Post by peace on Mar 21, 2007 9:25:16 GMT -5
Duke of Monmouth
Following his execution, according to tradition, it was realised only too late that there was no official portrait of the Duke - for someone who had claimed the throne, albeit in vain, this was unheard of. So his body was exhumed, the head stitched back on the body, and it was sat for its portrait to be painted.
The theory that the Duke of Monmouth was in fact The Man in the Iron Mask seems to be based on the reasoning that James II would not execute his own nephew; someone else was executed instead; and James II arranged for Monmouth to be taken to France and put in the custody of Louis XIV of France.
Following his execution, according to tradition, it was realised only too late that there was no official portrait of the Duke - for someone who had claimed the throne, albeit in vain, this was unheard of. So his body was exhumed, the head stitched back on the body, and it was sat for its portrait to be painted.
The theory that the Duke of Monmouth was in fact The Man in the Iron Mask seems to be based on the reasoning that James II would not execute his own nephew; someone else was executed instead; and James II arranged for Monmouth to be taken to France and put in the custody of Louis XIV of France.
