Known as the Old Pretender, born in 1688 and dying in 1766, he was the head of a failed rising in 1708 as well as in 1715. He was raised a Catholic, but what I am wondering is, what are the chances of him realising he has to convert to Protestantism to be accepted, and doing so?
His son Bonnie Prince Charlie did convert (albeit briefly) after the failure of the '45, but by then Jacobitism was pretty much doomed.
To get James to even consider converting, you'd probably have to change his personality/upbringing such that he'd be virtually unrecognisable.
I have often pondered on the mentality of the Stuarts. They tended to vary between being worldly and practical (James I (sort of), Charles II, Mary and Anne) and, well, insanely impractical or theologically rigid (Charles I, James II, every male heir for the next two generations at least).
Okay very interesting. Leads to some problems for the timeline I am considering then. Though what if there was some sort of 'divine intervention' as it were from James pov?
What do you mean by divine intervention?
The Glorious Revolution resulting in James VII/II being removed from the throne in favour of his son is one way to get this outcome. However, it would depend on the Prince of Orange not deciding that he wanted the throne. As far as I'm aware the option of James being removed in favour of his son was never seriously canvassed even amongst the Tories, but there is precedent in reasonably recent Stewart history for a baby to be proclaimed monarch after its parent has been forced to abdicate.