Henry, Duke of Gloucester Survives

In 1660, the Duke of Gloucester died of smallpox even though his doctors predicted a full recovery. So let’s say that as predicted, he did make a full recovery and lived until 1700 or so. What would the effects be on history, who would he marry, and most importantly how would the Exclusion Crisis and Glorious Revolutions be different?
 
In 1660, the Duke of Gloucester died of smallpox even though his doctors predicted a full recovery. So let’s say that as predicted, he did make a full recovery and lived until 1700 or so. What would the effects be on history, who would he marry, and most importantly how would the Exclusion Crisis and Glorious Revolutions be different?
I can see him marrying a Dutch princess of the house of orange, for marital ties. If they have sons one son could marry Mary of York. I don't think there'd be an exclusion crisis
 
Well James was in line before him but many didn’t want a Catholic King. I’m sure there’d be a push to make Henry King before James and it would be a legitimate issue. And I don’t think there were any available Dutch princesses at this time. I like a match with Anna Sophia of Denmark personally but wether it was realistic around 1661 or 1662 I know not. As to why you don’t think there would be an Exclusion Crisis please tell me.
 
Do we know much about Henry's personality? Would he be amenable to replacing his brother in the line of succession, or would he be opposed to the idea and try to stymie Protestant plotting on his behalf?
 
Well James was in line before him but many didn’t want a Catholic King. I’m sure there’d be a push to make Henry King before James and it would be a legitimate issue. And I don’t think there were any available Dutch princesses at this time. I like a match with Anna Sophia of Denmark personally but wether it was realistic around 1661 or 1662 I know not. As to why you don’t think there would be an Exclusion Crisis please tell me.
Why make an issue of James being a catholic, if he does even convert here, when the next in line is his definitively Protestant daughter, and if she’s married to him, his definitively,Protestant nephew. As for Dutch princesses Maria of Nassau born 1642 and daughter of Frederick Henry is arouns
 
Do we know much about Henry's personality? Would he be amenable to replacing his brother in the line of succession, or would he be opposed to the idea and try to stymie Protestant plotting on his behalf?

We know that Oliver Cromwell and Henry Ireton briefly considered putting him on the throne as a constitutional monarch, since, unlike Charles and James, he was too young to have the absolutist views of his parents. Then, according to their sister, Elizabeth, on their father's request, he refused to be crowned by the Parliamentarians so long as his brothers lived.

Then, he went with his famiyl to Paris, but became a staunch Protestant and often fought with his mother, so much so that he went to fight in the Spanish armies at Dunkirk, where he gained his reputation as a great soldier.

IOTL, it was suggested before his death that he might marry a niece of Louis II, Prince de Conde. I personally prefer an alliance with Denmark and marriage to Princess Anna Sophia. I also personally think the easiest way for him to become King is for James to die in 1660 instead and for Charles II to die without legitimate issue as IOTL.
 
We know that Oliver Cromwell and Henry Ireton briefly considered putting him on the throne as a constitutional monarch, since, unlike Charles and James, he was too young to have the absolutist views of his parents. Then, according to their sister, Elizabeth, on their father's request, he refused to be crowned by the Parliamentarians so long as his brothers lived.

Then, he went with his famiyl to Paris, but became a staunch Protestant and often fought with his mother, so much so that he went to fight in the Spanish armies at Dunkirk, whe he gained his reputation as a great soldier.

IOTL, it was suggested before his death that he might marry a niece of Louis II, Prince de Conde. I personally prefer an alliance with Denmark and marriage to Princess Anna Sophia.
So a marriage in the late 1660s? Potentially with huge butterflies for the rest of Europe
 
Our previous discussions on this had him taking part in the GR if he's still alive and marrying his children/heir to one of their cousins - possibly switching Anne and Mary with William - thus bringing a male Protestant Stuart back to the throne.
He'd probably be more in favour of getting hold of James "III/VIII" than outright dispossession but it depends on his kids and the knockons/butterflies what happens.
 
