The Virgin's son

[mcdnab]

Chapter Seven continued

Elizabeth's reaction to the Queen of Scots marriage was publicly muted - formal congratulations to the couple were delivered by Randolph - who privately had been upbraided by his sovereign in London for not foreseeing the match.

In private Elizabeth was furious though many on her council were not greatly concerned and found it preferable to a foreign marriage.
Mary herself had told the Earl of Arran when he remonstrated with the Queen over her hasty marriage that like her cousin the English Queen she had found happiness with someone not of equal birth but unlike Elizabeth's her husband was of sound mind and of true royal birth - it was of course a calculated and deliberate insult to a man who was still her heir presumptive.

Mary faced immediate reaction from many of her previous supporters - her half brother immediately declared the marriage to be a breach of the Bond of St Giles and gathered support from several Protestant Lords including the Earl of Arran. Their complaints were the manner of the Queen's marriage, a fear the King and Queen planned to overturn the reforms to religion and return Scotland to Rome, the couple intended to subvert the succession to allow the Lennox claim to overtake the Hamilton claim.

Mary took action immediately and gathered her own supporters - she also wrote to Elizabeth requesting that she not offer help or support to the rebels.

Elizabeth's council urged her to take action to support Moray and her father in law (both of whom had sent the Queen a list of their complaints and emphasised they meant Mary no harm) but the Queen was implacable in her opposition to those "odious rebels".

By mid-Summer no great action had taken place and Moray and Arran had failed to seize Edinburgh Castle. Mary was celebrating her "victory" and on August 6th both Arran and Moray slipped across the border into England.

Elizabeth ordered Moray to be arrested and held at York - her father in law the Earl of Arran was given safe conduct to Windsor where he was given apartments near his son the Duke of Richmond. Neither man was allowed to come to court or within the Queen's presence.

By September 1565 it was clear Queen Mary was pregnant but by Christmas it was made-known the Queen had miscarried.

Chapter Eight

The rising of the North

For Catholic's in England the 1560s were a troublesome decade. On her accession Elizabeth had proved she would rule as a Protestant monarch - working with her council and Parliament - Catholics began to vanish from the ecclesiastical benches and the privy council, the Royal Supremacy had been restored and the Act of Uniformity required all subjects attend Anglican services.
Elizabeth herself was more tolerant and it was known she still clung to some outward signs of Catholicism - but even the remnants would not satisfy Catholics who found the Supremacy and the 39 Articles deeply offensive.

Catholics might have had hope of an alternative had Elizabeth remained childless when her clearest heir was the Catholic Queen of Scots - but the birth of the Prince of Wales ended that hope.

Many were now torn between a love for their country and their duty to their religion.

By the late 1560s though it was clear that even Catholic foreign monarchs were no longer willing to overlook Elizabeth's continued heresy and a papal excommunication was surely likely.

English Catholics were divided - moderates favoured a rising that would force Elizabeth to repeal legislation and revert to the position at her accession, if she could not be forced then she must be deposed and replaced with her young son (who could then be educated in the Roman Catholic faith), less moderate Catholics though favoured the complete deposition of the Queen - they argued her illegitimacy was the basis for such action and that instead of replacing her with her son the Queen of Scots and her husband should be named King and Queen and they in turn would return England to Rome's embrace.

Mary Stuart was by 1568 well aware that she had strong support amongst English Catholics through the wide network of connections of her mother in law Margaret Douglas Countess of Lennox.

Mary had finally produced an heir in early December 1567 giving birth to twins named James and Margaret and with the succession assured she was now willing to discreetly support Catholics south of the border.

In 1569 The Earls of Westmorland and Northumberland rebelled - it was clear they expected support from Spain and Scotland - the rebels openly celebrated Catholic Mass and by summer had occupied Durham and began to march south to York. There was strong support in the north for the revolt but it was not clear to supporters what their leaders wanted - the Council in London - were first told the Earl's planned to kidnap the Prince of Wales and proclaim him King (and ordered the Prince to be transferred to apartments at Greenwich), later they were told they planned to depose the Queen and proclaim the Queen of Scots.

Later historians, even those sympathetic to their cause, have criticised the Earl's for the timing of their rebellion.

Elizabeth had at Cecil's urging begun negotiations wtih Spain in January 1569 for the betrothal of the Prince of Wales to Philip II's daughter the Infante Isabella.
Elizabeth was reluctant but Cecil and other's on the council were keen to neutralise Spain and believed the betrothal would delay any Catholic attack on Elizabeth.
The negotiations were dragging on and were still in flux by the time of the Earl's rising but Cecil had been correct - Philip II condemned the rebellion and the Pope was again persuaded to delays an excommunication of Elizabeth at Spain's urging.

The Christmas of 1569 the rebellion had been crushed by Elizabeth's commanders the Earl of Sussex and her cousin Lord Hunsdon. Many of the rebels had fled to Scotland but both Westmorland and Northumberland were captured and both were executed in late January 1570.

Pope Pius V hoping to aid the rebels but far to late finally published a bull excommunicating Elizabeth and liberating her subjects from their loyalty to her.

 

[Jonathan]

Elizabeth had at Cecil's urging begun negotiations wtih Spain in January 1569 for the betrothal of the Prince of Wales to Philip II's daughter the Infante Isabella.
Elizabeth was reluctant but Cecil and other's on the council were keen to neutralise Spain and believed the betrothal would delay any Catholic attack on Elizabeth.

