A question about the children of James II of England

So, I've been doing a lot of reading on the late Stuart period recently, and have been wondering a few things for a novel I am planning on writing.

James II and his first wife Anne Hyde, had four sons, Charles, James, Charles and Edgar, all of whom died young.

Now what I am wondering is, what might've happened had say the youngest of those sons Edgar survived? He was born in 1667, and would've been eighteen when his father came to the throne.

Would he have been raised an anglican as his sisters were? Who might he have been betrothed/ married to?

How might his survival influence his father's decision to remarry?

And when his father comes to the throne, would the whigs rally around him?
 
He would certainly have ben raised as an Anglican. Charles II would have insisted.

Possible butterfly. If James had a (legitimate) Protestant son, might Charles have consented to the Exclusion Bill - sacrificed one man in order to save the Stuart dynasty?
 
He would certainly have ben raised as an Anglican. Charles II would have insisted.

Possible butterfly. If James had a (legitimate) Protestant son, might Charles have consented to the Exclusion Bill - sacrificed one man in order to save the Stuart dynasty?

Okay interesting, how might this have affected his relationship with his catholic father?

And hmm, he might've done, though would he considering how close the two brothers seemed to have been
 
Okay interesting, how might this have affected his relationship with his catholic father?

I expect they'd be a bit distant, as Mary and Anne's were. But this was quite common anyway for royals, who were mostly brought up by nurses and governors.
 
I expect they'd be a bit distant, as Mary and Anne's were. But this was quite common anyway for royals, who were mostly brought up by nurses and governors.

Hmm true. Any thoughts on whom he might marry?

Would James still marry Mary of Modena
 
Hmm true. Any thoughts on whom he might marry?

There are plenty of women for him
- Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark
- Sophia Dorothea of Celle
- Marie Amalie of Brandenburg
- Infanta Isabel Luísa of Portugal, sole daughter of King Peter II of Portugal and his first wife and former sister-in-law Maria Francisca of Savoy. She is also a niece of Catherine of Braganza, wife of Edgar's uncle Charles II.
 
There are plenty of women for him
- Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark
- Sophia Dorothea of Celle
- Marie Amalie of Brandenburg
- Infanta Isabel Luísa of Portugal, sole daughter of King Peter II of Portugal and his first wife and former sister-in-law Maria Francisca of Savoy. She is also a niece of Catherine of Braganza, wife of Edgar's uncle Charles II.

Interesting who'd be the best option for him to go for? As I presume he'd either get married in the later days of his uncle's reign or the beginning of his father's, if his father does not get excluded of course.
 
Brandenburg and Celle seem too insignificant to marry someone who will (by the time he is of marriageable age) be seen as very likely to be heir to the throne. The tendency of British kings to marry daughters of minor German Protestant princes doesn't really come about until the Act of Settlement restricted their marriage options (and the Hanoverians brought an increased focus on German affairs).
 
Brandenburg and Celle seem too insignificant to marry someone who will (by the time he is of marriageable age) be seen as very likely to be heir to the throne. The tendency of British kings to marry daughters of minor German Protestant princes doesn't really come about until the Act of Settlement restricted their marriage options (and the Hanoverians brought an increased focus on German affairs).

Okay could a match to Hannover be achieved? Or perhaps the marriage to Catherine's niece
 
So, I've been doing a lot of reading on the late Stuart period recently, and have been wondering a few things for a novel I am planning on writing.

James II and his first wife Anne Hyde, had four sons, Charles, James, Charles and Edgar, all of whom died young.

Now what I am wondering is, what might've happened had say the youngest of those sons Edgar survived? He was born in 1667, and would've been eighteen when his father came to the throne.

Would he have been raised an Anglican as his sisters were? Who might he have been betrothed/ married to?

How might his survival influence his father's decision to remarry?

And when his father comes to the throne, would the whigs rally around him?

It would be a very interesting scenario to be sure. For one, James II reigns until his death, as the excuse to overthrow him (the establishment of a Catholic dynasty) wouldn't exist here. However, considering Edger would be the only son left alive, James would no doubt still remarry, possibly to Mary Beatrice of Modena. OTL Charles II and the Duke of York wanted Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Tyrol-Austria as the next Duchess, but the Emperor ended up widowed and stole her (in my A et D TL Empress Margarita Teresa lived longer so the match could happen, same could happen here).

Another thing to consider is that the exclusion crisis might not even happen if the succession is already assuredly Protestant.

Hmm true. Any thoughts on whom he might marry?

Would James still marry Mary of Modena

Probably. Mary Beatrice was young, pretty and backed by France, a good combo for the Francophile Stuarts.

