Wer ist Mona Lisa? – Identifizierung einer Unbekannten mit Hilfe historischer Quellen
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Jakob II. [VII.] war das vierte Kind des englisch-schottischen Königs Karl I. Stuart (1600-1649) und seiner Gattin Henriette Maria von Frankreich (1609-1669). Er erblickte das Licht der Welt am 14. Oktober 1633 und starb am 16. September 1701. "In 1633, another boy was born, 'a goodly, lusty child', named James [Jakob] after Charles's father and given the title Duke of York ... Each new child was a joy, but Henrietta [Jakobs Mutter] often found the pregnancies difficult. The pregnancy with James, in particular, brought a host of ailments, including vomiting and spells of exhaustion. Then, at seven months, her right arm was almost paralyzed, and her physicians feared she would lose the use of that side of her body. Charles [Jakobs Vater] abandoned his hunting break and rushed to join her at Somerset House, but already she was 'out of danger and bettering hourly.' ... Each time, the birth was managed by Madame Peronne and her French nurses. Then Henrietta remained for three weeks in her bedchamber, 'recovering from the trials of her delivery,' while Charles sat by her 'the greatest part of the day'. Afterward came her churching ceremony and reemergence into public life." (in: Katie Whitaker: A Royal Passion - The turbulent marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France, id., p. 119).
"Each royal child had his or her own establishment of servants although none was waited on as grandly as Prince Charles [II.] [der Bruder von Maria und Jakob], the heir to the throne. Instead of his thirty personnel, ten or fewer became the norm for the others, including a single nurse and a mere four rockers. ... Over them all was the lady governess, caring for the child as well as managing the entire household and it finances. For James, as for Prince Charles, this was the Countess of Dorset ..." (in: Katie Whitaker: A Royal Passion - The turbulent marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France, id., pp. 119/120).
"... all her [Henriette Marias] children grew up together. St. James's Palace was their London residence, with its extensive gardens and orchards and a fine library and art collection containing more than 550 paintings and 300 pieces of sculpture. For the boys, there was an armory with model forts and soldiers, a riding house, and an artillery house with child-size cannons. But much of their time was spent at Richmond Palace ... Though etiquette decreed they [Karl I., seine Gattin und ihre Kinder] should live in separate palaces, Charles and Henrietta loved to be in their children's company. In London they joined them at St. James's for supper, and at Richmond they visited for days at time." (in: Katie Whitaker: A Royal Passion - The turbulent marriage of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France, id., p. 121).
Im Krieg England gegen die Unabhängigen Niederlande "the English seized the Dutch Colonies in America. New Amsterdam was taken over and renamed New York in honour of the Duke of York [Jakob II. (VII.) Stuart]." (in: Marie Ruan Hopkinson: Anne of England – The Biography of a great Queen, id., p. 39).
Nach dem Tod von Anne Hyde, seiner ersten Gattin, wollte Jakob II. (VII.) Stuart eine gewisse Susanna Armine (1644-1713), die Witwe von Sir Henry Bellasis, heiraten. Aber die Dame war katholisch und von zu geringem Stand, daher verbot Karl II. Stuart diese Eheschließung. Als nächste mögliche Braut stand Claudia Felice (1653-1676), Erzherzogin von Österreich-Tirol, zur Auswahl: "This suit was accepted, the marriage treaty concluded, and in 1673, his warm friend, the Earl of Peterborough, set out for Vienna to marry the Archduchess by proxy. Peterborough, however, was arrested on his journey by the provoking news that the Archduchess had changed her mind, and was about to become the bride of the Emperor Leopold the First. He wrote to James, who in reply commissioned him to choose a wife for him elsewhere, and directed his especial attention to Maria Beatrix, of Modena [Maria von Modena]; Mary Anne of Wirtemburg; the Duchess of Guise, a widow; and Mademoiselle de Rais. The two latter ladies he saw at Paris, and dismissed at once; the one being delicate in constitution; the other ordinary in person and features. He obtained the sight of a portrait of Maria Beatrix, and was enraptured with it; but, to his chagrin, learned that she was fully bent on taking the veil. Next, by direction of James, he hastened to the presence of Mary Anne Wirtemburg; and charmed by her beauty, grace, and manners, reported favourably of her …" (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., p. 744).
