WI: Mary, Queen of Scots’ Carried Her Twins To Term?

[FONT=&quot]In July 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots miscarried twins (supposedly fathered by her husband, Darnley, but most likely being Bothwell’s children). What would’ve happened with those children if Mary had carried them to term? Would they have held succession rights in Scotland? Would they have been raised alongside the future James VI? Would they have been allowed to remain in Mary’s custody? Who would they marry?[/FONT]
 
[FONT=&quot]In July 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots miscarried twins (supposedly fathered by her husband, Darnley, but most likely being Bothwell’s children). What would’ve happened with those children if Mary had carried them to term? Would they have held succession rights in Scotland? Would they have been raised alongside the future James VI? Would they have been allowed to remain in Mary’s custody? Who would they marry?[/FONT]

Most likely they'd have held succession rights unless there was definitiuve proof they were not legitimate
 
Most likely they'd have held succession rights unless there was definitiuve proof they were not legitimate

Either as children of Bothwell (who they were, I do not think anyone tried to said Mary was pregnant with another children of Darnley) or Darnley they were legitimate as their mother was legally married to both men. Being forced to marry Bothwell because she was pregnant with his child was the best reason Mary can give for marrying him, specially after so short time after Darnley's killing (and do not forget who likely Bothwell raped her or at least she can tell that).
 
Either as children of Bothwell (who they were, I do not think anyone tried to said Mary was pregnant with another children of Darnley) or Darnley they were legitimate as their mother was legally married to both men. Being forced to marry Bothwell because she was pregnant with his child was the best reason Mary can give for marrying him, specially after so short time after Darnley's killing (and do not forget who likely Bothwell raped her or at least she can tell that).

True enough, true enough
 
Would the existence of these twins be enough to keep Mary in Scotland? Or would they be smuggled out alongside Mary to England? What might the Virgin Queen make of Mary then?
 
Ok, lets say she gives birth to a boy and an girl, who are named Robert and Margaret, which are family names. She then leaves Scotland and the two little royals behind. Once she is stuck in England for what will eventually be revealed as the rest of her life, I can see her pushing for the children to join her. Mary Stuart was a quite maternal woman and she would probably push harder than OTL to see these children. They're not her direct heir/the new monarch and I can see a more direct struggle between than OTL.

Of the two, I see Robert being in more trouble than Margaret. He's probably given a title and eventually marred to someone who'll be helpful to his brothers regime. Perhaps he'd be put with Arabella Stuart, which might put him in the position to take the throne of England in lieu of his brother. If not, then a proper Scottish lass it will be.

Margaret will be married off to someone to make Scotland more politically strong. Perhaps Henri IV, after Margaret de Valois is set aside. Perhaps she would be married to Charles of Sweden or maybe John Casmir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg.

Ultimately, the twins don't really represent more than a chance for more foreign or domestic support with the added bonus of making the English succession more muddled.
 
Here's a rough idea of what MIGHT happen in this scenario.

1567: Mary I of Scotland gives birth to Margaret and Robert Hepburn, Princess and Prince of Scotland. After recuperating for a time, she then escapes to England. The plan fails in one aspect however, as the children re intercepted and taken to live with their brother, who is proclaimed James VII of Scotland in lieu of his mother.

1568-1587: Mary Stuart, Former Queen of Scotland spends her time attempting first to regain her country, then to regain her children, then to regain anything she once had. During this time, Scotland spent some time attempting to fix the country to the rule of the young king. His siblings were treated well, with Prince Robert being given the title Duke of Ross.

Princess Margaret was married, in 1584, to John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg. By 1587 they had two living daughters.

1587-1606: During this time, the twin Scottish royals lived very different lived. As the Duke of Ross, Robert Bothwell lived a rigorous life of military training. He married Euphemia Douglas of Morton in 1589 and at 1606 they had three living sons and two living daughters. He was known as a hard man and kept a Spanish mistress, mysteriously named Mistress Martha. He had three daughters by her, two of whom died young.

In the meantime, Princess Margaret gave birth to five more children, three living daughters and two living sons. As Duchess of Saxe-Coburg, she was seen as an extravagant, wild figure, throwing parties regularly. She was known, however, for her intelligence.

The two royals were close to the English Queen (by letter) and were remembered in the last will of Elizabeth I of England. Robert became Duke of Gloucester and Margaret gained substantial lands and jewellery.

