Henry FitzJames

Henry FitzJames was born on 6 August 1673 in St. James's Square, Westminster, Middlesex, England. He was an illegitimate son of King James II of England and VII of Scotland and Arabella Churchill, sister of the first Duke of Marlborough. His family included his elder brother, James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick, who became a French Marshal, and siblings Henrietta FitzJames and Arabella FitzJames, who later became a nun.

FitzJames was raised in France and received his education at the College of Juilly and the Collège Henri-IV. In 1687, at the age of thirteen, he was sent to England to gain military experience aboard the ship HMS Sedgemoor, which was named after his father's recent victory.

Following the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the subsequent overthrow of his father, FitzJames went into exile in France. At age sixteen, he was appointed colonel of a regiment of infantry by his father and participated in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 during the Williamite War in Ireland.

In 1695, the English government outlawed FitzJames. In 1696, he was placed in command of a fleet at Toulon, which was granted by the French to the exiled King James to facilitate an invasion of England; however, the planned invasion was never executed. The following year, 1697, Louis XIV promoted FitzJames to admiral and lieutenant-general in the French Royal Army. He held these positions until his death.

On 20 July 1700, FitzJames married Marie Gabrielle d'Audibert de Lussan, daughter and heiress of Jean d'Audibert, Count of Lussan, and Marie Françoise Raimond. They had a posthumous daughter, Lady Christine Marie Jacqueline Henriette FitzJames, born on 29 May 1703 in Bagnols sur Cèze, Languedoc, France. She later became a nun. FitzJames's widow remarried in May 1707 to John Drummond, Marquess of Forth, who later became the 2nd Duke of Melfort.

FitzJames was granted the title of Duke of Albemarle by his father on 13 January 1696. This title, along with the subsidiary titles of Earl of Rochford and Baron Romney, was recognized only by Jacobites and the Kingdom of France. The titles became extinct upon his death. Additionally, he was appointed Grand Prior of the revived Priory of the English Commandery of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Rhodes, and Malta (Knights of Malta).

Henry FitzJames died on 16 December 1702 at the age of 29.