Im Jahr 1673 befand Jakob II. [VII.] sich auf der Suche nach seiner zukünftigen zweiten Gattin. Er war mittlerweile heimlich zum Katholizismus konvertiert. "Now he considered the attractions of two other Catholic candidates, fifteen-year-old Mary of Modena [(1658-1718)], and her Aunt Leonora [(1643-1722)], fifteen years older. In the prevailing atmosphere both were equally unsuitable, both wished to becomes [sic] nuns, and James was so uncertain that his proxy, Lord Peterborough, went to France to complete the transaction, the space for the bride's name was left blank on his instructions. Eventually the choice fell on Mary, and she arrived in November [1673] to face a hostile reception by citizens firmly convinced by the rumours that she was the Pope's eldest daughter. The Lord Mayor of London declined to welcome her, 'nor would the City be brought to make bonfires'." (in: Christopher Falkus: The Life and Times of Charles II, id., p. 154).
"When Charles [Karl II. Stuart] and James [Jakob II. (VII.) Stuart] first went over to Catholicism is uncertain; Charles was only an acknowledged Catholic on his death-bed and James probably not earlier than 1670, but there is no doubt that James, at least, had leanings in that direction from his youth. Neither could actually become a Romanist without openly breaking away from the Anglican faith, for the Roman Catholic Church would not allow anyone to participate by stealth in her Sacraments. ... As the public was always suspicious of James, a major crisis in regard to the succession to the Throne would be immediately invoked by any act which might confirm the fear that he had become a Catholic. Such an occasion now arose, because of the rumour that his [first] wife [Anne Hyde] had ceased her usual devotions. All her life she had been most devout, attending church regularly, but during the last two years before she died [also von 1669-1671], it was noticed that she no longer came to the services of the Church of England. She excused herself on account of her ill-health, but ready as everyone was about the Court, and, for that matter, throughout the town and the whole country, to suspect the Papist sympathies of the royal brothers, this defection of the Duchess from her customary devotions caused a scandal which at that time was particularly unfortunate." (in: Marie Ruan Hopkinson: Anne of England – The Biography of a great Queen, id., pp. 54-55). Jakob II. war bereits Anfang des Jahres 1669 bereit, zum Katholizismus zu konvertieren. Sein Bruder Karl II. folgte ihm. Beide ließen sich für ihre Bekehrung zum Katholiszismus vom französischen König Ludwig XIV., ihrem Cousin, hoch bezahlen - £200,000 pro Jahr - "to enable the King [Karl II. Stuart] to begin the work in England; but when the Catholic religion was settled here, our King was to join with France in making war with Holland." (in: Marie Ruan Hopkinson: Anne of England – The Biography of a great Queen, id., p. 56).
"As for James's religion, he now threw himself more wholeheartedly than ever into the clutches of the Jesuits, and actually allowed them to hold a 'Congregation' in his own chamber at St. James's Palace on the night of April 24th, 1678. So secret was this meeting, however, that only later generations have discovered where it took place. Coleman, the Duke's secretary, managed to bring these designing men through the maze of dark passages and secret stairways of the old palace so stealthily, that no one but James and the priests knew of this illegal and sinister assemblage; for, taking place in the private apartments of the heir to the Throne, it might have been sufficient to cause a revolution if news of it had reached the ears of the public. ... That summer the arch-perjurer, Titus Oates, appeared on the scene. Having learnt in France that a Jesuit Congregation had been held somewhere in England - luckily for James he had not discovered the real place of meeting - Oates laid before the King the details of a 'Popish Plot' which he alleged had been hatched at that assemblage. According to Oates the chief objective of this conspiracy was the forcible conversion of England to the Roman Catholic faith, opening with the murder of the King, the firing of the City of London and the raising of rebellions in Scotland and Ireland. Charles did not believe the rogue ... but his Council believed him, and issued warrants against the accused Jesuits; while Coleman, the Duke's Secretary, was arrested and his papers seized. ... Coleman the traitor was convicted of treason and executed ... Charles defended his brother manfully. ... but in the end he gave way, sent for James, and advised him to withdraw from England." (in: Marie Ruan Hopkinson: Anne of England – The Biography of a great Queen, id., pp. 74-76). Jakob II. (VII.) zog sich daher mit seiner zweiten Gattin Maria von Modena im März 1679 zuerst nach Den Haag und dann nach Brüssel zurück. Seine Töchter Anne (1665-1701) und Isabella (1676-1681) hatten in England zu bleiben.