Infante, Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain would be a brilliant match for the young Prince of Wales, although the lack of children IOTL, could be a bit devastating for England.
How about her younger sister, Infanta, Catherine Michelle of Spain?

 

[JonasResende]

If Izzy's OTL herself, she started menstruating late and Felipe himself commented to his sister, Maria, that Isabella was a late bloomer, whereas the younger daughter had already been bleeding for two/three years by the same age. But it shouldn't overtly impair Isabella's ability to bear kids.

 

[RyuDrago]

Rome as usual has to mess things TTL as for OTL as well... Some things will never change.

 

[Shiva]

Infante, Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain would be a brilliant match for the young Prince of Wales, although the lack of children IOTL, could be a bit devastating for England.
How about her younger sister, Infanta, Catherine Michelle of Spain?

I thought she did have children IOTL, they just died in infancy.

 

[mcdnab]

Chapter 8 continued

By 1570 the situation in Scotland had deteriorated due to the continual battles between the Queen and many of her nobles.
The defeat of the Bond of St Giles rebels had bolstered her reign somewhat and with the support of some key Catholic nobles she had held control of the realm but it was a fragile peace between Queen, Nobles and Kirk.
However her tacit support for the Rising of the Northern Earls had deeply offended Elizabeth - who was convinced Mary knew far more than she claimed about the matter.
In February Elizabeth received both the Earl Of Moray and her father in law the Earl of Arran formally in full view of the court - both men had been under semi-house arrest in England since fleeing Scotland - Elizabeth ordered them to explain their rebellion and its causes and said she would consider their actions against their sovereign.
Both men were given their liberty and Elizabeth accompanied her father in law on a visit to her son.
Mary was angry at the reception but with some urging from the Earl of Morton and others she offered to pardon her half brother subject to his submission to her.
Moray duly travelled north and was reunited with Mary. All it seemed was forgiven,
However there was simmering discontent in Scotland. Mary was largely uninterested in the business of government, happy to allow her peers a relative independence, but she was also stubborn refusing to ratify the acts of the Reformation Parliament and there was anger that her children were being educated in the Catholic faith of their mother.
The Earl of Morton, Mary's Lord Chancellor, had spent time trying to persuade the Queen to take a more tolerant line with the Kirk and suggested she would gain all if she were to bend a little.
His hope was to secure Mary's crown against rebellion by securing the Kirk on her side - his view was if Mary accepted the reformation, remained "discreet" in her Catholicism he could force the Kirk to accept the restoration of the Episcopacy and the Crown's control.
In 1571 Mary in a move that surprised almost everyone agreed to meet with the leaders of the Kirk ahead of a General Assembly. Knox, in poor health, once again railed against any attempt to draw the Kirk under the influence of Mary and her Catholic supporters.

The Queen's tacit agreement to the demands of the Kirk and its leaders, despite gaining the restoration of the Episcopacy and a demand that ministers in the Kirk swear an oath to the crown - caused despair and anger among her Catholic peers many like the Earl of Huntley continued to openly celebrate the Mass despite it being banned.

The Queen's twin children were largely under the care of her mother in law the Countess of Lennox - to the anger of the Kirk and as part of a series of compromise agreements negotiated by Morton and Moray - Mary reluctantly agreed to remove the Countess.

The Countess furious at the loss of her influence at Mary's court - initially moved from court and eventually returned to England - where she would become a severe critic of her daughter in law. Her arrival in England also cost her a spell of imprisonment - the Queen ordered her detained at her pleasure before eventually allowing the Countess to return to her home at Temple Newsham. Her youngest son who had remained in England after his parents return to Scotland had never been allowed to join his parents and his wardship had been granted first to Sir William Cecil and then to Lord Robert Dudley.

 

[mcdnab]

Chapter Nine

The education of a Prince

Elizabeth's son received an education fit for his station, an education that aimed to mold him in his mother's image, but in contrast to his mother's childhood he was surrounded by affection and care.
His tutors had a demanding timetable for him which included French, German, Greek, and Latin. He was also given lessons in etiquette, fencing, horseback riding and music.
The Queen insisted on regular updates on his qualities and insisted that any fault be instantly corrected. There were also concerns he was over protected and during the Northern Rebellion the nine-year-old wrote to both his governor, his mother and members of the council complaining about being "confined inside".
His mother paid frequent visits to where the prince was residing usually with a substantial number of courtiers but these occassions increasingly became very formal court affairs. Private meetings between the two in his youth revealed in letters between the young prince and his mother show a strong affection and pride in his development - but as he ages there is also a stream of comments about his behaviour, his comportment and urging him to do better. Yet reports to the council clearly show the Prince was highly intelligent and energetic.
The Prince did not see his father - he would rarely mention him throughout his life - though he did maintain a sort of correspondence with his grandfather the Earl of Arran as a youth.

As he aged the women of his household were replaced with men and the young sons of prominant courtiers were his playmates - amongst them were the son of Sir William Cecil, Robert, the eldest sons of Elizabeth's cousin Henry Lord Hunsdon and some of the children of his governor Sir Henry Sidney. He also spent a great deal of time with the younger children of his first Lady Governor Catherine Lady Carey (who left the Prince's household and returned to the Queen's service in around 1567) - he would remain close to Sir Henry Sidney's daugher Mary (later Countess of Pembroke) throughout their lives.
A key member of the Prince's household was Dr John Whitgift who served as the Prince's personal chaplain and his tutor in divinity.

