Jacobite line of succession to the English and Scottish thrones in 1714 facts for kids
The following is about the Jacobite line of succession to the English and Scottish thrones right after Queen Anne died on August 1, 1714. It shows who people thought should be the next ruler, based on old laws before the Act of Settlement 1701 changed things. That new law said that Catholics could not become king or queen.
Why the Throne Needed a New Heir
Queen Anne was the last ruler from the House of Stuart. Sadly, all of her children died young, before they turned 12. This created a big problem: who would rule next?
To solve this, a special law was made in 1701, called the Act of Settlement. This law decided that the throne would go to Sophia of the Palatinate and her children. But there was a very important rule: no Roman Catholics, or anyone married to a Roman Catholic, could become ruler.
This law was made on purpose to stop Anne's half-brother, James Francis Edward Stuart, from becoming king. He was a Roman Catholic and lived in exile. People later called him the 'Old Pretender'. This law completely changed British history. It also led to many political problems, including the Jacobite Revolts.
When Queen Anne died in August 1714, there were 67 living relatives of the Stuart family. However, the first 55 of them were Roman Catholic. Because of the Act of Settlement, they could not become ruler. So, the throne went to George Louis of Hanover. He was the oldest son of Electress Sophia, who had died a few months earlier.
This article lists all 67 people who could have claimed the throne.
Who Was Next in Line?
This section shows how each person was related to King James I and VI. He was the first king to rule both England and Scotland. People who were allowed to inherit the throne by the Act of Settlement (because they were Protestant) are written in italics.
James I and VI, King of England and Scotland (died 1625)
Charles I, King of England and Scotland (died 1649)
James II and VII, King of England and Scotland (died 1701)
- (1) James Francis Edward Stuart (1688–1766): He claimed the throne from 1701. He was against George I Louis, who was chosen to be the next king.
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- Henrietta of England (died 1670)
- (2) Anne Marie, Queen of Sardinia (1669–1728)
- Henrietta of England (died 1670)
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'*'(3) Victor Amadeus, Prince of Piedmont (1699–1715) '*'(4) Prince Charles Emmanuel of Savoy, who later became King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia (1701–1773) *Marie Adélaïde of Savoy (died 1712)
**- (5) Louis, Duke of Anjou, who later became King Louis XV of France (1710–1774) *
- Maria Luisa of Savoy (died 1714) '**'(6) Louis, Prince of Asturias, who later became King Louis of Spain (1707–1724) '**'(7) Infante Philip of Spain (1712–1719) **
- (8) Infante Ferdinand of Spain, who later became King Ferdinand VI of Spain (1713–1759)
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- Elizabeth of Bohemia (died 1662)
- Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine (died 1680)
- (9) Elisabeth Charlotte, Dowager Duchess of Orléans (1652–1722)
- Charles I Louis, Elector Palatine (died 1680)
- Elizabeth of Bohemia (died 1662)
'*'(10) Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans (1674–1723) '**'(11) Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Chartres, who later became Duke of Orléans (1703–1752) '**'(12) Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans (1695–1719) '**'(13) Louise Adélaïde d'Orléans (1698–1743) '**'(14) Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans (1700–1761)
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- (15) Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans (1709–1742) *
- (16) Élisabeth Charlotte, Duchess of Lorraine (1676–1744) '**'(17) Prince Leopold Clement of Lorraine (1707–1723) '**'(18) Prince Francis Stephen of Lorraine, who later became Holy Roman Emperor (1708–1765) '**'(19) Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine (1712–1780) '**'(20) Princess Elisabeth Therese of Lorraine (1711–1741) **
- (21) Princess Anne Charlotte of Lorraine (1714–1773)
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- Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern (died 1663)
- Louise Marie von Simmern (died 1679)
- Edward, Count Palatine of Simmern (died 1663)
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- (25) Princess Christine of Salm (1707–1775) *
- (26) Eleonore Christine, Duchess of Ursel (1678–1757)
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- (27) Anne Henriette, Dowager Princess of Condé (1648–1723)
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- (36) Élisabeth Alexandrine de Bourbon, Mlle de Gex (1705–1765) '*'(37) Marie Thérèse, Second Dowager Princess of Conti (1666–1732) '**'(38) Louis Armand, Prince of Conti (1695–1727) '**'(39) Marie Anne, Princess of Condé (1689–1720) **
- (40) Louise Adelaide de Bourbon, Mlle de la Roche-sur-Yon (1696–1750) '*'(41) Louise Bénédicte, Duchess of Maine (1676–1753) '**'(42) Louis Auguste, Prince of Dombes (1700–1755) '**'(43) Louis Charles, Count of Eu (1701–1775) **
- (44) Louise Françoise de Bourbon, Mlle du Maine (1707–1743) *
- (45) Marie Anne, Dowager Duchess of Vendôme (1678–1718)
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- (46) Benedicta Henrietta, Dowager Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1652–1730)
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- (53) Wilhelmina Amalia, Holy Roman Empress (1673–1742) '**'(54) Archduchess Maria Josefa of Austria (1699–1757) **
- (55) Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria (1701–1756)
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- Sophia, Electress of Hanover (died 1714) She was chosen to be the next heir by the Act of Settlement (1701).
- (56) George I Louis, Elector of Hanover (1660–1727)
- Sophia, Electress of Hanover (died 1714) She was chosen to be the next heir by the Act of Settlement (1701).
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'*'(57) George Augustus of Hanover, duke of Cambridge, who later became King George II (1683–1760) '**'(58) Frederick Louis of Hanover, who later became Prince of Wales (1707–1751) '**'(59) Anne of Hanover (1709–1759) '**'(60) Amelia of Hanover (1711–1786)
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- (61) Caroline of Hanover (1713–1757) *
- (62) Sophia Dorothea of Hanover (1687–1757) '**'(63) Frederick of Prussia, who later became King of Prussia (1712–1786) **
- (64) Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709–1758)
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- (65) Maximilian William of Hanover (1666–1726)
- (66) Ernest Augustus of Hanover, who later became Duke of York and Albany and Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück (1674–1728)
- Sophia Charlotte of Hanover (died 1705)
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- (67) Frederick William I, King in Prussia (1688–1740)