1606-1613: Robert and Margaret both spent the remainder of their lives quite quietly. Margaret became pregnant again in 1609 and died giving birth to twin girls. Robert lost his wife in a similar fashion, when she died giving birth to a son, who was stillborn. Robert died in 1613 due to food poisoning.



Mary I of Scotland (b.1542: d.1587) m. Francis II of France (b.1544: d.1560) (a), Henry Stuart (b.1545: d.1567) (b), James Hepburn (b.1534: d.1578) (c)
1b) James VI and I of Scotland and England (b.1566: d.1625) m. Anne of Denmark (b.1574: d.1619) (a)
1a) Henry, Prince of Wales (b.1594: d.1612)

2a) Elizabeth Stuart, Princess of Scotland and England (b.1596: d.1662)

3a) Margaret Stuart, Princess of Scotland (b.1598: d.1600)

4a) Charles I of Scotland and England (b.1600: d.1645)

5a) Robert Stuart, Prince of Scotland (b.1602: d.1602)

6a) Mary Stuart, Princess of Scotland and England (b.1605: d.1607)

7) Sophia Stuart, Princess of Scotland and England (b.1607: d.1607)
2c) Robert Hepburn, Duke of Ross and Gloucester (b.1567: d.1613) m. Euphemia Douglas of Morton (b.1572: d.1610) (a), p. Mistress Martha (b.1560: d.1606) (b)
1a) Lady Mary Hepburn (b.1590: d.1590)

2a) Henry Hepburn, Duke of Gloucester (b.1592: d.1669)

3b) Isabella FitzRobert (b.1594: d.1600)

4a) Lady Elizabeth Hepburn (b.1595: d.1634)

5a) Lady Sophia Hepburn (b.1597: d.1670)

6a) Richard Hepburn, Duke of Ross (b.1599: d.1640)

7b) Barbara FitzRobert (b.1599: d.1678)

8b) Germaine FitzRobert (b.1601: d.1610)

9a) Lord David Hepburn (b.1602: d.1604)

10a) Lord Edward Hepburn (b.1605: d.1638)

11a) Lady Janet Hepburn (b.1607: d.1608)

12a) Lord Matthew Hepburn (b.1610: d.1610)
3b) Princess Margaret Hepburn of Scotland (b.1567: d.1609) m. John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg (b.1564 d.1633) (a)
1a) Anna of Saxe-Coburg (b.1585: d.1641)

2a) Mary of Saxe-Coburg (b.1586: d.1600)

3a) Elisabeth of Saxe-Coburg (b.1588: d.1645)

4a) Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg (b.1590: d.1656)

5a) Sophia of Saxe-Coburg (b.1591: d.1593)

6a) Ernest of Saxe-Coburg (b.1593: d.1608)

7a) Christine of Saxe-Coburg (b.1597: d.1640)

8a) Margaret of Saxe-Coburg (b.1600: d.1600)

9a) Henry of Saxe-Coburg (b.1604: d.1605)

10a) Agnes of Saxe-Coburg (b.1607: d.1607)

11a) Sybille of Saxe-Coburg (b.1609: d.1661)

12a) Dorothea of Saxe-Coburg (b.1609: d.1643)
 
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OTL, James VI offered his step-cousin for a match with Emilia of Nassau (a.k.a. Mme. Manuel "II"). However, for some reason (I can't remember if it was on the side of the Scots or the Dutch) the match didn't go through. Might he not offer his half-brother for a match with Emilia? Or even his sister to Maurits/Frederik Hendrik of Orange
 
A relation between the Dutch and the Scots - later British would be interesting to see though. I somehow doubt Charles I would be able to dismiss the Nassaus as unworthy of a king's eldest daughter if those selfsame Nassaus were related to him. That said, might we see royalist tendencies amongst the Nassaus earlier if say Margaret were to marry Maurits (since it would be rather too soon to tell that he's not going to get hitched and sire legitimate little Oranges).

Actually, the more I think about it, Mary was pro-French in her tendencies (probably due to her being raised in France), and the rebelling Netherlands allied with France until they didn't, not to mention that several Franco-Dutch marriages took place (Charlotte de Bourbon-Montpensier, Louise de Coligny, Eleonore de Bourbon-Condé to the princes of Orange), so a match between Calvinist Scotland and the Calvinist Netherlands is actually pretty logical (at least IMHO)
 
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