From birth the Prince's marriage had become a political tool and a strong bargaining chip for his mother as she switched alliances throughout the 1560s and early 1570s.

In 1562 as part of Elizabeth's short lived agreement to support the French protestants he was betrothed to Catherine of Bourbon daughter of the Queen of Navarre and niece of the Prince of Conde who had signed the treaty of Hampton Court.

Through the next few years other offers arrived but non were seriously treated until negotiations with Philip II began in 1569 for the marriage of the Prince to Philip's daughter Isabella. Negotiations would drag on for two years until Philip tired of Elizabeth's prevarication and dismissed her negotiators.

In early 1571 the Earl's of Arran, Morton and Moray approached the English council with the possibility of a betrothal between the Prince and Margaret the only daughter of the Scots Queen. However the offer was never sanctioned by either Queen.

The same year William of Nassau Prince of Orange in an attempt to gain Elizabeth's support for his revolt against Spain in the Netherlands suggested a betrothal between his daughter Countess Anna of Nassau - again Elizabeth was reluctant to offend the Spanish King and commit herself to the Dutch rebels after the failure of her support for the French Protestants a decade earlier.

In early 1572 Catherine de Medici suggested her granddaughter Christina of Lorraine as a possible bride for the Prince of Wales - and negotiations began but were abandoned after French Catholics rose against Protestants driven by key figures at the French Court in early August.

 

[mcdnab]

Chapter 10

The Scots Crisis

It was a series of unfortunate incidents that lead to the downfall of Mary Stuart and many since have questioned what would have happened had Mary I been a shrewder political operator.
By rights Mary should have been flush with success Morton's attempt to bring the Kirk under Royal Control and the reestablishment of the episcopacy would have been the perfect compromise and would have perhaps given Mary the opportunity over time to establish tolerance for both Protestants and Catholics under her rule. Her council in the early 1570's gave her a mixed base of support from both Protestant and Catholic peers.

However, in early 1572 she appointed John Leslie Bishop of Ross (a long standing supporter of the Queen and a firm Catholic) as Tutor to Prince James, Duke of Rothesay against the wishes of the Kirk who had suggested George Buchanan - Mary admired Buchanan's intelligence but distrusted his commitment to the Kirk. She also confirmed the Earl of Huntley as Lord Chancellor of Scotland and dismissed the Earl of Morton.

Her marriage had also come under fire - the loss of his mother's guiding hand led King Henry to consort with low company and drink heavily - he was verbally abusive to Mary and refused to attend Mass by Easter the couple were living apart and it was reported to the English Council Mary was actively seeking to end her marriage.

Mary's increasing dependence on a narrow band of support became shockingly clear in August.
Europe was shocked by events in France after hundreds of Protestants were murdered on St Bartholomew's Eve with the clear if not explicit support of the French King.
Elizabeth plunged her court into formal mourning and dismissed the French ambassador from her presence, Mary expressed her shock in public but during a service in the Chapel Royal at Holyrood the Archbishop of St Andrews, John Hamilton, preached of forgiveness and effectively supported the actions of his fellow Catholics in France, calling for unity in religion.
His sermon was soon reported across Scotland and the Kirk demanded the Queen dismiss him even his own University requested the Queen remove him from his post as Chancellor. Mary refused due to the loyal service of the Archbishop. Riots in Edinburgh were violently put down by the Lord Chancellor the Earl of Huntley and Mary removed the court to Stirling.

On September 4th the Earls of Morton and Moray and Lord Ruthven met with King Henry at Holyrood - It was clear the Protestant Lords' patience with their Queen was at an end - they now planned her deposition and would install Henry as regent for the couple's son - in return Henry would commit to the Protestant cause and would dismiss Mary's catholic supporters from office.

The rebels had significant support but their biggest problem was getting custody of the Prince and his sister both of whom were lodged at Stirling where Mary, still unaware of the latest plot, against her was staying.

A reluctant Henry would travel to Stirling with his father to reunite with the Queen - he would then persuade her to send the Prince to another residence or encourage the Queen to return to Edinburgh.

Henry nervous of offending his wife and her supporters revealed the plot to her once he arrived at Stirling and the Queen ordered the rebels arrest. Unfortunately it was too late and by Christmas a full scale revolt was in progress.

The rebels had contacted the elderly Earl of Arran for his support - but his position was difficult - many of his family were closely connected to the Queen's Catholic supporters - his half brother was the Archbishop of St Andrews, his daughter was married to the Earl of Huntley and his younger son's Lord John and Lord Claud were close to the Catholic party. He also had no wish to offend the English Queen whose views on rebels even if she had sympathy for them were well known. He dithered but equally he refused to support either party and informed his son's that they should avoid making a committment to any party.

Armed to the teeth the rebels took advantage of the court's absence and seized Edinburgh Castle though its Governor Sir William Kirkcaldy was sympathetic to the Protestant cause. Once installed the lords issued a demand in late January 1573 - 1) the Queen should return to the capital, 2) The Queen should dismiss a number of her courtiers and councillors due to their "evil designs" on the true church of Scotland and for leading the Queen into "sundry wickedness" to the detriment of her loyal subjects and 3) The Prince should be given fresh tutors and the Bishop of Ross should be dismissed from his post.

