dead and the government found him an embarrassment.

Life as the "Pretender"

Pope Clement XI offered James the Palazzo Muti in Rome as his residence, and he accepted. Innocent XIII, like his predecessor, showed much support. Thanks to the mediation of a close friend of his, Cardinal Filippo Antonio Gualterio, James was granted a life annuity of eight thousand Roman scudi. Such help enabled him to organise a Roman Jacobite court, where the Pope's cousin, Francesco Maria Conti of Siena, was the Gentiluomo di camera (Chamberlain).

Marriage

On 3 September 1719, James Francis Edward Stuart married Maria Clementina Sobieska (1702–35), granddaughter of the Polish king, John III Sobieski. They had two sons:

  1. Charles Edward Stuart, (31 December 1720 – 31 January 1788), aka "Bonnie Prince Charlie"
  2. Henry Benedict Stuart, (11 March 1725 – 13 July 1807), Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church

Bonnie Prince Charlie

Following James's failure, attention turned to his handsome and charismatic son, "Bonnie Prince Charlie", whose rebellion of 1745 came closer to success than his father's. With the failure of this second rebellion, however, the Stuart hopes of regaining the British throne were effectively destroyed.

Death

James died in Rome on 1 January 1766, and is buried in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. From 14 January the Papacy recognized the Hanoverian dynasty as the legitimate rulers of Britain and Ireland.

Titles and honours

Titles

Honours

Ancestry

Ancestors of James Francis Edward Stuart

See also

Notes and sources

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