Mary of Modena

Maria Beatrix d' Este, Princess of Modena ( born October 5, 1658 Modena, † May 7, 1718 in Saint- Germain -en- Laye ) was the wife of James II / VII. . Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.

Life

Maria Beatrix was the only daughter of Duke Alfonso IV of Modena and his wife Laura Martinozzi, one of the nieces of Cardinal Mazarin.

Marriage

Maria Beatrix was with James II, who was still at that time Duke of York, in the ducal palace at Modena married by procurationem On September 20, in 1673. Representing the absent bridegroom took Lord Peterborough his place. She had the time of their wedding almost 15 years old, her husband already forty, a widower and father of two daughters and a number of illegitimate children. Maria Beatrix declined the honor of the wedding from first, they would rather be than a nun living in a Protestant country. The Pope had to teach, and Maria gave way.

Jacob was 1669 again converted to Catholicism and openly sought, after the death of his first wife, a woman of faith. The Catholic Maria Beatrix was hated in Anglican England than papist. In the House was required to prevent the embarkation of the princess, but King Charles II refused this request. On November 21, 1673 actual marriage took place in Dover. Mary was adored by her husband and also saw himself with their almost the same step- daughters Mary and Anna.

Duchess of York

Ten children lost Maria Beatrix before 1688 James Francis Edward Stuart ( the later Elder Pretender ) gave birth. Had until then can hope that England would get a Protestant king after the death of Jacob, as the succession of the Catholic Stuarts was now certain. Even the death of Mary's first son, Karl ( 1677) was included in the population with relief. King Charles II looked at all causes, to bring Jacob and Mary in safety from popular anger to Holland. Jacob vehemently refused to return to the Anglican faith, and was encouraged in this attitude by his wife. 1679 the Duke and Duchess traveled to Scotland. In both Edinburgh was joyfully received, and returned in 1681 finally back to London.

Queen

On February 6, 1685 Jacob died brother, and Maria Beatrix was on the side of her husband, Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland. King James attempted a Catholic absolutist system to enforce, occupied to political offices with Catholics and approached foreign policy increasingly France.

When the Calvinist and son Jacob, William of Orange (. , The future King William III) landed in England and the Glorious Revolution began, they fled with the six- month-old Prince of Wales in a cloak-and -dagger operation to France; shortly thereafter also her remote husband joined her in the French exile.

Exile

In France, the ex-king and his consort of Louis XIV were extremely well received. In the Peace of Rijswijk, however, Louis XIV had William III. recognize, however, refused to extradite James II, who was thenceforth no longer a simple pretender. Then Jacob increasingly resigned refuge in religion, Mary made ​​contact with the Jacobites and the Catholic courts of Europe.

After the death of Mary's children, Wi- brother Francesco II of Modena ( 1694 ) she was trying to win the throne in Modena for herself and her husband, but the plan failed due to rejection of Jacob. In Modena, Maria Beatrice's uncle Rinaldo followed.

After the death of Queen Mary II is the widower William III. , Maria Beatrice's son Jacob Franz volunteered to adopt and thus keep open opportunities to the English throne. But the royal couple in exile rejected this request, because they would not tolerate the associated change of religion of the child.

1701 died James II, and in France, Maria Beatrice's son as James III. proclaimed king of England. Maria Beatrice, who resided in Saint- Germain -en- Laye, took over until 1706, the " regent " function of her minor son. The death of her daughter Louisa Mary, the 19 -year-old died of smallpox in 1712, she met heavy. Many years had unsuccessful attempts to find a suitable husband for Louisa Maria Maria Beatrice.

Almost all her money had been used to invest in the political adventure of her husband and her son Maria Beatrice. She spent her last years in modest circumstances and died at the age of 59 years of pneumonia.

Progeny

Of the twelve children from her marriage to James II of England reached only two survived into adulthood.

• Child (* / † 1674)
• Catherine Laura (* January 10, 1675, † October 3, 1675 )
• Child (* / † 1675)
• Isabella ( * August 18, 1676, † March 2, 1681 )
• Karl ( * November 7, 1677, † December 12, 1677 ), Duke of Cambridge
• Elisabeth ( * / † 1678)
• Child (* / † 1681)
• Charlotte Maria ( * August 16, 1682; † October 6, 1682 )
• Child (* / † 1683)
• Child (* / † 1684)
• Jacob Franz ( born June 10, 1688 † January 1, 1766 ), called the Old Pretender
• Louisa Maria ( * June 28, 1692, † April 18, 1712 )