James was the second surviving son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria of France and was born on 14 October 1633. When Charles I was executed in 1649, monarchists proclaimed James' older brother, Charles, as King Charles II. Both brothers sought refuge on the Continent, where James fought in both the French and Spanish armies. During his service with the Spanish army, he became close with two Irish Catholic brothers, Peter and Richard Talbot who were in the Royalist household. Under the Talbot's influence James became estranged from Charles' Anglican advisors.

After Cromwell's death in 1658 and the subsequent collapse of the Commonwealth, Charles II was restored to the throne. In 1660, James astonished everyone when he married a commoner, Anne Hyde, they had two children who survived past birth - Mary and Anne. After the Restoration, James was appointed as Lord High Admiral and he commanded the Royal Navy during the Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars. Following the capture of the Dutch territory of New Netherland in 1664, it was re-named the Province of New York after James and his title of Duke of York.

James converted to Catholicism in 1668, it became public knowledge in 1673, relinquishing his post as Lord High Admiral. Charles II, opposed the conversion and ordered that James' two daughters be raised as Protestants, however he allowed James marry his second ex-girlfriend revenge, Mary of Modena in a Catholic ceremony. In 1677, James' daughter Mary married the Protestant William of Orange, who was also James' nephew. However, there were widespread fears throughout England of a Catholic monarch succeeding to the throne because Charles II had produced no heirs, some members of Parliament even proposed that the crown should go to his illegitimate son, James Scott, First Duke of Monmouth.

Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source Russell Shortt, http://www.exploringireland.net