Im Oktober 1679 hatte Jakob II. (VII.) mit seiner Gattin Maria von Modena auf Anweisung seines Bruders Karl II. Stuart Brüssel zu verlassen und sich nach Schottland zu begeben.
Jakob II. (VII.) folgte seinem Bruder Karl II. Stuart als der nächste König von England, Schottland und Irland und machte sich bei seinen Untertanen sofort sehr unbeliebt. Er verfolgte die Dissenters ohne Erbarmen, steckte sie in England in Gefängnisse, verordnete hohe Geldstrafen und ruinierte viele Familien. In Schottland ließ er die Männer erschießen und die Frauen ertränken. Man suchte nach Alternativen für Jakob II. (VII.) und fand sie z. B. im unehelichen Sohn von Karl II. Stuart, James Scott (1649-1685), dem Herzog von Monmouth. "... he [James Scott] landed [with a few followers] at Lyme Regis, but their hopes [der Protestanten] were cruelly shattered with the rout of his forces by the royalist troops at Sedgemoor in July, 1685 ... Soon after the defeat Monmouth was sentenced to death, and the beautiful head of the romantic young leader of the western Protestants was cut off at the Tower. Then it was that the fanatical King James began to show his hand. Not only were 800 of the simple, godly folk of Somerset and Dorset sent to the West Indies, but 300 of them were hanged by Judge Jeffreys at the 'Bloody Assize', and the men and women of western England saw the dismembered remains of their loved ones displayed upon their own market places and highways. ... The country was now in a ferment. This was brought to a head by the trial of the seven bishops and the birth of the Prince of Wales [Jakob (III.) oder James Francis Edward Stuart (1688-1766)]. On June 30th, 1688, an invitation signed by Peers and Bishops was sent to William of Orange, urging him to come to England ... Both Tories and Whigs now agreed to strike the fatal blow to the King's power as soon as William would land in England. ... William landed in Torbay on November 5th amidst the great excitement of the people ...Deserted finally by most of his Protestant officers ... James returned to London and Whitehall. ... [the Privy Councillors and Peers] charged the people of London to keep the peace and wrote to the Prince of Orange desiring him to come at once to the capital and take the government of the nation into his hands, until the parliament could be called. ... In the meantime the King was prevailed upon by his priests to escape. The Queen and her child had already successfully reached one of the royal yachts and had been conveyed to France. On December 11th, at three o'clock in the morning, James left Whitehall with Sir Edward Hales disguised as the latter's servant. [sie wurden von Fischern entdeckt und gefangen genommen; letztendlich gelang Jakob II. (VII.) jedoch die Flucht, weil "alle die Augen schlossen", denn seine Flucht verhinderte schärfere Massnahmen ihm gegenüber, die man nicht anwenden wollte] ... 'The Glorious Revolution' had been accomplished without civil war or bloodshed, and all England rejoiced in the coming of the deliverer, William of Orange." (in: Marie Ruan Hopkinson: Anne of England – The Biography of a great Queen, id., pp. 95/104-107/110-111/113).