Much of Mary's support remained strong and Huntley urged the Queen to support his suggestion of military action to capture the rebels and retake Edinburgh. The Queen could rely on an army of around 2 to 3,000 men and possibly more if the Hamilton's were to offer their support whilst the rebels could only rely on around 2,000 so it was generally thought the rebels could be defeated.

Mary, her husband and her supporters left Stirling in late February and marched for Edinburgh.

Her children were left in the custody of the Keeper of Stirling the Earl of Mar and the Bishop of Ross also remained behind. Unknown to Mary, Mar had switched sides and within hours of leaving he arrested the Bishop and wrote to the Lords in Edinburgh that the "prince" was in his control.

News of Mar's betrayal soon reached Mary and unnerved her but she ordered her troops to continue forward and sent letters to both the French King and English Queen stating her rebellious subjects would be brought to justice.

The two forces met outside Edinburgh on March 19th in driving rain and wind - skirmishes had been fought but it was not a clear victory for either side and Mary's father in law the Earl of Lennox was among the casualties on her side. When it was clear he couldn't defeat the Queen's forces Moray retreated back to the city whilst Mary accompanied by her supporters marched west were her support was stronger ignoring the advice of Huntley who wanted to begin a siege of Edinburgh Castle.

Two days later Morton and Moray with the support of the Kirk summoned a Parliament with the clear aim of establishing a rival government to Mary's.

 

[mcdnab]

Been a while since I could update my apologies

CHAPTER 11 The Scots Crisis continues

In late April 1572 a rump of the Scots Parliament met in the capital in response to the summons of the Earls.
There were violent scenes as debate ranged over the future governance of the realm - it is unclear what Morton and Moray really wanted.

Some argued the Queen's behaviour was so inconsistent with the safety of Scotland and that her flight from the capital was tantamount to a renunciation of the throne that she should be declared deposed and her son be proclaimed King.
Others wanted her advisors dismissed and her guarantees that the Prince would be educated with the oversight of the Kirk.
They were also aware that whilst Elizabeth's council favoured their cause the English Queen would be reluctant to support any action that led to the outright deposition of a reigning monarch.

In the first week of May the Scots Parliament issued its so-called "Respectful Demand unto the Queen's Highness".

She should return unarmed to the capital, accompanied only by the King and a small company of gentlemen, she should instruct her supporters to return to their estates upon pain of forfeiture and being declared outlaws, she should restore the Earl of Morton to the Chancellorship, consult with the Kirk over the education of the royal children, a general amnesty would apply to all who had raised arms.
The Queen was guaranteed her liberty and her authority over her household and their loyalty. It was they claimed an agreement to restore peace to the realm and reaffirm her subjects devotion to the Queen.

The demand was delivered to the Queen in Glasgow and she dismissed it out of hand as an affront to her dignity. Some of her party including her husband urged her to accept and to put aside her differences with the Protestant Lords - pointing out that many still favoured the Queen and could be brought round.

In England, Elizabeth was appalled at the situation in Scotland and had written to both Moray and Mary - urging them to find common ground - her words to Moray were harsh - reminding him he had been forgiven once for raising up against his sovereign and had sworn to uphold and protect his Queen.
Unfortunately Elizabeth's agent also handed Moray a significant sum of money from certain unnamed members of the English Queen's council more than happy to support their fellow protestants against a Catholic Queen.

To Mary, Elizabeth's letters continued to be a mix of stern advice, support and half-hearted compliments.

The letters irritated Mary who replied with a reminder she was an "independent Princess" and not a child to be admonished by her elders.

It was clear the stalemate between the Queen and her enemies would have to end at some point - Scotland was effectively crippled - with demands, instructions and decrees coming from both camps.

The Earl's trump card was of course Mary's children making it far harder for the Queen's Party which was nominally stronger to make a move against Morton and Moray.

In September, Henry King of Scots slipped across the English border, it has never been made clear of his motivations for fleeing.

Some believe his intent was to appeal to Elizabeth for support and help to restore Mary's authority with an English army if necessary, others believe the King was aiming to distance himself from Mary and ally himself with the Protestant Lords and with Elizabeth's support be made regent for his son Prince James.

Whatever his aims Elizabeth considered him to have deserted his wife in her hour of need and ordered him comfortably detained though allowing him the trappings of a King including providing him with a canopy of estate - in a typical example of her parsimony she instructed her representative in the Scots capital to bill the Scots for the maintenance and estate of the King whilst in England - unsurprisingly the bill wasn't paid.

Elizabeth also banned him from receiving people without the council and her consent.

She also ordered the widowed Countess of Lennox once again detained in the tower in case she started stirring up trouble in the north on behalf of her son.

The Countess protested in angry letters to the Queen and members of the Council.

In October, Elizabeth offered to arbitrate between Mary and the Protestant Lords. Mary was furious and declined Elizabeth's offer, the Lords eager for Elizabeth's support (and more importantly her cash) were more fulsome in their praise of the English Queen and her offer.

With the support of the Seton's, the Hamilton brothers, the Earl of Bothwell and the Huntley clan, Mary was now prepared to attack her brother and his supporters - she had little taste for negotiations and just days after Elizabeth's offer and despite the poor weather conditions her men marched on the Scots capital.

