What Ifs? for James II

[Hermanubis]

In 1688 James II, the last Catholic King of England fled for France after Parliament invited William of Orange (along with a sizable army) to come and claim the English throne. James II was captured before making it to France and deposed from the English crown (but allowed to leave for France after words) William of Orange became the King, making England safe for Protestantism, Parliamentary Democracy, ext.

In March 1689 James II backed by a French Army invaded Ireland, where he retained some popular support. However he was defeated by William at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690. After words he fled back to France, where he lived out the rest of his life in exile. At some point during his exile in France Louis XIV offered to have him elected King of Poland, however James II declined, believing that it would reduce his chances of returning to the English throne.

So, a few What Ifs? -

1. What if in December 1688 instead of attempting to flee to France, James II secedes in fleeing to the American colonies?

2. What if James II is not ousted from Ireland?

3. What if James II accepts and is elected King of Poland?

 

[maverick]

1. What if he's killed in his early reign?
2. What if the people behind the glorious revolution decide to put the new born Prince of Wales, James Francis Edward, on the throne as a puppet? didn't that happen with James I when he was King of Scots?
3. What if he had been a more effective leader when in Exile? leading to bloodier though not successful Jacobite uprisings?

 

[Thande]

1. What if in December 1688 instead of attempting to flee to France, James II secedes in fleeing to the American colonies?

Dunno if the Americans would have him (well, New York was named after him I suppose , but the Americans were very anti-Catholic at this stage).

James' son and grandson were very awkward about this and refused to only accept half of what they considered their birthright, e.g. Bonnie Prince Charlie said he would only support French plans for an invasion if he was made King of England, Scotland and Ireland, not just of one or two of them. If James is the same, then the American colonies won't seem a reasonable proposition (even if he was more of a realist, they're not much of a going concern as early as the 1680s).

Your WI about him being King of Poland seems interesting, though.

 

[Thande]

2. What if the people behind the glorious revolution decide to put the new born Prince of Wales, James Francis Edward, on the throne as a puppet? didn't that happen with James I when he was King of Scots?

William III got the kingship (very irregularly in OTL) because he said he'd withdraw his troops from England if Parliament didn't allow it, and Parliament thought that they wouldn't be able to defend the country from James without William's help, so he got the big sparkly hat. Before that, Parliament had wanted to make Mary daughter of James the queen regnant with William just as her consort. So it's basically the same idea as what you're saying, but probably no changed result.

 

[Grey Wolf]

The problem with fleeing to the Americas is that its a long way away, a couple of weeks journey at least, and is also further away in terms of recirprocal news: it would be a long time, maybe 3 or 4 months before people knew for certain that that was where he was...

Having said that, the question is what would have happened in the interim ? A Protestant fleet dispatched to chase down his single ship ? The governors of the colonies either ill-disposed (if in the North) or potentially friendly but relatively useless to him (if further South)...

Best Regards
Grey Wolf

 

[Hermanubis]

Any possibility that James II occupying Ireland but unable to invade or conquer England or Scotland could result in an Independent Kingdom of Ireland?

 

[Grey Wolf]

Any possibility that James II occupying Ireland but unable to invade or conquer England or Scotland could result in an Independent Kingdom of Ireland?

It wouldnt be up to him, but would be up to the opposition. The British would be unwilling to let him stay there unmolested. And James would not give up his claims to England or to Scotland, his birthrights. So what you need is for this to go on for a couple of generations before anyone is OK to accept it on a permanent basis. That takes some AH working out !

Best Regards
Grey Wolf