Lot 24: James II (1633–1701), King of England and Ireland and James VII of Scotland (1685-1688), wearing suit of armour, lace jabot and sash of the Order of the Garter, his wig falling in curls over his shoulders

James II (1633–1701), King of England and Ireland and James VII of Scotland (1685-1688), wearing suit of armour, lace jabot and sash of the Order of the Garter, his wig falling in curls over his shoulders. Ink and wash on card, gilt-metal frame with pierced spiral border and ribbon cresting, the reverse engraved, King James 2^nd/ by/ Bullfinch and bearing handwritten label inscribed, Hamilton Sale/ 1882/ Cat.No. 1587. Oval, 91mm (3 9/16in) high

Christie's, London, The Sale of The Hamilton Palace Collection, 17 June - 20 July 1882, lot 1587, where sold to H. E. Kidson for £22-1s; Sotheby's, London, 26 June 1980, lot 12

As the second surviving son of Charles I, James ascended the throne upon the death of his brother, Charles II in 1685. The birth of his Catholic heir, James Francis Edward Stuart in 1688, ignited the Glorious Revolution which resulted in James' flight to France and the double-coronation of his Protestant first-born child, Mary and her husband, William of Orange in 1689. James made one serious attempt to recover his crown when he landed in Ireland that same year but upon the defeat of his army at the Battle of the Boyne, James returned to exile in France where he lived out the remainder of his life at the court of his cousin, Louis XIV. Both his son and grandson, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, maintained their claims to the thrones of England and Scotland throughout their lifetimes.