News of the impending attack prompted fresh panic in Edinburgh and the Earls' with a much smaller number of men were in a quandry of how to respond - to defend the castle and face a possible siege or to march out and hope to win any battle against Mary's forces.

Fresh rumours that Mary was involed in an adulterous sexual relationship with Lord Claud Hamilton began circulating, in some pamphlets it was his brother Lord John who was the guilty party, a clear attempt to blacken Mary's name (recent research suggests Mary was close to Hamilton but the only surviving letters between them from this period though badly damaged do not suggest a sexual relationship).
The rumours certainly reached the English Court though one court wit who commented that perhaps their Queen might become "sister in truth" to the Scots Queen due to her relationship with the Hamilton brothers found himself dismissed from court.

Division within the ranks aside all were determined that defeat would be the end of their hopes - Mary was unlikely to forgive a second time - and her supporters were eager to avenge all the perceived ills inflicted on them.

Protestant preachers in the capital now for the first time directly attacked the Queen in their sermons calling on all honest men to defend the Kirk against a woman determined to destroy it and them.

She was portrayed as an adultress, determined to restore popery, without morals and a danger to the realm - a true jezebel as it was preached at St Giles in the presence of leading members of the Scots Parliament.

 

[mcdnab]

Chapter 12 Mary undone

It was Mary's misfortune that she decided to travel a few miles behind the bulk of her forces with a small personal guard - in part because riding was uncomfortable for her (her husband had left her pregnant when he crossed the border to England) - and late on the evening of 11th October she was forced to break the march towards the capital as she miscarried of her child.

Resting at the Palace of Linlithgow she was taken by surprise and her guards overwhelmed by men marching south from Stirling to join the Earl's under the command of the Earl of Mar.

News of the Queen's capture was relayed to her army which promptly turned back to try and recapture her but was now sandwiched between forces of the Earl of Mar and those of the Earl of Morton - Huntley insisted on pressing forward but Seton and the Hamilton brothers prevaricated and the Queens' army melted away - the Hamilton's retreated back to Glasgow along with Seton - Huntley pressed on but was captured by the Earl of Mar and his men overwhelmed.
In late October the Earl's ordered Mary brought to Edinburgh - her doctors claimed she was to sick to travel but they insisted.

She was greeted with jeers and insults as she traveled through the streets of the capital and was taken to the Royal Apartments in the Castle rather than the Palace of Holyrood.

She was permitted to briefly see her children for the first time in months.

Later under intense pressure her brother forced her to sign a death warrant for the Earl of Huntley and to approve parliamentary declarations against the Hamilton brothers and Lord Seton.
After speaking with his half sister Moray finally gave up any hope of coming to terms with her and on November 8th 1572 Mary was presented with a formal demand that she renounce the throne in favour of her son, the Queen refused.
Morary told her that an abdication was the only way he could see her retaining her life. He vowed to her he would preserve her person but only if she quit the throne.
With little choice she signed and on November 9th 1572 James VI of Scotland was proclaimed. The Earl of Moray was formally proclaimed as Regent of Scotland whilst Morton would remain Lord Chancellor.

Mary in a series of letters to Elizabeth repeated her compaints of her disloyal subjects: "You are not ignorant, my dearest sister, of great part of my misfortunes, but these which induce me to write at present, have happened too recently yet to have reached your ears.
I must therefore acquaint you as briefly as I can, that some of my subjects whom I most confided in, and had raised to the highest pitch of honour, have taken up arms against me, and treated me with the utmost indignity.
I have been forced from where God appointed us upon pain of our death.

The eight-year-old King James VI was said to have burst into tears at hearing the news of his elevation.
For the King and his twin sister the changes would be enormous both had been educated in the Catholic faith - and now were presented with Protestant chaplains and tutors and were browbeat into denying all they had been taught by their mother - the regent soon realised that having Mary near the children would be a major failing given the Princess consistently told her tutors she would ask her mother for guidance on matters relating to faith and how she was in "error".
Likewise the King was known to respond to Moray that he wished to ask his mother's advice when being informed of certain matters - slowly the children's access to their mother who was still under effective house arrest in her apartments was reduced and in January 1573 the Regent proposed a change.
The King returned to Stirling under the care of the Earl and Countess of Mar, the Princess Margaret's household would be established at Linlithgow Palace nominally under the care of a Lady Governess and Moray decided the best fitting person was his strong and fiercely intelligent wife Agnes Countess of Moray.
Mary was initially confined within her apartments at Edinburgh Castle and her lady's were permitted to attend her, she was also allowed her own chaplain and was permitted to her mass in her private apartments but in February orders were issued that the "King's mother Marie Stuart" be detained at Lochleven Castle and her household was reduced in size.

The Queen's party her remaining supporters were still free though and actively attacking properties and holdings of the Regent and his supporters.

The aged Earl of Arran had now issued his own support for the Queen and refused to recognise James VI as King, he and his son's were joined by the rump of the Huntley family (The widowed Countess of Huntley was Arran's daughter), and the Seton family.
It was clearly only a matter of time Mary's supporters believed before the Queen could be restored. Arran had written to Elizabeth in terms he knew should would appreciate that whilst Mary's failings were many he could not countenance the deposition of a lawful sovereign by a mere rabble.
That restoring Mary and forcing sound government on the realm was the only answer.

