WI: Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester survives?

On the 13th of September, 1660, Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester, the youngest son of Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria, died at the age of twenty of smallpox. After Charles II's death, people thought Henry might have been a better, Protestant, choice instead of James II or James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. Would the Exclusion Crisis have gone differently if Henry Stuart survived? I'm guessing that parliament might try to bypass James, Duke of York, to place him on the throne instead. Henry was described a staunch Protestant, so in terms of who he might marry, I've come up with a few candidates:

Elizabeth Charlotte, Countess of Holzappel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Charlotte,_Countess_of_Holzappel)
Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Anna_Sophie_of_Denmark)
Christine of Baden-Durlach (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_of_Baden-Durlach)
Louise Elizabeth of Courland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Elisabeth_of_Courland)
Elizabeth Charlotte of Anhalt-Harzgerode (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Charlotte_of_Anhalt-Harzgerode)
 
On the 13th of September, 1660, Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester, the youngest son of Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria, died at the age of twenty of smallpox. After Charles II's death, people thought Henry might have been a better, Protestant, choice instead of James II or James Scott, Duke of Monmouth. Would the Exclusion Crisis have gone differently if Henry Stuart survived? I'm guessing that parliament might try to bypass James, Duke of York, to place him on the throne instead. Henry was described a staunch Protestant, so in terms of who he might marry, I've come up with a few candidates:

Elizabeth Charlotte, Countess of Holzappel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Charlotte,_Countess_of_Holzappel)
Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Anna_Sophie_of_Denmark)
Christine of Baden-Durlach (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_of_Baden-Durlach)
Louise Elizabeth of Courland (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louise_Elisabeth_of_Courland)
Elizabeth Charlotte of Anhalt-Harzgerode (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Charlotte_of_Anhalt-Harzgerode)

An interesting thread, though one does wonder if Henry would have allowed such a thing, considering he swore a solemn vow to his father never to oppose his elder brothers.
 
An interesting thread, though one does wonder if Henry would have allowed such a thing, considering he swore a solemn vow to his father never to oppose his elder brothers.

Promises, promises.

Henry was told to not be made a king by Charles or James, and after that, it was Parliament that made the kings.
 
Last edited:
Promises, promises.

Henry was told to not be made a king by Charles of James, and after that, it was Parliament that made the kings.

Very true, though if he is still alive, one might think James II's own stupid nature might be curbed, by the truthfully more effective Henry
 
As for bride, he'll need somebody from a major Protestant house who will be of use to English court. So I'm torn between Anna Sophia of Denmark and this girl - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erdmuthe_Sophie_von_Sachsen
Aka her OTL sister-in-law. She'll be well liked at British court, I think, alliance with Saxony will please Protestants, but sadly her medical anamnesis does not look good and I don't think she can fare any better than Catherine of Braganza in terms of childbearing, and Gloucester may end up widowed at the same time as York.
 
As for bride, he'll need somebody from a major Protestant house who will be of use to English court. So I'm torn between Anna Sophia of Denmark and this girl - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erdmuthe_Sophie_von_Sachsen
Aka her OTL sister-in-law. She'll be well liked at British court, I think, alliance with Saxony will please Protestants, but sadly her medical anamnesis does not look good and I don't think she can fare any better than Catherine of Braganza in terms of childbearing, and Gloucester may end up widowed at the same time as York.

I was leaning towards Anna Sophie of Denmark as well, but then I learned/remembered that Sweden was becoming a great power around this time as well. But I checked and Carl Gustav had no legitimate daughters.
 
I was leaning towards Anna Sophie of Denmark as well, but then I learned/remembered that Sweden was becoming a great power around this time as well. But I checked and Carl Gustav had no legitimate daughters.
Christine of Baden-Durlach, one of your candidates, is Karl's niece and may be propped up as Swedish candidate.
IMO as of 1661 is will be a three-way competition between Anna of Denmark, Erdmuthe of Saxony and Christine of Baden (who is propped up by Swedes). The rest are minor princesses with no real connection to speak of.
 