Our previous discussions on this had him taking part in the GR if he's still alive and marrying his children/heir to one of their cousins - possibly switching Anne and Mary with William - thus bringing a male Protestant Stuart back to the throne.
He'd probably be more in favour of getting hold of James "III/VIII" than outright dispossession but it depends on his kids and the knockons/butterflies what happens.
If this is the case would he perhaps be Regent for his brother?
 
So rather than treat James II as abdicated he's treated as incapacitated?
It almost happened in OTL Glorious Revolution. There was a significant portion of nobles and people who wanted William to act as Regent for James and have the Prince of Wales raised by Parliament as an Anglican.
 
It almost happened in OTL Glorious Revolution. There was a significant portion of nobles and people who wanted William to act as Regent for James and have the Prince of Wales raised by Parliament as an Anglican.
As I said it depends if they can get hold of James "III/VIII" aka the Old Pretender. OTL they didn't so the whole abdication and bedpan stories were declared. Anne was still apparently contemplating him as her successor if he converted but it wasn't worth an Anglican mass to him.
 
As I said it depends if they can get hold of James "III/VIII" aka the Old Pretender. OTL they didn't so the whole abdication and bedpan stories were declared. Anne was still apparently contemplating him as her successor if he converted but it wasn't worth an Anglican mass to him.
Would Henry really go against his brother though? Considering his vow to his father and all that
 
Would Henry really go against his brother though? Considering his vow to his father and all that
I suspect it depends whether he thinks his oath applies or not. If he thinks James II has "lost it" then he'll need to be involved to ensure the Crown is safeguarded for when James junior is ready to takeover, assuming junior is recognised as the legitimate heir.
 
I suspect it depends whether he thinks his oath applies or not. If he thinks James II has "lost it" then he'll need to be involved to ensure the Crown is safeguarded for when James junior is ready to takeover, assuming junior is recognised as the legitimate heir.
Hmm this is true, I imagine Henry would be present st the birth and his word would carry more weight than Anne's
 
Hmm this is true, I imagine Henry would be present st the birth and his word would carry more weight than Anne's
He might even enable the boy's upbringing to be Anglican thus defusing a lot of the lead up to the GR. James's deposition might be more in line with Henry VI than Richard II.
 
He might even enable the boy's upbringing to be Anglican thus defusing a lot of the lead up to the GR. James's deposition might be more in line with Henry VI than Richard II.
Hmm I ageee, he could perhaps argue with his brother and convince him to dial back things?
 
Hmm I ageee, he could perhaps argue with his brother and convince him to dial back things?
He definitely could, but James doing so or not doing so is another matter. James was not as keen on taking advice as his brother and was more like his father. This proves to be his downfall as he showed many during his reign that he was set in his Catholic ways and unwilling to compromise. Thus, I think his reign would be pretty much the same. But wether he stays on the throne or not is up for debate. And sorry to backtrack a little but about the Exclusion Crisis. In a biography I’m reading about Charles II, it says he preferred his brother Henry to James, thus, would he make Henry king instead of having James on the throne. Many Whigs looked back at Henry as their lost leader and I think would be more than willing to place him on the throne on the death of Charles or during James II’s reign, but then again wether he’d accept or not is up for debate.
 
He definitely could, but James doing so or not doing so is another matter. James was not as keen on taking advice as his brother and was more like his father. This proves to be his downfall as he showed many during his reign that he was set in his Catholic ways and unwilling to compromise. Thus, I think his reign would be pretty much the same. But wether he stays on the throne or not is up for debate. And sorry to backtrack a little but about the Exclusion Crisis. In a biography I’m reading about Charles II, it says he preferred his brother Henry to James, thus, would he make Henry king instead of having James on the throne. Many Whigs looked back at Henry as their lost leader and I think would be more than willing to place him on the throne on the death of Charles or during James II’s reign, but then again wether he’d accept or not is up for debate.
Considering charles fought damn hard to keep James as his heir otl, I don’t think he would want to replace him with Henry.
 
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