In London most of England's council were delighted with the news from Scotland - Mary's loss of power meant the end of the most dangerous threat to their protestant Queen, English Catholics were now deprived of their strongest rival claimant.

The council's principal concern was to ensure Mary didn't try and join her husband in England and ... was told to inform the Regent Moray English support was reliant on Mary being most strongly constrained.

Elizabeth herself was torn - Mary's fall from favour had been startling and naturally Elizabeth's concern was how Mary's failures would reflect on herself as a monarch.

She was also furious at the actions of Moray and Morton against an annointed sovereign - initially she insisted on refusing to recognise James VI as King or Moray as regent and continued to refer to Mary as the Scots Queen.

Her council was also pressing England's advantage - a marriage should seal a fresh alliance with the Scots - the Prince of Wales and the Princess Margaret - with the Princess being educated in England (where her father and grandmother were still residing).

The council pressed Elizabeth to order the King of Scots be brought to London and lodged in the tower save he escape and travel north to aid his deserted wife but the Queen refused.

 

[mcdnab]

Chapter 13 "This contented realm"

Elizabeth's England of the 1570's was in the words of the Venetian Ambassador a "contented realm and the affections for the Queen amongst the commons is great".
It is in this period that Elizabeth's son came of age - by the time he was 14 in 1475 his mother had vanquished her Catholic rebels and seen off the threat of rival claimants, the protestant church she had established was secure and the nation was at peace.
But there were still rumours of plots against the Queen - English Catholics still existed in large number and even loyal ones longed for freedom of worship, Extreme Protestants who resented the Catholic trappings of Elizabeth's church also urged further reform. Her councillors remained vigilant and continued to spy on anyone they believed a threat to the state but many Puritans could count on the protection of some of the men of Elizabeth's court such as Sir Francis Walsingham, The Earl of Leicester and Sir Francis Knollys.

Edward Prince of Wales had been carefully nurtured. The naturally bright Prince had an easy charm about him and was a gifted linguist like his mother. He was also regarded as a loyal friend to his companions, many of whom he had known since his earliest childhood.
A fact frequently commented on by his mother in her letters to him and it is clear the Queen wished to remain first in his affections.

"For my part, think you not fortunate to have such a loving mother and dearest friend, who has watched most carefully to preserve you. Only our love is sure, the truest thing that can not be cast aside to the winds for the flattery and favour of sundry others." Elizabeth I to Edward VII - undated.

Elizabeth was also aware that as her son grew to manhood - he would now be her deadliest rival for power in the eyes of those who would prefer a male ruler, or believed they could twist him to favour their side. Her letters frequently warn him to be wary, cautious and remember his duty to her above everyone else.

Philip II's ambassador had written of the Prince to his master during the aborted negoitations for his marriage to Philip's daughter, that Edward had been raised in a "very nest of puritans and diverse heretics". The comment was not strictly true, Edward's chaplain John Whitgift was a known supporter of the Elizabethan Settlement and had little time for those wanting to reform the church on Calvinist lines - though certainly his close friendships and many of his childhood companions came from family's with staunch Protestant views.

Elizabeth's council was heavily focused on the Prince and more importantly his marriage - Cecil and some others wanted a Spanish or French marriage to sure up support for England and protect her from attack by the Catholic powers. Though with Mary Stuart deposed the Catholic threat had abated with no clear Catholic candidate easily available to replace the Queen.

In 1576 Cecil again approached the Spanish Ambassador - suggesting that it was the Queen's dearest wish to resume negotations for the Infanta's hand for her son - to put an end to all emnity with her dear brother the King. It was too late - Isabella was betrothed to her cousin Rudolph, but the King was perhaps willing to consider a match with her sister the Infanta Catherine. Cecil approached the Queen with the suggestion and the Queen said she would consider negotiations but was concerned due to the age of the infanta (she was only eight) - in reality Elizabeth was simply not interested perhaps correctly knowing that as with her own marriage many at court would never accept a Spanish Catholic (or any Catholic).

Cecil would again try in 1577 but this time for a French bride - 1st choice was the 5 year old daughter of the late King Charles, Marie Elisabeth, the Queen's goddaughter. However her age and rumours of poor health put both Cecil and the Queen off - but instead Henri III offered his niece Christina of Lorraine once again - she was 12 years old.

Elizabeth was willing to play the negotiation game but others of her court such as the Earl of Leicester and Walsingham made it clear that it was just theatre - that a Catholic bride for the Prince was against the Queen's interests and the realms. They also pointed out the Prince himself was reluctant to take a wife who was so remote from his own mind on religion.

Most of Elizabeth's council had one firm candidate as a bride in mind for the Prince - Margaret of Scotland - in fact her father still living in confinement as an unwelcome guest of Elizabeth had frequently written to the council urging the plan and offering his support. It was known the Scots regents also favoured the plan at varying times. Elizabeth seemed opposed and negotiations kept stopping and starting throughout the late 1570s.

William of Orange kept offering Elizabeth his elder daughter Maria of Nassau and her half sister Anna of Nassau throughout the same period - whilst many on the council favoured the match Elizabeth again was reluctant due to the uncertain situation in the Low Countries and her certainty that William's real aim was English military support against Spain.