There are plenty of women for him
- Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark
- Sophia Dorothea of Celle
- Marie Amalie of Brandenburg
- Infanta Isabel Luísa of Portugal, sole daughter of King Peter II of Portugal and his first wife and former sister-in-law Maria Francisca of Savoy. She is also a niece of Catherine of Braganza, wife of Edgar's uncle Charles II.

Isabel would be out as she was the heiress presumptive to Portugal. If Pedro II didn't have any sons (which looked likely at the time a marriage would happen) then we'd have an Anlgo-Portuguese union, something that neither nation would want. Marie Amalie and Sophia are to low ranking for the next King of England in the minds of the Stuarts. So Ulrika could be a possible match

Okay could a match to Hannover be achieved? Or perhaps the marriage to Catherine's niece

Another match to consider is Edgar Duke of Cambridge's first cousin Princesse Anne Marie d'Orléans. She's two years younger and the niece of Louis XIV (and the daughter of Henriette-Anne), something that James, Duke of York would no doubt support. Charles II might also support such a prestigious match, although it would be highly unpopular in England.
 
There are plenty of women for him
- Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark
- Sophia Dorothea of Celle
- Marie Amalie of Brandenburg
- Infanta Isabel Luísa of Portugal, sole daughter of King Peter II of Portugal and his first wife and former sister-in-law Maria Francisca of Savoy. She is also a niece of Catherine of Braganza, wife of Edgar's uncle Charles II.

Is it just me or was every Stuart Queen Consort a Catholic?
 
Edgar I of England (b.1667: d.1720) m. Anne Marie d'Orleans (b.1669: d.1704) (a), Maria Elisabeth of Austria (b.1680: d.1741) (b)

1a) Princess Henrietta Stuart (b.1688) m. Louis, Dauphin of France (b.1680) (a)

1a) Louis XV of France (b.1709)

2a) Princess Marie Sophie of France (b.1710)

3a) Miscarriage (c.1712)​

2a) James Stuart, Prince of Wales (b.1689) m. Maria Magdalena of Austria (b.1689: d.1743) (a)

1a) Princess Catherine Stuart of Wales (b.1710)

2a) Prince Charles Stuart of Wales (b.1711)

3a) Prince Henry Francis of Wales (b.1712: d.1715)

4a) Princess Mary Stuart of Wales (b.1714: d.1716)​

3a) Miscarriage (c.1691)

4a) Prince Charles Stuart (b.1692: d.1693)

5a) Stillborn Boy (c.1694)

6a) Princess Mary Stuart (b.1697: d.1710)

8a) Princess Sophie Stuart (b.1699: d.1699)

9a) Miscarriage (c.1701)

10b) Prince William Stuart, Duke of York (b.1708) m. Maria Anna of Austria (b.1718) (a)

1a) Princess Elizabeth of York (b.1740: d.1742)

2a) Princess Mary of York (b.1745: d.1747)​

11b) Princess Elizabeth Eleanor Stuart (b.1709) m. Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans (b.1703) (a)

1a) Marie Adelaide d'Orleans (b.1728)

2a) Marie Elisabeth d'Orleans (b.1730: d.1731)

3a) Louis Philippe d'Orleans (b.1731)

4a) Marie Louise d'Orleans (b.1734)

5a) Stillborn Boy (c.1736)

6a) Marie Francoise d'Orleans (b.1738: d.1741)

7a) Charles Francis d'Orleans (b.1741)

8a) Marie Victoria d'Orleans (b.1743)

9a) Stillborn Boy (c.1744)

10a) Charlotte Sophie d'Orleans (b.1746)​
 
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It would be a very interesting scenario to be sure. For one, James II reigns until his death, as the excuse to overthrow him (the establishment of a Catholic dynasty) wouldn't exist here. However, considering Edger would be the only son left alive, James would no doubt still remarry, possibly to Mary Beatrice of Modena. OTL Charles II and the Duke of York wanted Archduchess Claudia Felicitas of Tyrol-Austria as the next Duchess, but the Emperor ended up widowed and stole her (in my A et D TL Empress Margarita Teresa lived longer so the match could happen, same could happen here).

Another thing to consider is that the exclusion crisis might not even happen if the succession is already assuredly Protestant.



Probably. Mary Beatrice was young, pretty and backed by France, a good combo for the Francophile Stuarts.



