The 'Old Pretender'

The 'Old Pretender' was the nickname for James Francis Edward Stuart, the son of the deposed King James II of England. During the early 18th century, he claimed to be the legitimate heir to the British throne and led efforts to restore the Stuart monarchy, which had been replaced by the ruling House of Hanover. His supporters, mainly in Scotland and parts of Britain, viewed him as the rightful king. However, he never successfully regained the throne, and his efforts are remembered as part of the larger conflict known as the Jacobite risings, which aimed to restore the Stuarts to power.