Die Untertanen des englisch-schottischen Königs Jakob II. (VII.) Stuart hatten recht: Jakob II. (VII.) wollte in seinem Königreich und in seinen Kolonien wieder den Katholizismus einführen: "The only source of the rebellion against us [Jakob II. (VII.) Stuart] is, that we embrace the Catholic faith; and we do not disown that to spread the same, not only in our three kingdoms, but over all the dispersed colonies of our subjects in America, was our determination." (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., p. 769). Und damit hatten seine Untertanen, wie es die Bewohner von Nottingham sahen, das Recht, sich zu wehren: "We own that it is rebellion to resist our King that governs by law, but he [Jakob II. (VII.)] was always accounted a tyrant that made his will a law. To resist such an one we justly esteem, it no rebellion, but a necessary defence." (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., p. 770).
Und damit begann das Ende von Jakobs Regierung als König von England, Schottland und Irland und seine Flucht und seine Zeit im Exil in Frankreich: "The time appointed for the escape of the Queen [Maria von Modena] and her son [Jakob III.] was the night of Sunday, the ninth of December [1688]. On that night, their Majesties retired to bed as usual; but, about twelve o’clock, they rose, and the Queen attired herself in the disguise of an Italian washerwoman, with the little Prince done up in the form of a bundle of linen, which, when necessary, she should carry under her arm. Thus prepared, she made the King repeat his promise to follow her in twenty-four hours, parted from him in tears, and, attended by two nurses, and conducted by Count de Lauzun and St. Victor - two brave Frenchmen, who generously came to England, and volunteered their services to the distressed King and Queen – stole out of Whitehall, proceeded in a coach, prepared for the purpose, to the Horseferry, at Westminster, and, although the night was dark, stormy, and freezing, stepped intrepidly into a small open boat, crossed the Thames in safety, and landed at Lambeth. Here the coach that had been ordered was not in attendance; the rain fell in showers, and the royal fugitives were forced to wait for half an hour or so under the open shelter of the walls of Old Lambeth Church. Fortunately the child slept the whole time … [es ging nach Gravesend], where they took their places in a common yacht, bound for Calais, on board of which they found several of the Queen’s household, who, like herself, were disguised in humble dress, and to avoid exciting suspicion, made an appearance of being strangers to each other. The wind being fair, the yacht put to sea the moment the Queen and her party came on board. … but they encountered a violent gale [im Ärmelkanal]. Maria and all the passengers were attacked with violent sea-sickness … The yacht reached Calais on the eleventh of December [es ging von dort über Boulogne zu einem kleinen Dorf Chatou, wo sie am 28. Dezember eintrafen] ... she was met at the pretty little village of Chatou by Louis XIV., who cordially welcomed her, tenderly kissed the little Prince of Wales, placed her at his right hand in his own coach, and in this manner conducted her to the splendid palace of St. Germains. ... [Am nächsten Tag traf auch der geflüchtete Jakob II. [VII.] ein] ... Indeed, the French Sovereign received the royal fugitives with expressions of sympathy and tokens of kindness and munificence that did honour to his heart. He paid them the same honours as if they had been in possession of the British throne, and allowed them 50,000 francs per month for the support of their household." (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., pp. 770-772).
Jakobs Versuch im Jahr 1690, auf den englisch-schottischen Thron mit Gewalt zurückzukehren: "On the twenty-eighth of February, 1690, the self-banished James proceeded on his expedition to Ireland; during his absence, Maria [seine Gattin] retired, with her beloved son [Jakob (III.)], from St. Germains to the seclusion of the convent at Chaillot, where she passed much time in prayers for his safety and success; but, at the solicitation of the King of France, she occasionally emerged from her retirement, to take part in the court balls and fêtes, a sacrifice willingly made by the anxious Queen, in the hope of obtaining supplies of money and arms for her distressed husband. ... [aber:] James’s army had been completely defeated and routed in the sanguinary battle of the Boyne." (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., pp. 772-773).
