James Francis Edward Stuart

Prince James Francis Edward Stuart, also known as The Old Pretender, was born on 10th June, 1688 in London and died on 1st January, 1766 in Rome. He was the claimant to the English and Scottish throne. Supporters also called him James III of England and James VIII Scotland.

Life

He was the son of King James II of England and his catholic second wife, Mary of Modena. From his first marriage, James II had protestant daughters, but James Francis Edward Stuart was raised in the catholic faith. Due to his gender and the laws of primogeniture, he would replace his sisters in succession. The British people feared a catholic heir to the throne, so they invited his son-in-law William of Orange to England in the Glorious Revolution. James II took his wife and his infant son to France to live in exile in 1688. King Louis XIV of France regarded James Francis Edward Stuart as the rightful heir apparent. James Francis Edward became the focus for the Jacobite movement. When James II died in September 1701, his son was declared King by Louis XIV. He was named James III of England and VIII of Scotland.

Descendants

James Francis Edward married Maria Clementina Sobieski, a Polish Princess and the grand-daughter of John III, in 1719. One reason was to produce an heir to the Jacobites. They had two sons, Charles Edward Stuart (1720–1788) and Henry Benedict Stuart (1725–1807). Charles Edward became known as The Young Pretender or Bonnie Prince Charlie, who triggered one last, idle Jacobite rebellion in Britain in 1745. Henry Benedict became the Cardinal Duke of York.

Sources

- http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/stuart_10.htm (09.11.09)

- http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300074/James-Edward-the-Old-Pretender (09.11.09)

- http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/james-francis-edward-stuart/ (09.11.09)

- http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Scotland-History/TwoPretenders.htm