James
Scott, the illegitimate son of Charles II
and Lucy Walter was born in 1649. The king arranged for his son to
be brought up by Lord Crofts.
James
was created Duke of Monmouth in 1663. Soon afterwards he married the
rich heiress, Ann, Countess of Buccleuch. He became involved in the
Rye House Plot and was forced to flee
the country.
Just before he died in
February 1685, Charles
II admitted that
he was a Catholic. He also announced
that his brother James
was to succeed him to the
throne. Monmouth believed he should be king and in June 1685, he landed
in England with 4,000 troops.
As he was a Protestant
he expected most of the population to support his claim to the throne,
but people in England were unwilling to get involved in another Civil
War. Monmouth was easily defeated by the king's army at Sedgemoor.
He was captured and beheaded in 1685.
The Duke of Monmouth fighting
at Maastrict in 1673.
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