Isabel would be out as she was the heiress presumptive to Portugal. If Pedro II didn't have any sons (which looked likely at the time a marriage would happen) then we'd have an Anlgo-Portuguese union, something that neither nation would want. Marie Amalie and Sophia are to low ranking for the next King of England in the minds of the Stuarts. So Ulrika could be a possible match



Another match to consider is Edgar Duke of Cambridge's first cousin Princesse Anne Marie d'Orléans. She's two years younger and the niece of Louis XIV (and the daughter of Henriette-Anne), something that James, Duke of York would no doubt support. Charles II might also support such a prestigious match, although it would be highly unpopular in England.

Okay interesting, so James still marries Mary Beatrice of Modena let's say, as the emperor snatches up Claudia Felcitas. As for Ulrika Elenora of Denmark was she not born in 1656 and therefore potentially a bit old for Edgar?

Is it just me or was every Stuart Queen Consort a Catholic?

Aha yes

Edgar I of England (b.1667: d.1720) m. Anne Marie d'Orleans (b.1669: d.1704) (a), Maria Elisabeth of Austria (b.1680: d.1741) (b)

1a) Princess Henrietta Stuart (b.1688) m. Louis, Dauphin of France (b.1680) (a)

1a) Louis XV of France (b.1709)

2a) Princess Marie Sophie of France (b.1710)

3a) Miscarriage (c.1712)​

2a) James Stuart, Prince of Wales (b.1689) m. Maria Magdalena of Austria (b.1689: d.1743) (a)

1a) Princess Catherine Stuart of Wales (b.1710)

2a) Prince Charles Stuart of Wales​

3a) Miscarriage (c.1691)

4a) Prince Charles Stuart (b.1692: d.1693)

5a) Stillborn Boy (c.1694)

6a) Princess Mary Stuart (b.1697: d.1710)

8a) Princess Sophie Stuart (b.1699: d.1699)

9a) Miscarriage (c.1701)

10b) Prince William Stuart, Duke of York (b.1708) m. Maria Anna of Austria (b.1718) (a)

1a) Princess Elizabeth of York (b.1740: d.1742)

2a) Princess Mary of York (b.1745: d.1747)​

11b) Princess Elizabeth Eleanor Stuart (b.1709) m. Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans (b.1703) (a)

1a) Marie Adelaide d'Orleans (b.1728)

2a) Marie Elisabeth d'Orleans (b.1730: d.1731)

3a) Louis Philippe d'Orleans (b.1731)

4a) Marie Louise d'Orleans (b.1734)

5a) Stillborn Boy (c.1736)

6a) Marie Francoise d'Orleans (b.1738: d.1741)

7a) Charles Francis d'Orleans (b.1741)

8a) Marie Victoria d'Orleans (b.1743)

9a) Stillborn Boy (c.1744)

10a) Charlotte Sophie d'Orleans (b.1746)​

Interesting
 
Is it just me or was every Stuart Queen Consort a Catholic?

It is peculiar, especially considering that some were born Protestant.

-Anne of Denmark (consort of James VI/I) - raised Lutheran, (probably) converted to Catholicism.

-Henrietta Marie of France (Charles I) - lifelong Catholic

-Catherine of Braganza (Charles II) - lifelong Catholic

-Anne Hyde (James VII/II) - raised Anglican, converted to Catholicism.

-Mary of Modena (James VII/II) - lifelong Catholic
 
Wouldn't he also be Edgar II of Scotland?
Yes he would

It is peculiar, especially considering that some were born Protestant.

-Anne of Denmark (consort of James VI/I) - raised Lutheran, (probably) converted to Catholicism.

-Henrietta Marie of France (Charles I) - lifelong Catholic

-Catherine of Braganza (Charles II) - lifelong Catholic

-Anne Hyde (James VII/II) - raised Anglican, converted to Catholicism.

-Mary of Modena (James VII/II) - lifelong Catholic

Tbf, I guess when you're around people who adhere to catholic principles even if they won't openly admit it...
 
Ulrika Eleonora is too old for the younger son, she wuold be a good option if the surving son is either Charles (born in 1660) or James (born in 1663) and other than her you can think for them a couple of Catholics princesses: Maria Beatrice herself (she is born in 1658) or Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Tyrol-Austria (born in 1656, she is Claudia Felicitas' younger sister who OTL died young)
 
Ulrika Eleonora is too old for the younger son, she wuold be a good option if the surving son is either Charles (born in 1660) or James (born in 1663) and other than her you can think for them a couple of Catholics princesses: Maria Beatrice herself (she is born in 1658) or Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Tyrol-Austria (born in 1656, she is Claudia Felicitas' younger sister who OTL died young)

Okay and might a marriage to a protestant help sure up the Stuarts for the second generation, regardless if the heir's heir is protestant?
 
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