Other offers included the two eldest daughters of the King of Denmark but they were dismissed being a decade younger than the Prince and Anna Vasa the eldest daughter of the King of Sweden who was closer in age, but she was being raised a Catholic by her mother.

Elizabeth's reluctance to marry off her only child and heir was hard to fathom for the council - Sir Christopher Hatton believed vanity played a part a reluctance to see her son as a grown man.

It is true as he aged Edward found himself with increasing freedom and leisure but no true role to play - the Prince's Council administered Wales and the Marches but the men were chosen and appointed by the Queen.

As other Prince of Wales' had found there was simply no role for the heir whilst the sovereign lived.

Elizabeth simply refused to share power and instead her son was expected to simply play the courtier dancing attendence on his mother at her demand and administring his estates and homes.

It was perhaps not surprising with little to do the Prince would take a mistress - and he took a woman that would infuriate his mother.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

You know, Shakespeare's plays are going to be different (maybe very different) if the succession is secured. OTL, he was hyper careful about ensuring that the 'legitimate' heir succeeds - even if he has to be parachuted in as a deus ex machina, like in Hamlet.

 

[Dragos Cel Mare]

When will James Hamilton die?

 

[Kynan]

When will James Hamilton die?

I'm hoping he makes a partial recovery and, in a moment of weakness, Elizabeth has another baby. And with this child, I hope she has a Princess (maybe called Anne? Or more likely Margaret, as it is the only non-tainted "Tudor" name left) who she'll hang in front off the Princes of Europe.

 

[Dragos Cel Mare]

I'm hoping he makes a partial recovery and, in a moment of weakness, Elizabeth has another baby. And with this child, I hope she has a Princess (maybe called Anne? Or more likely Margaret, as it is the only non-tainted "Tudor" name left) who she'll hang in front off the Princes of Europe.

Heh. How is 'The Terror of Marriage' doing?

 

[Kynan]

Heh. How is 'The Terror of Marriage' doing?

The Horror of Marriage? I stopped that one due to creative block, but I may start it up again soon.

 

[Tudorfan]

Since Elizabeth is going to live to her alarmingly old age -- for Tudor Times -- why not have her son die before her and have her succeeded by her grandson? Just an idea.

 

[Dragos Cel Mare]

Would there still be a Spanish Armada in this timeline?

 

[mcdnab]

Chapter 14 Mistress Cecily

The 16 year old Prince spent a great deal of time throughout 1578 visiting the home of his former Lady Governess' widower Sir Francis Knollys - the Prince knew the family intimately and was close to Sir Francis' youngest children. His visits to Grey's Court were not remarked upon.

However it would later emerge the Prince had developed a serious passion for Sir Francis' youngest daughter Cecily Knollys.
Around the Prince's age and reputed to be both witty and pretty, Cecily, was expected to follow in the footsteps of her older sisters and progress from home to court as a maid of the bedchamber.
The affair was certainly not public knowledge and it seems unlikely that Sir Francis was a party to his daughter's illicit relationship.
What is known is that Robert Dudley clearly had knowledge of the relationship possibly through Cecily's eldest sister Lettice Countess of Essex who had married Dudley in late 1578 without the Queen's knowledge.

The relationship became apparent at the same time Elizabeth learnt of Dudley's marriage the following year and the Prince and Cecily became caught up in the Queen's anger over both affairs.

Whilst the new Countess of Leicester was permanently banished from court and Dudley found himself denied the Queen's presence. Cecily found herself effectively a prisoner of her father's home, where she would spend the rest of her life, whilst the Prince was denied his mother's presence and ordered to remain at Richmond.
The Queen was convinced her son had been aware of Dudley's marriage and kept if from her through his closeness to the Knollys family.

The court once again was staggered by the Queen's fury - after all she could not marry Dudley and even his enemies at court felt the man should be able to marry and father a legitimate heir.
Cecil dared to remind the Queen to have a care for her reputation that her anger at Dudley for his marriage was tantamount to admitting she was closer to him than she ought to be as his Queen and as a married woman.
Rumours abounded that the Prince was secretly married, one suggested Dudley's wedding had been a double one and another that Cecily was pregnant. The general view was that the Prince's behaviour was entirely to be expected and the Queen's reaction extreme.

The court was most intrigued by Cecily - few at court knew her intimately given her youth - and rumours of her character spread through the court. Effectively her public life was over before it began - even her father seems to have abandoned options to look for a husband for her, one that would tolerate her past, and she would remain at Grey's Court hidden from public view.

Elizabeth's fury also hit out at Sir Francis, although he kept his positions at court, not for the first time he found himself at odds with his Queen over the behaviour of his children.

Elizabeth drew back a little and by the end of 1579 the Prince was back at court and mother and son seemed reconciled.

Elizabeth discussed with her council possibly sending the Prince to Ireland as Lord Deputy, with a suitable Lieutenant, however concerns over the safety of the Prince and the distance from London meant the idea was dropped - the Prince continued to pour out his frustrations in letters to both Cecil and Dudley.

Finally in January 1580 Elizabeth relented and appointed her son President of the Council of Wales and the Marches and finally allowed him to remove to Ludlow, which had been refurbished by the previous President Sir Henry Sidney. She ensured that her eyes remained on her son though with the confirmation of his former chaplain and tutor John Whitgift, now Bishop of Worcester, as Vice President of the Council.

