Editing Charles Edward Stuart (section)

===Pretender: 1766–1788===
[[File:Charles Edward Stuart (1775).jpg|thumb|upright=.9|Charles Edward Stuart in his later years (painted by Hugh Douglas Hamilton, {{circa}} 1785)]]
[[File:Princess Louise of Stolberg (1752–1824).jpg|thumb|264x264px|[[Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern]] (1752–1824), c. 1772]]
Charles's father died on 1 January 1766.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=241}} [[Pope Clement XI]] had recognised James as King of England, Scotland, and Ireland as "James III and VIII", but over 40 years later [[Pope Clement XIII]] did not give Charles the same recognition as "Charles III".{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=242}} However, on 23 January, with the Pope's permission, Charles moved into the [[Palazzo Muti]], which his father had lived in for over 40 years.{{sfn|Aronson|1979|page=406}} Charles wrote to both the Kings of France and Spain on his accession, but recognition as King Charles III was not granted by either monarch.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=246}} Charles returned to his social life in Rome, making visits to the Pope and indulging in pastimes such as hunting, shooting, balls, concerts, operas and plays.  One notable occasion, was when he  met and heard [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]] perform at the [[Chigi Palace]] on 6 April.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=247}}  However, he would periodically shut himself away in his rooms, and was said to have formed no new friendships in his later life.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=247}} He made visits to [[Florence]] and [[Pisa]] in 1770, where he took to the waters at the city's [[Spa|thermal baths]].{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=249}} Charles returned to Paris in early 1771 with the permission of the French authorities under the Duc de Choiseul, who once again wished to discuss the possibility of a Jacobite invasion.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=249}} However, on the day of the meeting, Charles was reported to be so intoxicated that he was unable to speak coherently, so the discussions were abandoned.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=249}}

By the time Charles entered his 51st year, concern was raised by his Jacobite supporters and the French that he had not yet married, and that only his brother, a priest sworn to celibacy, remained as the only male heir.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=250}}{{sfn|Pininski|2010|p=81}} The French also wished to continue the Stuart line as a potential weapon against the government in Britain.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=250}}{{sfn|Pininski|2010|p=81}} In 1771, while he was in Paris, Charles dispatched Sir Edmund Ryan, an Irish officer in Berwick's regiment, to seek out a bride for him.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=250}} Despite some potential negotiations with prospective brides, he was unable to find a wife.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=250}} A few months later, Charles's companion, [[Emmanuel-Armand de Richelieu, duc d'Aiguillon|the Duc d'Aiguillion]], and his cousin [[Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 4th Duke of Liria and Jérica|Charles Fitz-James Stuart]] suggested the latter's sister-in-law [[Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern]] as a prospective bride.{{sfn|Pininski|2010|p=81}} Accordingly, on 28 March 1772, Charles married Princess Louise [[Proxy marriage|by proxy]].{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=251}} The couple met shortly after for the first time at [[Macerata]] on 17 April 1772, where the marriage was reported to have been consummated.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=251}}

They lived first in Rome and then moved to [[Florence]] in 1774, where he was provided with a residence by [[Corsini family|Prince Corsini]], the [[Palazzo di San Clemente]], now known as the ''Palazzo del Pretendente''.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=255}} In Florence, he used the title "Count of Albany" as an alias, and his wife Louise was normally referred to as the "Countess of Albany".{{efn|name=albany|The title is frequently used for him in European publications}}{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=307}} Charles's health deteriorated in later life, and he was reported to have suffered from asthma, high blood pressure, swollen legs and ulcers.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=255}} In 1774, while in Florence, he suffered constantly from his illnesses, which required him to be carried by his servants to and from his carriage.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=255}} Charles was also known to be an alcoholic, a condition that worsened with age.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=250}}{{sfn|Pininski|2010|page=80}}

Charles and Louise left Florence in 1777 and returned to Rome.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=257}} Their relationship had become increasingly quarrelsome.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=256}} One cause was said to be the speculation regarding Louise's adulterous relationships with the courtiers Carl Bonstetten and the Italian poet Count [[Vittorio Alfieri]].{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=257}}<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Mayne|first1=Ethel Colburn|title=Enchanters of Men|date=6 May 1909|publisher=Methuen & Co|location=London|page=[https://archive.org/details/enchantersmen00mayngoog/page/n252 206]|edition=Second|url=https://archive.org/details/enchantersmen00mayngoog|access-date=28 May 2016}}</ref> Another cause was stated to be Charles himself, who was reported as becoming increasingly irrational and drunk.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=258}} In November 1780, Louise formally left Charles.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=258}} After separating, she claimed that Charles had physically abused her.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=260}} This claim was generally believed by contemporaries.<ref name=":0"/> The historian Douglas states that Charles had been drinking following [[Saint Andrew's Day]] celebrations, and after accusing Louise of infidelities, may have attempted to rape her, resulting in her screaming to the extent that the household servants intervened.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=258}} In the years that followed, the Pope awarded Louise half of Charles's papal pension, and Charles's international reputation was greatly damaged.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=260}} He was said to live an increasingly isolated and unhappy life, especially after his brother Henry agreed to house Louise at his estate.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=262}}

By 1783, Charles's health continued to decline, and for a time, he fell seriously ill such to the extent that he was given the [[Anointing of the sick|Sacraments]].{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=262}} Although Charles recovered, he agreed to create a new will, and signed an act of legitimation for his illegitimate daughter [[Charlotte Stuart, Duchess of Albany|Charlotte]].{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=262}} Charles also gave her the title "Duchess of Albany" in the peerage of Scotland{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=122}} and the style "Her Royal Highness", but these honours did not give Charlotte any right of succession to the throne.{{sfn|Aronson|1979|page=353}} Charlotte lived with her father in Florence and Rome for the next five years. Eventually, she survived her father by less than two years, dying unmarried at Bologna in November 1789.{{sfn|Vaughan|1911|p=942}}{{efn|name=Allen|John Hay Allen and Charles Manning Allen, later known as [[Sobieski Stuarts|John Sobieski Stuart and Charles Edward Stuart]], claimed, without any foundation, that their father, Thomas Allen, was a legitimate son of Charles and Louise.<ref name="robinnicholsonbovok">{{cite book |last1=Nicholson |first1=Robin |title=Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Making of a Myth: A Study in Portraiture, 1720–1892 |date=2002 |publisher=Bucknell University Press |isbn=9780838754955 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=nl1i4aOoOfoC&q=%22Thomas+Allen%22+Bonnie+Prince+Charlie&pg=PA110|access-date=19 August 2019}}</ref>}} In April 1784, Charles was persuaded by the visiting King [[Gustav III of Sweden]] to grant Louise a decree of separation.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=263}} While not a formal divorce, as no such legal procedure existed in the [[Papal States]], Louise was thereby legally permitted to live separately from her husband, even though she had been doing so for some time.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|page=263}} Charles spent the majority of his last years living between Florence and Rome. However, he left Florence for the last time in 1785 and returned to Rome.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=267}} It was reported that he was limited to light travelling by his doctors owing to his fragility.{{sfn|Douglas|1975|p=267}}