A Jacobite Gazetteer - Rome

Pontificio Collegio Scozzese

Exterior with chapel at left

Since 1964 the Pontifical Scots College has been located several miles northwest of central Rome at Via Cassia, 481; the College was formerly located at Via delle Quattro Fontane 161.

In the crypt of the chapel are preserved the original tombstones of King James III and VIII, King Charles III, and King Henry IX and I. Until 1938 these stood in the crypt of the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano. The tombstones are of significant interest since they identify each man with his regnal number. The tombstone of King Charles is on the left wall of the chapel; those of King James and King Henry are on the right wall of the chapel.

The (poorly spelt) Latin inscription on the tombstone of King James III and VIII reads:

Tombstone of King James III and VIII

IACOBVS III.
MAGNAE BRITTANIAE, SCOTIAE, FRANCIAE, ET HYBERNIAE
REX
VIXIT ANNOS LXXVII. MENSES VI
DIES XI
OBYT KOL IANVARY MDCCLXVI

James III,
King
of Great Britain, Scotland, France, and Ireland.
He lived 77 years, six months,
[and] nine days.
He died January 1, 1766.

The Latin inscription on the tombstone of King Charles III reads:

Tombstone of King Charles III

D · O · M ·
CAROLVS III ·
IACOBI III · MAGNÆ BRITTANIÆ
FRANC · ET HIB · REGIS FILIVS
NATVS MDCCXX ·
OBIIT PRID · KAL · FEBRVAR ·
MDCCLXXXVIII ·

To God, most good, most great.
Charles III
son of James III, King
of Great Britain, France, and Ireland,
born 1720,
died January 30, 1788.

The Latin inscription on the tombstone of King Henry IX and I reads:

Tombstone of King Henry IX and I

D · O · M ·
HENRICVS IX ·
IACOBI III MAGNÆ BRITTANIÆ
FRANC · ET HIB · REGIS FILIVS
DVX EBORACENSIS NVNCVP ·
EPVS OSTIEN · ET VELITERN ·
S · R · E · VICE CANCELLAR · S · COLL · DECANVS
SS · BASILICÆ VATICAN · ARCHIPR ·
TVSCVLI OBIIT DIE XIII · IVL · AN · MDCCCVII ·
VIXIT · AN · LXXXII · M · IV · D · VII ·

To God, most good, most great.
Henry IX,
son of James III, King
of Great Britain, France, and Ireland,
called Duke of York,
Bishop of Ostia and Velletri,
Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, Dean of the Sacred College [of Cardinals],
Archpriest of the Most Holy Vatican Basilica,
died at Frascati, July 13, 1807.
He lived 82 years, four months, [and] seven days.

Portrait of King Henry IX and I

In the refectory of the College is an oil portrait of King Henry IX and I. Henry holds in his right hand a letter addressed "A Sua Altza Reale Ema Il Sig Card Duca Yorck". To his right is a royal crown. ¹

On the main floor of the College there is a widening in the hallway where there is a display of a number of items of Stuart interest. On the left wall there are twelve copies of Stuart portraits published by The Cameron Studio. On the centre wall is an oil portrait of King Henry IX and I attributed to Joshua Reynolds. ² Henry is seated and holds in his left hand a piece of paper. On the right wall is a large copy of a 1774 engraving of Saint Peter's Basilica and Square; at the bottom of the engraving is a dedication to the Cardinal Duke of York ³ with his coat-of-arms. On the same wall is a proclamation of the Prince Regent (later King Charles III), dated October 10, 1745; the proclamation is usually protected by a cloth covering.

In a reception room of the College is a smaller oil portrait of King Henry IX and I; the portrait is one of the few of Henry as an adult where he is not shown wearing ecclesiastical robes. He wears a red jacket with blue trim.

(Telephone: 39.06.33668001; Email: office@scots-college-rome.org).

Portrait of King Henry IX and I attributed to Reynolds

Portrait of King Henry IX and I

Engraving dedicated to King Henry IX and I

Proclamation of the Prince Regent

Notes

¹ The portrait bears a distinct resemblance to an engraving by Luigi Cunego printed in Rome in 1804; there is a copy in the MacBean Collection at the University of Aberdeen. This engraving is based upon a painting by Fra Luigi da Crema. Fra Luigi was a Capuchin priest and is therefore described in Italian as "Capño"; Henry was Protector of the Order of Capuchins. Fra Luigi was born in Cremona and worked in Rome.

² Joshua Reynolds was born in Plympton, Devon in 1723, and died in London in 1792. He was the foremost portrait painter in England in the eighteenth century. From April 1750 to April 1752 he lived in Rome; the portrait of Henry IX and I attributed to Reynolds could hardly have been painted at this time. In 1769 he was knighted by the Elector Georg III of Hannover.

³ "All' Altezza Reale Eminentissima di Errigo Benedetto Maria Vescovo di Frascati, Cardinal Duca d'Yorck, Cancelliere della S. Rom^na Chiesa, Sott Decano del Sacro Collegio ed Arciprete della Sagrosanta Basilica Vaticana".

Image 1 (Scots College exterior): The Pontifical Scots College Rome, Album 4 (http://digilander.iol.it/scotscollege/album4.htm).