Editing Mary of Modena (section)

== Early life (1658–1673) ==
[[File:Alfonso IV d'Este.jpg|thumb|left|[[Alfonso IV d'Este, Duke of Modena]], Mary's father, in a portrait by [[Justus Sustermans]]|alt=Formal portrait of Mary's father as a young man. He has long bushy hair and a fleshy face, and wears a black suit of armor with a brown shoulder sash.]]
Maria Beatrice [[d'Este]], the second (but eldest surviving) child of [[Alfonso IV, Duke of Modena]], and his wife, [[Laura Martinozzi]], was born on 5 October 1658 [[New Style|NS]]{{#tag:ref|Modena and France used the [[Gregorian calendar]], indicated by modern historians with the initials "NS" (for "New Style"), while England and Scotland (and some of central Protestant Europe, such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland) still used the older [[Julian calendar]] (designated by initials "OS" for "Old Style"). Therefore, for the duration of the 17th century, English/"Julian" dates were ten days behind Modena and France's Gregorian dates, with most of the rest of continental Catholic [[Europe]]. From 29 February 1700 to 14 September 1752, the difference was eleven days.|group=note}} in [[Modena]], [[Duchy of Modena]], Italy. Her only younger brother, [[Francesco II d'Este, Duke of Modena|Francesco]], succeeded their father as Duke upon the latter's death in 1662, the year Mary turned four.<ref>Oman, p. 14</ref> Mary and Francesco's mother, Laura, was strict with them and acted as regent of the duchy until her son came of age.<ref name=Haile16>Haile, p. 16</ref><ref>Oman, p. 15</ref> Mary's education was excellent;<ref name="Waller22"/> she spoke French and Italian fluently, had a good knowledge of Latin and, later, mastered English.<ref>Waller, p. 23</ref><ref>Haile, p. 18</ref>

Mary was described by contemporaries as "tall and admirably shaped", and was sought as a bride for [[James, Duke of York]], by [[Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough|Lord Peterborough]].<ref>Fea, p. 70</ref><ref>Oman, p. 19</ref> Lord Peterborough was [[Groom of the Stole]] to the Duke of York. A widower, James was the younger brother and heir of [[Charles II of England]].<ref name=Waller15>Waller, p. 15</ref> Duchess Laura was not initially forthcoming with a reply to Peterborough's proposal, hoping, according to the French ambassador, for a "grander" match with the eleven-year-old [[Charles II of Spain]].<ref>Oman, p. 10</ref><ref>Haile, p. 17</ref> Whatever the reason for Laura's initial reluctance, she finally accepted the proposal on behalf of Mary, and they were [[married by proxy]] on 30 September 1673, she just shy of 15, he being 39.<ref name=Haile24>Haile, p. 24</ref>

Modena was within the [[sphere of influence]] of [[Louis XIV of France]], who endorsed Mary's candidature and greeted Mary warmly in Paris, where she stopped ''en route'' to England, giving her a brooch worth £8,000.<ref name=Oman27>Oman, p. 27</ref>{{#tag:ref|This is equivalent to £{{Inflation|UK|8000|1673|r=0}} in present-day terms.{{inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}|group=note}} Her reception in England was much cooler.<ref name=FraserCharlesII418 /> Parliament, which was entirely composed of Protestants, reacted poorly to the news of a ''Roman Catholic'' marriage, fearing it was a "Papist" plot against the country.<ref name=FraserCharlesII418>Fraser, ''King Charles II'', p. 418</ref> The English public, who were predominantly Protestant, branded the Duchess of York – as Mary was thereafter known as until her husband's accession – the "Pope's daughter".<ref name=Oman28>Oman, p. 28</ref> Parliament threatened to have the marriage annulled,<ref name=Oman28 /> leading Charles to suspend parliament until 7 January 1674 OS, to ensure the marriage would be honoured and safeguarding the reputation of his [[House of Stuart]].<ref name=Waller15 />