In einem geheimen Artikel im Friedensvertrag von Rijskwijk, der am 20. September 1697 zwischen Frankreich, den Vereinigten Niederlanden, England und Spanien geschlossen wurde, erklärte sich Wilhelm III. von Oranien, Jakobs Schwiegersohn, bereit, dessen Sohn Jakob (III.) als seinen Nachfolger zu akzeptieren, vorausgesetzt sein Schwiegervater würde seinen Anspruch auf den englisch-schottischen Thron aufgeben und nicht mehr versuchen, Wilhelm III. aus dem englisch-schottischen Königreich zu vertreiben. Jakob II. (VII.) Stuart war hierzu nicht bereit.
Jakobs letzte Krankheit und sein Tod: In seinem Exil in Frankreich, in dem er eigentlich zum Nichtstun verdammt war und daher seiner liebsten Freizeitbeschäftigung, nämlich seiner Jagdleidenschaft, nachgehen konnte, nahm seine Frömmigkeit bizarre Formen an: "He kept very severe fasts, and would upon certain days bind his body with a very sharp-pointed iron chain. His-self discipline was very rigorous ..." (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., p. 781). "Whilst their Majesties [Jakob II. (VII.) Stuart und seine Gattin] were at chapel on the fourth of March, 1701, … a torrent of blood, gushed from his mouth and nostrils, and he sunk to the ground in a fit of sanguineous apoplexy. He was immediately carried to his chamber, and put to bed. The afflicted Queen struggled to conceal her own distress of mind, anxiously watched by his bed-side, and exerted her utmost energies to alleviate his sufferings. But neither the tender care of his consort nor the skill of his physicians could save him from an attack of paralysis, and at last it was resolved that he should try the waters of Bourbon. … He set out on his journey on the fifth of April, accompanied by his affectionate Queen. Louis [XIV.] provided the funds for the occasion. …. During their sojourn at Bourbon, they paid ceremonious visits to the monasteries and other religious houses in the neighbourhood … The baths of Bourbon effected so rapid a change in James, for the better, that at the commencement of the second week in June the royal pair returned to St. Germains." (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., p. 778). Aber bereits im Juli 1701 folgte der zweite Schlaganfall und im September 1701 der dritte, der tödliche. Nachdem man seiner Gattin seinen Tod verkündet hatte, brach Letztere völlig zusammen: "... she shrieked out, 'O God, is it, then, over?’ and in agony of bitter sorrow, rolled herself on the floor, tore her hair, wept a flood of tears, and at last, sunk into a swoon; but, remarks a contemporary, when this sudden paroxysm of grief had subsided, she expressed sorrow for not having freely resigned herself to the will of God, prayed fervently for fortitude to withstand the shock, and never again gave way to uncontrolled despair. ... On the seventeenth [September 1701, also einen Tag nach seinem Tod], the body of James II. was embalmed; his heart was placed in a golden urn, and presented to the convent at Chaillot; his bowels were privately interred in the church of the Benedictines, Fauxbourg de St. Jacques, Paris, whither his body was conveyed with but little pomp; and after the obsequies were solemnized, left uninterred in one of the chapels, a circumstance occasioned by his having desired in his will to be buried in Westminster Abbey." (in: Francis Lancelott: The Queens of England and their Times, Volume II, id., p. 780).
"In September, 1701, James II died at St. Germains. It is said that Louis XIV visited him shortly before his death ... James opened his eyes. Although unable to speak, he clasped and kissed the hand of his protector [Ludwig XIV.]. Bursting into tears, Louis assured him that he would continue to protect his son and would proclaim him King on his father's death, which he hoped was afar off. A few days later James died and his son James Francis Edward, the 'Pretender', only twelve years old, was proclaimed King of the British Isles at St. Germains, with the parade of heralds and other ceremonies usual on such occasions." (in: Marie Ruan Hopkinson: Anne of England – The Biography of a great Queen, id., pp. 162-163).
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