The Sobieski-Stewart Controversies
Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Silvester Xavier Maria Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie), Prince of Wales (1720-1788) and Duke of Rothesay. The Vatican also recognized him as the "Count of Albany." Charles was born December 31, 1720, and was baptized in the Palazzo Muti in Rome. Italy; in a mansion given to his father by the Pope Clement XI. Charles Edward was part of the Jacobite revolution beginning in 1735. Charles was symbolically crowned in September 24, 1745. His army went into England, but had to retreat to Scotland from Derby. They were defeated at Culloden on April 16, 1746. Charles married (1)Clementina Walkinslaw of Borrowfield, Comtesse d'Alberstaff in 1746. Clementina took their daughter, Charlotte, left Charles and went to the Paris Convent de la Visitation de Sainte Marie in the Rue de Bac. This marriage was annulled in 1766. The Catholic records of Liege in Belgium state that Charles and Clementina were living as man and wife, but had no formal wedding. (2) Princess Louise Maximilienne, the daughter of Gustavas, Prince of Stolberg-Gueden. Charles married Louise, by proxy, in Paris March 28, 1772, then in actuality in Macerata, Italy. In 1784, they were given papal dispensation to divorce since Louise had an affair with Italian poet, Vittorio, Count Alfieri. She left Charles in 1780 to live with Vittoria and they married August 1784. (3) on December 26, 1785, Charles married Marguerite Maria Terese O'Dea d'Audibert de Lussan, Comtesse de Massillan (1749-1820), at Santi Apostolis in Rome, Italy. (his cousin by descent from his grand uncle King Charles II. Marguerite was the daughter of Ferdinand O'Dea, Baron of Ida and Francoise de Lussan, Comtesse de Maisillan.
Charles' mistress was Marie Louis Henriette Jeann de la Tour, Dutchess of Montbazon (1725-1781) She married (1) Jules Hercule, Prince of Rohan and Duc de Montbazon (1726-1788). Jules was her first cousin (see above). Marie was the daughter of Marie Charlotte Sobieska.
From 1744-1745, Charles was in Paris (incognito) trying to raise French monies to support his invasion of Britain. There was a letter sent by King George II, in 1784, that said Charles could return to Britain from exile, as the Count of Albany. Charles Edward denied this offer.
In 1784 Charles made a will nominating his brother, Cardinal Henry, de jure Duke of York as his royal heir. However, it was rumored, there was a second will dated January 13, 1788. This will was witnessed by a Dominican Father O'Kelley and Abbe Consalvi (they were also the executors). This will left both Edward (his son) and Charlotte (his daughter) as heirs. Charles was said to have suffered from asthma and epilepsy, after a nervous breakdown resulting from his defeat at Culloden. Later he was reported to be a "drunk", however it is now thought that this was a result of his epilepsy? Prince Charles Edward Stuart died January 30/31, 1788; at age 67, at the Mutti Palazzo in Rome, Italy, of an apoplectic fit, and was buried at Frascati.
Henry Benedict Maria Clement Thomas Xavier Stuart was born March 6, 1725. He was Bishop of Frascati, Duke of York. He became a Roman Catholic cardinal in 1747. He and his brother were not on speaking terms (because Charles became an Anglican), until their father's death in 1766. Henry died in 1807. In his will he left Edward James, Count Stuarton, as his sole heir.
Written and Researched by Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewska, B.F.A.
Lucy Propert was born in 1750 to the eighteen year old daughter of Squire Propert. Lucy became mistress to Edward Augustus, Duke of York, who was the son of Frederick, Prince of Wales. Lucy charged 100 guinas a night for her services. Edward died September 17, 1767 after his secret marriage to Lucy. Her son, William, was born March 15, 1768, and Lucy died in childbirth.
Clementina gave birth to Mary in 1761 at the Chateau de Carlsbourg, Bouillon, France. Mary was adopted by Reverend Michael Ward. Mary married Walter Bagot.
GENERATION SEVEN
Prince Louis de Rohan, Cardinal-Archbishop of Stasbourg, Grand Aumonier of France.
Henri Louis de Rohan, Prince de Guémené (1745-1809).
Charles Godefroid de Rohan-Stuart(controversial) was born July 28, 1748 and was christened in the Church of St. Paul. His mockdeath and burial were in January 1749 in the crypt of St. Louis, but he was said to have died in England as Charles Stuart in 1820. His original coffin was opened in 1809 by Emperor Napoleon and it was empty. Thus making the fake burial seemingly a reality. Since Maria was married to her cousin Henri, this child is listed as his, since he was the legal father. Charles married Lady Alice Mary Emily Hay on May 16, 1874. Alice was the daughter of William, 8th Earl of Erroll. However, many think he is the biological son of Charles Edward Stuart, since Maria was Charles' mistress. Why would he have a mock death???
