Editing Maria Clementina Sobieska (section)

===Marriage===
Being one of Europe's wealthiest heiresses from inheriting vast estates in Poland from her paternal grandfather, she was betrothed to [[James Francis Edward Stuart|James, Prince of Wales]], the exiled son of James II and VII. King [[George I of Great Britain]] was opposed to the marriage because he feared that the union might produce heirs to James Francis Edward's claim to his thrones. To placate him, [[Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor]] (Maria Clementina's own maternal first cousin) had her arrested while on her way to Italy to marry James Francis Edward. She was confined in [[Innsbruck]] Castle but eventually the guards were deceived and, with the help of [[Charles Wogan]], Maria Clementina escaped to [[Bologna]], where, for safety from further intrusions, she was [[married by proxy]] to James, who was in [[Spain]] at that time.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Aronson |first1=Theo |title=Kings over the Water: The Saga of the Stuart Pretenders |date=1979 |publisher=Thistle Publishing |isbn=978-1910198070 |pages=182–187}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Maher |first1=Richard |title=The Rescue & Escape of Princess Maria Clementina Sobieska (recording of lecture) |url=https://soundcloud.com/history-hub/richard-maher-rescue-and-escape-princess-maria-clementina-sobieska |website=History Hub |accessdate=3 June 2020}}</ref> Maria Clementina's father approved her escape, declaring that, as she became engaged to James Francis Edward, she ought to "follow his fortune and his cause".

Maria Clementina and Prince James were formally married on 3 September 1719 in the chapel of the episcopal palace of [[Montefiascone]], [[Italy]], in the Cathedral of Santa Margherita.<ref>{{cite web |title=Maria Clementina Sobieska |date=8 July 2016 |url=https://cullodenbattlefield.wordpress.com/2016/07/08/maria-clementina-sobieska |accessdate=3 June 2020}}</ref> Following their marriage, James and Maria Clementina were invited to reside in [[Rome]] at the special request of [[Pope Clement XI]], who acknowledged them as the king and queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.