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James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, and pretender to the Great British throne James III flees to Dunkirk after

James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, and pretender to the Great British throne James III flees to Dunkirk after failed invasion attempt

A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term may often be used to either refer to a descendant of a deposed monarchy or a claim that is not legitimate.

In addition, it may also refer to that of a deposed monarch, a type of claimant referred to as head of a house. In addition, it may also refer to a former monarchy.

Queen Anne popularized this word, using it to refer to her Roman Catholic half-brother James Francis Edward Stuart, the Jacobite heir, in an address to Parliament in 1708: "The French fleet sailed from Dunkirk ... with the Pretender on board."

In 1807 the French Emperor Napoleon complained that the Almanach de Gotha continued to list German princes whom he had deposed.

Historical Significance

A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government.

Events Before

  1. John V succeeds his father, Peter II, as King of Portugal

    Dom John V (Portuguese: João Francisco António José Bento Bernardo; 22 October 1689 – 31 July 1750), known as the Magnanimous (o Magnânimo) and the Portuguese Sun King (o Rei-Sol Português), was King…

  2. Acts of Union come into force, uniting England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain

    Great Britain, officially the Kingdom of Great Britain, was a sovereign state in Western Europe from 1707 to the end of 1800.

  3. German composer Johann Sebastian Bach marries for the 1st time his cousin Maria Barbara Bach

    German composer Johann Sebastian Bach marries for the 1st time his cousin Maria Barbara Bach

  4. The Act of Union is ratified by the Scottish Parliament

    The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new political state of Great Britain.

  5. Battle of Almansa; Franco-Spanish forces defeat British and Portuguese

    The Battle of Almansa took place on 25 April 1707, during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Events After

  1. Frisian Stadtholder and Prince of Orange John William Friso (21) weds Dutch Countess Maria Louise van Hessen-Kassel (21)

    Frisian Stadtholder and Prince of Orange John William Friso (21) weds Dutch Countess Maria Louise van Hessen-Kassel (21), until his death in 1702

  2. Great Northern War: Peter the Great of Russia defeats Charles XII of Sweden at the Battle of Poltava; Charles goes into

    Great Northern War: Peter the Great of Russia defeats Charles XII of Sweden at the Battle of Poltava; Charles goes into exile in Bender, Ottoman Empire

  3. Dike at Hardinxveld breaks, flooding Alblasserwaard in the Netherlands

    Dike at Hardinxveld breaks, flooding Alblasserwaard in the Netherlands

  4. Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe first opens its doors in Mexico City on the site of two apparitions of the Virgin - no

    Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe first opens its doors in Mexico City on the site of two apparitions of the Virgin - now a basilica and the holiest church in Mexico

  5. Battle of Poltava; Russians defeat Swedes, end of Swedish empire as a major power

    The Battle of Poltava fought on 8 July 1709, was the decisive and largest battle of the Great Northern War.

More from the 1700s

Protestant Western Europe, except England, begins to use the Gregorian calendar

The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull Inter gravissimas issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it...

John V succeeds his father, Peter II, as King of Portugal

Dom John V (Portuguese: João Francisco António José Bento Bernardo; 22 October 1689 – 31 July 1750), known as the Magnanimous (o Magnânimo) and the Portuguese Sun King (o Rei-Sol Português), was King…

Great Northern War begins in Northern Europe between Denmark–Norway, Saxony, Russia, and the Swedish Empire

Great Northern War begins in Northern Europe between Denmark–Norway, Saxony, Russia, and the Swedish Empire

Queen Anne of England knights scientist Isaac Newton at Trinity College, Cambridge

Sir Isaac Newton (4 January [O.S. 25 December] 1643 – 31 March [O.S. 20 March] 1727) was an English polymath who was a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, author and…

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on March 27, 1708?
A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government. The term may often be used to either refer to a descendant of a deposed monarchy or a claim that is not legitimate. In addition, it may also refer to that of a deposed monarch, a type of claimant referred to as head of a house.
Why is James Francis Edward Stuart, Prince of Wales, and pretender to the Great Brit... significant?
A pretender is someone who claims to be the rightful ruler of a country although not recognized as such by the current government.

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March 27 in HistoryYear 1708