Sisters in the hood

Who are some of the forgotten and unfortunate women in the stories of Oxford…

It came as a surprise to me one day to learn that Charles and James II had several sisters. How did they fare I wondered.

Mary, Princess Royal (1631–1660) The eldest daughter of Charles I and Henrietta Maria became Princess of Orange when she married William II of Orange in 1641. While this Mary did aged under 30 years old of smallpox just before her brother’s restoration, their son became our own William III, the famous William of Orange who married Mary’s cousin Mary (daughter of James II), and became King of England. His reign was notable for, among other things the Bill of rights in 1689. Putting and end to notions of the Divine Right of Kings.

I some times wonder if it was around if this time that the allegory of justice was placed above James I head on and his Corinthian throne in the Tower of the Orders in the Old School’s Quad.

Tower of the Orders in the Old Schools Quad

Elizabeth Stuart’s (1635–1650) fate was also short lived and less glorious. She was somehow separated from the rest of the family and was imprisoned during the English Civil War in Carisbrooke Castle and died at the age of 14, probably of pneumonia, while still imprisoned..

Anne, Duchess of York (1637–1640) died at the age of three.

Henrietta of England (1644–1670), known as Minette, was born during the English Civil War fled to France with her mother. She later married Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, the younger brother of King Louis XIV of France. She became a prominent figure in his court and showed some diplomatic skills between France and England but died suddenly at the age of 26, possibly from poisoning.

This is the story of the sisters of Charles II and James II.

The sisters of Charles I did not fare so well.

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