Stuart Monarchs...
Apr 20
A brief look at the scandalous lives of all Stuart monarchs.
The Tudor period is widely known for scandalous love affairs, which feature in several TV shows and movies.
The most famous tale is that of King Henry VII, who had six wives. The preceding era of Stuarts is also heavily marked with similar scandals.
The Stuarts reigned over Britain from 1603 to 1714, and there were seven Stuart monarchs.
The reign of Stuarts witnessed some life-changing events in Britain’s history. These events ranged from plague outbreaks, famines, the Great Fire of London, and civil war.
Of course, the Stuarts have also left their mark in history books in the form of scandalous sexual relations.
1. James VI & I Was Often Found Under Covers With Other Men.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth, James VI was made King James I.
As per historical accounts, James was inclined towards men. He was also quite open about his sexual preferences, and it is said that James’s relationships with handsome men were public knowledge.
Michael B. Young, a prominent historian, has referred to James I as,
“The most prominent homosexual figure in the early modern period.”
The first man who tugged at James’s heartstrings was Esme Stuart. Despite his preferences, following custom, and giving into societal expectations, James married Princess Anna.
Princess Anna was 15 years old when she married James in Denmark. This union resulted in the birth of several children.
However, after moving to London, James gave in to the yearnings of his heart. He fell in love with a man named Robert Carr, and the two were together for several years.
Robert was replaced with George Villiers, who stumbled in James’s in 1614.
George Villiers thrived on James’s affection and was made the Duke of Buckingham.
2. Like Father, Like Son NOT.
Charles I, the youngest son of Anna and James, ascended to the throne in 1612. He traveled to Spain in 1623 in an attempt to sweep the Catholic Spanish Infanta, Maria Anna, off her feet.
Charles was accompanied by the Duke of Buckingham for moral support.
However, this trip quickly culminated in a disaster as it became clear that Maria Anna did not have any affections for Charles.
Having no other recourse, Charles I turned to Henrietta Maria, the sister of King Louis XIII. Both eventually tied the knot in 1625.
Although their honeymoon period was spent arguing, the couple soon found harmony in each other’s company.
The union produced several children, including Charles II and James II.
Charles I was reportedly easily swayed by beautiful women, but he remained loyal to his wife. He did not engage in any extramarital affairs, which were the norm among monarchs of his time.
However, during Civil War, Charles I did have sexual intimacy with Jane Whorwood. (Too good to be true?)
3. Charles II and his Unsatisfiable Libido
The life of Charles II revolved around lust, flirtation, seduction, and lies. When he ascended to the throne in 1660, he already had several affairs.
Charles had a son with Lucy Walter, and their son became the Duke of Monmouth.
However, the bedroom of Charles was often visited by Roger Palmer’s wife, Barbara Palmer. This relationship led to the birth of several children.
Apart from Barbara, Charles was also enchanted by several other women. He had a number of court ladies who routinely occupied his attention.
Charles eventually married Catherine de Braganza, a Portuguese princess who had to endure her husband’s disloyalty.
The union produced no child, even though Charles produced a string of bastards.
The marriage was especially at stake when Frances Stuart, a teenage girl, entered Charles’s life.
However, Frances eloped with the Duke of Richmond.
4. Inheritance of Lust
James II, the younger brother of Charles II, was the most handsome among the two.
When it came to sexual relations, James also surpassed his brother. He was married to Anne Hyde and later to Mary of Modena.
James also harbored extramarital affairs with the oddest choices.
For instance according to the people of that time, Arabella Churchill, James’s mistress, was the opposite of sexually alluring.
Arabella’s looks were rather average and not deemed worthy of a monarch.
5. Queen Anne Might Have Been a Lady Lover.
Queen Anne was the “unattractive” sister of Mary, the woman known for her beauty.
Queen Anne naturally fell in deep despair and complexity.
It is said that despite experiencing around eighteen pregnancies, not one of Queen Anne’s babies was born. Her pregnancies either resulted in stillbirth, miscarriage, or any other complication.
Anne, in her childhood, was fascinated by Sarah Jennings, who was about a decade older than Anne. It was said that Anne lived in Sarah’s shadow.
Sarah was everything Anne was not — pretty, sharp, and charming.
However, this friendship did not last long.
Instead, Anne developed a friendship with one of Sarah’s “poor” cousins, Abigail Hill.
It was rumored that Anne and Abigail were more than just friends. Historical accounts suggest that both harbored sexual intimacy.
6 & 7. The Joint Monarchy of William III and Mary II
More commonly known as William of Orange, William III ruled jointly with his wife, Mary. This was the first time in history that Britain had joint monarchs.
Interestingly, William III never had an extramarital affair.
It is said that his enemies interpreted this as William being sexually inclined towards men.
The fact that the couple did not have any children only worsened matters.
It is suspected that Hans Willem Bentinck and Arnold Joost Van Keppel were William’s lovers.
However, no concrete evidence was ever cited to substantiate this allegation.
Mary died in 1694 after suffering from a deadly outbreak of smallpox. William did not remarry after her death.
posted by Aloyzio Achutti at 10:24 AM
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