 

[mcdnab]

Chapter 15 Scotland revisited

In Scotland Mary Stuart remained a prisoner of the Protestant Lords attempt to rescue the Queen and restore her to the throne had been attempted but her support waned as years passed and the Queen remained locked up at Loch Leven deprived of her children and increasingly frustrated.

Initially the Queen's party had some success under the leadership of the Earl of Arran and his two younger sons Lord John and Lord Claud.

They finally came close to absolute victory in October 1574 when men loyal to the Queen lead by Lord Claud defeated the forces of the Regent, the Earl of Moray - Moray was captured and hacked to death by men under Claud's command. Sadly it galvanised those loyal to the child King and soon Moray's death was portrayed in pamphlets as a martyrdom for the Kirk and the little King. Claud and his army took Edinburgh Castle towards the end of the year.

However Morton succeeded the Earl of Moray as Regent and was willing to compromise far more with former supporters of the Queen - in early 1575 he formally came to terms with the Huntley family in return for the restoration of their estates. He was also helped by the death in the same year of the elderly Earl of Arran - as Morton would now determine who controlled the Hamilton lands.
Technically Elizabeth of England's husband the Duke of Richmond succeeded his father in his Scots estates and titles but Morton could now use the issue to negotiate with Arran's sons John and Claud.
Morton suggested Lord John should be appointed guardian for his brother's Scots estates - and enjoy the income thereof during his brother's incapacity. The deal was accepted, despite Elizabeth threatening Morton with dire consequences.
In November 1575 Lord John Hamilton submitted to the Scots Parliament and was restored in the blood. In 1576 he would be created Earl of Hamilton.

Claud had no intention of submitting remaining a devout Catholic and equally devoted to his Queen. His men were finally forced to surrender Edinburgh Castle after a long siege by Morton in June 1577. Claud, declared an outlaw, fled to France, where he was received by the French King Henri III.

Mary had been informed of Claud's hold of Edinburgh and throughout 1576 had high hopes of being rescued and restored but with Claud's flight it was clear her position would remain the same. She wrote to the King of France that she had little left but her faith for comfort. Morton was determined she should remain imprisoned, his English pensions and support depended on it, he ordered the Queen kept closely and reduced her household making her life more uncomfortable. Her correspondence was read on his orders and reported to him.

The divide over the Arran inheritance caused a breach between the Scots Regent and Elizabeth that would rumble on for several years - though Elizabeth's council were more than happy to deal with Morton who they found easier than his predecessor.

Morton had his difficulties with the Kirk as he favoured the agreement hammered out by himself under Mary's rule - allowing the restoration of Bishops - a move strongly disliked by Andrew Melville, who had succeeded John Knox as a leading light of the Kirk. However he rigorously restored some semblance of government to the realm and increased royal revenues (at the Kirk's expense) considerably.

The Scots King continued his education at Stirling with a regime that was rigorous. His only relief was the time spent with the family of the late Earl of Mar. The King was described as slight, with fair reddish hair like his father and as meek, mild and biddable. His sister Margaret, under the control of Agnes Countess of Moray, was a very different creature, closer in looks to her mother, she was said to have strong opinions, be active and athletic, pretty with raven hair and of a good height.

After the death of her husband though Agnes faced a battle - Moray had allowed his wife to hold on to the jewels belonging to Queen Mary - ostensibly the excuse was that the jewels would in time be divided between the Princess Margaret and any wife of her brother. It was also thought the jewels could form part of any dower for the princess when she married.
Mary from prison continued to protest demanding the return of her jewels especially those given to her in France.
When Morton became regent he had initially allowed the Princess to remain with the widowed Countess but with her remarriage and the Kirk's anger over it - Morton ordered the Princess transferred to the Countess of Mar's care at Stirling with her brother in late 1576. The battle over Queen Mary's jewels would continue for much longer and would not be resolved until 1578 - when Agnes finally surrendered them to Morton.

Morton also began negotiations for the marriage of his royal wards with more determination - it was essential the Scots succession was secured to avoid future conflicts.

Moray and Morton had been agreed that the best match for Margaret was her distant cousin the Prince of Wales - it would ensure English support in religious and political terms, but Morton was decided that if Elizabeth couldn't be brought to an agreement then he would look elsewhere.

Between 1578 and 1581 there were long discussions about a possible match with the Duke of Anjou - the pro-Protestant brother of Henri III - Scots mistrust of his Catholic family aside - Elizabeth herself was interested in promoting the match and wrote to Morton that it might indeed be a suitable arrangement and was an indirect way for her to support the bid for independence by the Dutch in 1580 without offending Philip of Spain too much.
However the French King and his mother were deeply opposed given that Margaret was technically the daughter of his former sister-in-law. It is a matter of conjecture how much the English council hampered any formal agreement still favoring an Anglo-Scots match.
In 1580, Morton once again made a formal offer to the English for the hand of the now 13-year-old Princess Margaret.

Morton's agents were also looking for a future Queen of Scots with candidates ranging across the Protestant courts of Europe - the Danes offered the King's eldest daughter's Elizabeth or her sister Anne, William of Orange had suggested his younger daughter's Anna or Emilia, others considered included Anna Maria daughter of the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, and Anna daughter of the King of Sweden.