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Charles III is better known as the Young Pretender and Prince Charles Edward Stewart, Bonnie Prince Charlie. He was the son of the uncrowned Stuart King James III of Britain and the grandson of the dethroned and last Stuart king--James II James had ruled for only 3 years, from 1685-88. He quickly lost control of the country when he arogantly ignored the advise of his older, more cautious brother--the restored Charles II. Perhaps more importantly a son was born, leading to the prospect of a future Catholic king--James III. Charles Edward Louis Philip Casimir Stuart had trained in France for warfare since childhood. He had fought bravely with the French at the siege of Gaeta in Italy. The Prince, like his father, had been brought up a Roman Catholic, and dreamed of bringing England back to the Catholic faith. The Prince became for ever associated with Scotland, but was in fact not a Scot. His father conceived of seizing the British Crown from Hanovarian King George II. The Prince landed in Scotland in 1745 and launched the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. He raised a force of Highlanders which seized Scotland and pushed deep into the English Midlands, but decided to withdraw to the Highlands and was defeated at Culloden Moor in 1746. After 5 months of evading capture Charles himself escaped by ship to France. Many of his Highland followers were no so lucky. Charles in 1750 visited London secretly. He tried for years to involve various European powers in assisting his restoration, but with no success. By the
mid-1760's his claims to the British throne were no longer recognised by the Pope and even Catholic powers. Charles died in 1788 having lived almost all his life in exile.
His grandfather was the dethroned and last Stuart king--James II. James had ruled for only 3 years, from 1685-88. He quickly lost control of the country when he arogantly ignored the advise of his older, more cautious brother--the restored Charles II. Perhaps more importantly a son was born, leading to the prospect of a future Catholic king--James III.
Charles III was the son of the uncrowned Stuart King James III of Britain. Often referred to as the Old Pretender. James inherited the Stewart claim despite the fact that He was his father's 19th child. Many of his father's children died at childbirt or as very young chilfren. This was the case with both mairrages. James II also had several illegitimate children. James plotted endlessly to regain the British throne, attemting to invade England twice. The most serious effort was the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 led by his eldest son Charles
Charles' mother was Maria Casimire Clementina Sobieska who married his father at Monte Fiascone Cathedral, Italy in 1719. She was called Princess Clementina. Her father was Prince James Louis Henry Sobieski of Poland. Her mother was Hedwig Elizabeth Amelia of falz-Neuburg. At the time Poland still esisted. It had once been a major European power, but had declined significantly in the 17th century. Her marriage with James III was not a vey happy one. She was not a submissive wife and the two quarrled over many matters, including the raising of their two sons.
Charles' only brother was Henry Benedict Thomas Maria, designated Duke of York. Henry was born in 1725. The two princes were very close to each other as boys. Theor father was reprtedly very fond of Henry. Henry became a Cardinal.
Charles Edward Louis Philip Casimir Stuart, called the Young Pretender or Bonnie Prince Charlie, was born in Rome in 1720.
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His mother and father argued over tutors. James wanted a Protestant tutor to show that when he was restored to the throne that he would tolerate Protestants. Clementina wanted only Catholics around hersons. Prince Charles trained in France for warfare beginning in childhood.
Prince Charles had fought bravely with the French at the siege of Gaeta in Italy.
The Prince, like his father, had been brought up a Roman Catholic, and dreamed of bringing England back to the Catholic faith.
The Prince and his father James III also dreamed of claiming the British throne and restoring absolute rule. While this seems far fetched today, it should be remembered that Charles had been brought up in France where the Bourbons still ruled as absolute monarchs. In fact in the mid 17th century it was royal absolutism, not parlimentary democracy, that was the widely accepted form of government in Europe.
The Prince has becomer for ever associated with Scotland, but was in fact not a Scot. His father conceived of seizing the British Crown from Hanovarian King George II. The Prince landed in Scotland in 1745 with a handful of men and launched the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. He raised a force of Highlanders which seized Scotland and pushed deep into the English Midlands, but decided to withdraw to the Highlands and was defeated at Culloden Moor in 1746. After 5 months of evading capture Charles himself escaped by ship to France. A Flora MacDonald on the Scottish island of Benbecula is credited with helping him finally escape. Many of his Highland followers were no so lucky.
The French expelled Charles 2 years after he returned. This was done in accordance with one of the provisions of the second Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748), which require that all members of the house of Stuart had to be expelled from France. Charles in 1750 and again in 1754 visited London secretly. He tried for years to involve various European powers in assisting his restoration, but with no success. By the mid-1760's his claims to the British throne were no longer recognised by the Pope and even Catholic powers. Charles died in 1788 having lived almost all his life in exile. The Prince's supporters abandoned his cause. He became an alcoholic drifter. In 1766, on his father's death, the Prince returned to Italy, where he spent his last years. He settled in Rome and styled himself the Duke of Albany.
Prince Charles married Princess Louise Maximilienne von Stohlberg of Stolberg-Gedern in 1772. They divorced in 1784. Years earlier he had an illegitiamte daughter.
Charles died in Rome in 1788 a year before the outbreak of the French Revolution which ended royal absolutism in France.
Charles was succeded by his younger brother Henry who was designated as Henry IX and I. With the death of Henry in 1807 the legitimate male line of the Royal House of Stuart became extinct.
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