Second post here, regarding the Stuarts, sorry if this is considered spam, but am posting here to see how both posts are received.
James Stuart, Duke of York and Albany, was an interesting figure to the people of his time, a noted naval commander, and a rumoured Catholic in the early years of the restoration, when he emerged as a converted Catholic in 1673, there was a lot of concern and worry amongst the people of the three Kingdoms, as they now wondered if there would be a catholic monarch sitting the throne, worries that were only furthered by the lack of a son for the then reigning King Charles II. The birth of daughter named Isabel in 1676, was met with some murmurings, and thanks that the child had not been a boy, but then in 1677, a boy was born to the Duke of York and his wife Mary of Modena, a boy who was christened Charles in honour of his uncle and grandfather, the boy was created Duke of Cambridge at birth, with the patent going out later that year. His survival into the new year (pod) was greeted with mixed feelings, at turns the people of the kingdoms were relieved but also more worried. Charles II decided, as he had with his nieces Mary and Anne, that his nephew and namesake would receive an Anglican education, and so this was made the case, though the Duke of York protested this most thoroughly.
When King Charles II died in 1685, and James was crowned King as James II, the nation held its breath.