Would family history play a part in any match? James I wife, and Henry's grandmother was Danish, so that might have swayed a decision
 

Spengler

Banned
As for bride, he'll need somebody from a major Protestant house who will be of use to English court. So I'm torn between Anna Sophia of Denmark and this girl - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erdmuthe_Sophie_von_Sachsen
Aka her OTL sister-in-law. She'll be well liked at British court, I think, alliance with Saxony will please Protestants, but sadly her medical anamnesis does not look good and I don't think she can fare any better than Catherine of Braganza in terms of childbearing, and Gloucester may end up widowed at the same time as York.
Interesting, you might in the process lead to Saxony not seeking out Poland than, and see it uninvolved in the Great Northern War.
 
I would think France would back Christine of Baden - remember, they originally wanted Henry to marry a French girl (however, his staunch Protestantism might mean that he won't tolerate two religions in his marriage bed), so French-allied Sweden might be a good candidate.
 
Christine of Baden-Durlach, one of your candidates, is Karl's niece and may be propped up as Swedish candidate.
IMO as of 1661 is will be a three-way competition between Anna of Denmark, Erdmuthe of Saxony and Christine of Baden (who is propped up by Swedes). The rest are minor princesses with no real connection to speak of.

Would either Sweden or Denmark be irritated if the other candidate is chosen? If so then I can see the Saxon lass becoming the best candidate.

Of course I now have the idea of her producing a single daughter, Henry refusing to remarry in order not to stampede James II's enforced abdication, and *Henrietta's son becoming King after Anne.
 
Would either Sweden or Denmark be irritated if the other candidate is chosen? If so then I can see the Saxon lass becoming the best candidate.

Of course I now have the idea of her producing a single daughter, Henry refusing to remarry in order not to stampede James II's enforced abdication, and *Henrietta's son becoming King after Anne.
Even if the stuff post-1661 regarding the Royal Family goes (roughly) OTL, Henry outliving James = no William III in sight, as his claim will near always be inferior to his Protestant uncle and he knows that. So IDK whether Anne even gets to rule or James II is simply forced to abdicate with his brother as the Regent for his son (not accepting the crown vow does not include anything about Regencies).
 
Bumping for interest.

So, just to recap, Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester., doesn't die of his illness and marries Christine of Baden-Durlach, a niece of King Carl Gustav of Sweden. James has just married Anne Hyde and Charles hasn't yet married Catherine of Braganza. Would the survival of their zealously Protestant brother affect the decision of Charles and James to convert to Catholicism? Assuming they act similarly to OTL, how long might Henry wait before making a grab for the throne? Or would there just be a *Glorious Revolution with Henry instead of William of Orange?

Any more thoughts?
 
Bumping for interest.

So, just to recap, Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester., doesn't die of his illness and marries Christine of Baden-Durlach, a niece of King Carl Gustav of Sweden. James has just married Anne Hyde and Charles hasn't yet married Catherine of Braganza. Would the survival of their zealously Protestant brother affect the decision of Charles and James to convert to Catholicism? Assuming they act similarly to OTL, how long might Henry wait before making a grab for the throne? Or would there just be a *Glorious Revolution with Henry instead of William of Orange?

Any more thoughts?

I'm assuming that James would convert ITTL too, as he was influenced to Catholicism while in France. Charles II was too canny to do it before his deathbed, so I can't see much change in his actions.

Regarding the succession (and assuming that Charles still marries Catherine and doesn't have legitimate children with her) I think that there is a possibility that the survival of Henry might actually strenght the position of James. Think about it: while certainly there would be groups supporting Henry as a replacement for James, Mary and William would hardly give up what they would consider "her superior claim over her uncle". The Protestant opposition to James could be divided between supporters of Henry and of Mary/William. You could have all kind of schemes between loyalists, "Henricians" and "Marianists" at the court.
 
Bumping for interest.

Assuming the following:

1. James Stuart dies of smallpox instead of his brother, his son by Anne Hyde only living a year.
2. Henry Stuart lives and marries Anna Sophia of Denmark.

I was just wondering how that might affect the disastrous Anglo-Dutch wars and the position of William of Orange? Henry Stuart's attitude towards the Dutch is probably not known, but if he is married to a Danish princess, then if the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch wars still break out, Denmark might not support the Dutch.
 
Top