Charlotte de Johnstone Douglas Stewart, used the title of the Dutchess of Albany. Charlotte was born illegitimate on November 1753 in Liege, Belgium. She was baptized in Sainte Maie des Fonts. Charles later made her legitimate. She died in 1789. She was unmarried but had three children by Ferdinand de Rohan Gueneme, Archbishop of Bordeaux. The Stewart line was declared extinct.
Prince Edouard Jacques (Edward James) Stuart (Count Stuarton) was born in November 15, 1786. His uncle, Cardinal Henry, was his regent. He married Maria Emmanuella Pasquin (1789-1854), in 1809, in Rome Italy. Maria was the daughter of Edouardo Guuseppe Pasquini (Italy) and Leonora Comtesse di Vaglis.
They lived in Casa Stuardo in Rome, Italy. This house was built in 1802 by Charles Emmanuel IV, ex-king of Sardinia. The House was sold in 1892.
GENERATION EIGHT
Henry Edward Benedict Stuart was born November 18, 1809.
Louise Henriette Marie Stuart died of smallpox at age five.
In this generation begins an even greater controversy.
There was a legend that a son of Charles Edward Stuart had two heirs, that lived in Scotland. This was not believed by the establishment. The claims were demolished by the press and the brothers ended their lives in dignified penury.
A "Royal Visit" was made in 1822. There was a sudden appearance of two mysterious, bearded brothers, who emerged from nowhere. They were calling themselves Sobieski Stewart and claimed to be descendants of Bonny Prince Charlie.
One was named John Sobieski-Stuart, who was said to have been born June 14, 1795; the other Charles Sobieski-Stuart born June 4, 1797. They were said to be the grandsons of Charles Godefroid de Rohun-Stuart (see Generation Six).
In 1838, a Lord Lovat provided the brothers with a handsome home on an island in the Beauly River. There these two men were known as "Princes." These brothers then compiled a register of Clan tartans, which bore little relationship to historical reality. This book listed all the clan tartans which they professed to call their own. This book was called Vestiarium Scoticum, and it was allegedly based on a 16th century manuscript that was formerly in the Library of the Scots College at Douay. Other works were cited, and this book had the majority of the Scottish Clans within its covers. In 1831, James Logan published his own Scottish Gael book which is today accepted as a good source of clan histories. Also a descendant of Lord Lovat compiled his own "clan book." Lovat's book is thought to be well thought out as well.
John died February 13, 1872, while Charles died December 25, 1880. They are both buried in Eskdale Chapel. No one knows why Lord Lovat enabled the two brothers to outwardly seem to be of royal descent. However, he must have felt that they made a good showing.
There was another record that says that John and Charles had a sister, named Sophia Elizabeth Sobieski-Stuart, who was born in 1795 (which would be difficult since only 6 months had passed since her brother's birth. She would have had to been delievered after only 6 months for this to be true, unless there was another mistress. She was said to have married Lt. John Chester-Bagot in 1821. In 1872, Queen Victoria was petitioned, on behalf of the Sobieski Stuart brothers to grant them a pension. This was refused since they suggested not only that they were related to her, but inferred they had claim to her crown. She thought them to be quite cheeky.(Gibbon)
Grandtully Castle in Atholl was the Lair of the Steurts of Grandtully, another Jacobite clan.
An article appeared in the Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter (see citation below), stating that there is an American branch of the Sobieski family.
This article states: "I was born in Warsaw, Poland, September 10th, 1842. My father was Count John Sobieski, the son of James Sobieski who lost his life in the Revolution in Poland of 1830 and 1831, and a lineal descendant of King John Sobieski who is known in history as John III, being myself sixth in the direct line through the oldest sons of oldest sons of that great warrior monarch. My mother's maiden name was Isabella Ben, of the celebrated Bem family..." (PGSN, 30). Let's examine this:
FACT: Jan Sobieski's first born son was named Prince Jakub Ludwik Sobieski (1667-1736) and he married Hedwig Elizabeth Amelie de Baviere Pfalz-Neubourg (1674-1722) ...to be continued... Most experts agree that there are no descendants left in the patrilineal line of the Sobieski family.
This page was last updated on July 8, 2005
