This Day in Jacobite History: Death of King James II and VII - 16 September 1701

[NOTE: I originally posted this on 6 September. It appears that the source from which I got that date contained a typo - the actual anniversary of the death of King James II and VII is 16 September, NOT 6 September. In the interest of historical accuracy and correcting the record, I am reposting this today.]

On this day 305 years ago - 16 September 1701, King James II and VII died in exile of a brain hemorrhage at Château de Saint Germain-en-Laye, near Paris.

During his last years, James lived as an austere penitent.

According to The Jacobite Heritage website:

His body was lain (in a coffin, but not buried) in the Chapel of Saint Edmund in the Church of the English Benedictines in the Rue St. Jacques, Paris. His brain was sent to the Scots College in Paris, his heart to the Convent of the Visitandine Nuns at Chaillot, and his bowels divided between the English Church of St. Omer and the parish church of St. Germain-en-Laye. James' body remained in the Church of the English Benedictines, waiting translation to Westminster Abbey, until the French Revolution when it were desecrated by the mob and lost. Lost also during the Revolution were his remains at the Scots College, the Visitandine Convent of Chaillot, and the English Church of St. Omer. The praecordia which had been placed in the parish church of St. Germain-en-Laye, however, were rediscovered in 1824 and remain there to this day.

The following was posted about a month ago at the Jacobite Yahoo Group site by one of the members of that group:

The Beatification of King James II and VII and Queen Mary of Modena

Since members of our Jacobite group have been discussing the matter of "Good Information on King James II", we have touched on a very interesting theme, of vital importance to Catholic Jacobites, but also to others like myself (I am Greek Orthodox), who see a religious dimension to Legitimism. The theme of initiating, according to the prescribed canonical formalities of the Catholic Church, of the Process of Beatification of King James II and VII and Queen Mary of Modena. The Holy Life of these Stuart Monarchs, who were deprived of the Thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, for the simple reason that they were Catholics, has been hinted at in certain biographies, written by historians, who in the main could not be considered pre-disposed favourably to King James II. Two biographies have been singled out, "The Shadow of a Crown" (by Meriol Trevor, a serious professional Catholic biographer) and "King in Exile"( by John Callow, a researcher in late 17th century English Political and Social History). Assembling the necessary hagiographical material for a Beatification Process to begin is a task, infinitely more serious than simply sifting archives for a biography. The miraculous cures, attributed to King James II, that Noel has mentioned, deserve to be more-widely known. Certainly, during his last years, he deeply repented of his extra-marital affairs, and sternly counselled his son, James III and VIII, to be Sovereign first of all of his carnal passions.

Of course, the Beatification Process for Mary Queen of Scots (Queen Mary I & II) has also, I believe, been started, but has there been any progress? As Jacobites, we have been incumbered with a sacred duty to pursue with due diligence. We are not concerned primarily with "objective historical criteria". We leave these to the biographers. We are interested in seeking the full approbation of the Catholic Church for the exemplary life and faith, even martyrdom, if not in blood, at least in conscience, of Kings and Queens.

We have been blessed with many examples of pious Sovereigns, whose lives are an eloquent response to the self-interest and tasteless extravagance of many of the usurpers. Am I alone in thinking that the present Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, a subject and possibly an admirer of our Bavarian Stuart Kings, a profound Theologian, to whom few can be compared today, would look favourably on the promotion of Catholic Stuart Princes and Princesses to the Catalogue of Saints.

Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
This Day in Jacobite History: Mary Queen of Scots Deposed - 24 July 1567

This Day in Jacobite History: The Battle of Killiecrankie - 27 July 1689

This Day in Jacobite History: Death of Queen Anne; George, Elector of Hanover, Becomes King - 1 August 1714

This Day in Jacobite History: Proscription Act Introduced, Banning Tartan and Carrying of Weapons - 1 August 1747

This Day in Jacobite History: Latin Mass Outlawed in Scotland - 11 August 1560

This Day in Jacobite History: Raising of the Jacobite Standard at Glenfinnan - 19 August 1745

This Day in Jacobite History: Marriage Ceremony of James Francis Edward Stuart and Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska - 1 September 1719