I recently read Alison Weirs biography of Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, and it got me thinking.
Throughout Mary I’s reign, she was pretty determined to see her cousin and closest friend, Margaret Douglas, and then her son, Lord Darnley, become her heirs. However, Parliament was very against this and did not wish to oust Lady Elizabeth Tudor from the line of succession. Mary only ceded to Parliament at the very last minute, naming Elizabeth her heir on her deathbed.
The line of succession during the reign of Mary I:
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and Charles Stuart are the only male heirs of Tudor blood alive, and could be argued, higher in the succession than all others, superseded only by Mary, Queen of Scots (however, being considered an ‘alien’, Mary’s claim is not taken seriously by those in England, only by her supporters in Scotland and France).
((It is important to note, that Lady Katherine Grey was a staunch protestant, whilst the religion of Darnley is up for debate, especially in his earlier years (at this point being around 13 years old). His mother was a staunch and devout Catholic, most likely why she had Mary’s support and his father, Matthew, Earl Lennox, was very changeable in his religion, changing it to suit whichever monarch sat on the throne. Margaret would have had a strong influence on her son, even with religion. However, his tutor, John Elder, was a reformist and protestant, and taught Darnley from a young age. It seems to me that Darnley would be sympathetic to both faiths and could change religion to suit whoever his supporters are.))
With Mary I so determined to see the Lennox’s become her heirs, with Lady Elizabeth out of the way, would be see another Act of Succession? Would Parliament be much more susceptible to this now? Or, if not, would Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, would be quickly married off to Katherine Grey? What are your thoughts? Would we see Lord Darnley become King Henry IX of England?
Throughout Mary I’s reign, she was pretty determined to see her cousin and closest friend, Margaret Douglas, and then her son, Lord Darnley, become her heirs. However, Parliament was very against this and did not wish to oust Lady Elizabeth Tudor from the line of succession. Mary only ceded to Parliament at the very last minute, naming Elizabeth her heir on her deathbed.
The line of succession during the reign of Mary I:
- Lady Elizabeth Tudor
- Frances Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk
- Lady Katherine Grey
- Lady Mary Grey
- Eleanor Brandon, Countess of Cumberland
- Lady Margaret Clifford
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox
- Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
- Charles Stuart
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and Charles Stuart are the only male heirs of Tudor blood alive, and could be argued, higher in the succession than all others, superseded only by Mary, Queen of Scots (however, being considered an ‘alien’, Mary’s claim is not taken seriously by those in England, only by her supporters in Scotland and France).
((It is important to note, that Lady Katherine Grey was a staunch protestant, whilst the religion of Darnley is up for debate, especially in his earlier years (at this point being around 13 years old). His mother was a staunch and devout Catholic, most likely why she had Mary’s support and his father, Matthew, Earl Lennox, was very changeable in his religion, changing it to suit whichever monarch sat on the throne. Margaret would have had a strong influence on her son, even with religion. However, his tutor, John Elder, was a reformist and protestant, and taught Darnley from a young age. It seems to me that Darnley would be sympathetic to both faiths and could change religion to suit whoever his supporters are.))
With Mary I so determined to see the Lennox’s become her heirs, with Lady Elizabeth out of the way, would be see another Act of Succession? Would Parliament be much more susceptible to this now? Or, if not, would Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, would be quickly married off to Katherine Grey? What are your thoughts? Would we see Lord Darnley become King Henry IX of England?
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