Cardinal King Henry IX.

The anniversary

of
our Cardinal King Henry IX and I.



The Arms of the Cardinal Duke of York.

On 13 July, 1807,
the soul of
Henry Benedict Mary Clement Thomas Francis Xavier Stuart
entered eternity.
He was a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church.

The Arms of the Stuart Kings.

He was King Henry IX of England, France and Ireland;
and
King Henry I of Scotland.
He is buried in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

I think that the life of this exiled
King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland,
the last of the Royal House of Stuart,
is most fitting.

The long procession of the Royal Stuarts concludes,
not in a hellish death struggle against the usurper,
but rather with the holy life long sacrifice
of the youngest member of the dynasty,
offered to God.
Henry Stuart
as Prince, heir to the thrones
and legitimate king,
lays down his life in the service of the King of kings
as the Priest-King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland,
Defender of the Faith.

The King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland,
and the Defender of the Faith,
as priest and victim
daily offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
for nearly 59 full years.
He was Prince of the Holy Roman Church for 60 years.

"...our every sacrifice was made for God,
for the Faith,
and for that unshaken loyalty we have ever displayed
towards the Primacy of Peter and the Holy See."

(Henry Cardinal called Duke of York, 4 Nov. 1792.)

A brief sketch of his life:

The Duke of York.

He was born in Rome on 6 March 1725,
the second son of exiled
King James III of England and VIII of Scotland.
On the same day he was baptised by Pope Benedict XIII,
shortly after, as the king's second son,
he was created Duke of York.

In 1745 he went to France to help his brother,
H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales,
(better known as
Bonnie Prince Charlie),
to prepare the Jacobite campaign in Scotland.

In June 1747 Pope Benedict XIV announced his intention
to enroll Prince Henry, Duke of York,
in the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church.

30 June 1747
the Duke of York was tonsured
by Pope Benedict XIV.

In the consistory of 3 July 1747,
the Duke of York was created
Cardinal-Deacon.

1 September 1748, in his 24th year of age,
he was ordained a Priest
and thereafter
daily offered the Sacred Victim
on the altar.

15 May - 6 July 1758,
aged 33 years,
he participated in the conclave to elect
Pope Clement XIII.

2 October, 1758,
the Cardinal Prince was appointed
Titular Archbishop of Corinthus
and consecrated bishop on 19 November 1758,
by Pope Clement XIII.

The following year he was appointed
Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere;
his Arms (above) can still be seen
in that ancient basilica's Lady chapel.

The Cardinal Duke of York.

On 13 July 1761,
46 years to the day before he would leave this world,
he was raised yet higher in the Church
when he was appointed
Archbishop (Personal Title) of Frascati.

On 1 January, 1766
his father King James III of England
and VIII of Scotland died.
The King's eldest son became
King Charles III.

The Cardinal Duke of York became the heir apparent.

15 February - 19 May 1769, aged 43,
he participated in the conclave that elected
Pope Clement XIV.

5 October 1775 - 15 February 1775 aged 49,
he participated in the conclave to elect
Pope Pius VI.

30 January, 1788 H.M. King Charles III,
Bonnie Prince Charlie,
his brother, died.

30 January, 1788,
the Cardinal-Prince, Duke of York,
succeeded to all of his British rights as
King Henry IX of England, France and Ireland;
King Henry I of Scotland;
Defender of the Faith.

(He now used the title
"Cardinal called Duke of York"
in order to indicate that this was no longer his real title.
He changed his arms from those of a second son,
with a crescent in the middle,
to the undifferenced Royal Arms.)

1 December 1799 - 14 March 1800, aged 74,
he participated in the conclave
that elected
Pope Pius VII.

26 September 1803
he was appointed Cardinal-Bishop of Ostia
and Dean of the College of Cardinals
which office he held until his death.

REQUIEM aeternam dona ei, Domine,
et lux perpetua luceat ei.
Requiescat in pace. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace. Amen.

And may the souls of all the faithful departed
rest in peace. Amen.

The tomb of the exiled Stuart Kings
St. Peter's Basilica, Rome.