Mary of Guelders
Encyclopedia
Mary of Guelders was the Queen Consort of Scotland as the wife of King James II of Scotland
. She served as Regent
of Scotland from 1460 to 1463.
, and Catherine of Cleves
, a great-aunt of Anne of Cleves
. She was a great-niece of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy.
. Mary married James II
, King of Scots, at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh
on 3 July 1449. A sumptuous banquet was given, while the Scottish king gave her several presents. It had been agreed that any sons they might have would have no right to the duchy of Guelders
.
James and Mary had seven children together:
for their son James III of Scotland
until her own death three years later. Mary was drawn into the War of the Roses taking place in England at this time. She appointed Bishop Kennedy as her chief advisor; their companionship was described as well- functioning despite the fact that the bishop favored an alliance with the Lancastrians
, while Mary at first wanted to continue playing off the warring parties in England against each other.
While Mary was still mourning the death of King James II
, the Lancastrian Queen Margaret of Anjou
fled north across the border seeking refuge from the Yorkists. Mary sympathetically aided Margaret and took Edward of Westminster
into her household to keep them out of Yorkist hands.
Mary's dealings with Margaret were mainly to provide aid to the deposed queen. Mary gave a number of Scottish troops to help Margaret and the Lancastrian cause. She and Margaret also organised a betrothal between Prince Edward, son of King Henry VI of England
, and King James III's sister Princess Margaret in 1461. In return for her support, Mary asked for the town of Berwick
on the Anglo-Scottish border, which Margaret was willing to give up.
Relations between the two women deteriorated, however, with the increasingly friendly alliance between King Edward IV of England and Duke Philip of Burgundy. Any support by Mary for Margaret, Edward's enemy, threatened the alliance that Duke Philip wanted with King Edward IV against the French King Louis XI.
Edward IV tried to put a stop to Mary's support of Margaret by proposing marriage to the widowed queen, which Mary rejected. Her uncle, Duke Philip, pressured her to call off the betrothal of Margaret of Scotland and Prince Edward, to Margaret's disappointment. In 1462, she paid the Lancastrian royals to leave Scotland and made peace with Edward IV. She also hinted at the possibility of a marriage between herself and the new English king. Mary, reportedly, had several affairs during her period as regent, notably one with the Lord Hailes
Mary went ahead with James II's plan to build a castle on land at Ravenscraig
, designed to withstand the use of artillery, and lived in it while it was under construction until her death.
, Mary founded Trinity College Church
ca. 1460 in memory of her husband. The church, located in the area now known as Edinburgh's Royal Mile
, was demolished in 1848 to make way for Waverley station, although it was partially reconstructed in 1870 under the name Trinity Apse. Mary was buried in the church, although her coffin was moved to Holyrood Abbey
in 1848.
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
. She served as Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Scotland from 1460 to 1463.
Background
She was the daughter of Arnold, Duke of GueldersArnold, Duke of Guelders
Arnold of Egmond was Duke of Guelders, Count of Zutphen. He was son of John II of Egmond and Maria van Arkel....
, and Catherine of Cleves
Catherine of Cleves (1417-1479)
Catherine was Duchess of Guelders. The Hours of Catherine of Cleves was commissioned for her.-Family:Catherine was the daughter of Adolph I, Duke of Cleves and Marie of Burgundy. She was a niece of Philip the Good.-Book of Hours:...
, a great-aunt of Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
. She was a great-niece of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy.
Burgundian court
Philip and his wife Isabella of Portugal at first planned to have Mary betrothed to Charles, Count of Maine, but her father could not pay the dowry. Mary stayed on at the Burgundian court, where Isabella frequently paid for her expenses. Mary attended Isabella's daughter-in-law Catherine of France, while she herself was attended upon by ten people. The duke and duchess then started negotiations for a Scottish marriage. Philip promised to pay her dowry, while Isabella paid for her trousseau. William Crichton came to the Burgundian court to escort her back to Scotland.Marriage and children
She landed in Scotland in June 1449 and both nobles and the common people came to see her as she made her way to Holyrood AbbeyHolyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Reformation the Palace of Holyroodhouse was expanded...
. Mary married James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
, King of Scots, at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 3 July 1449. A sumptuous banquet was given, while the Scottish king gave her several presents. It had been agreed that any sons they might have would have no right to the duchy of Guelders
Guelders
Guelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
.
James and Mary had seven children together:
- An unnamed son. {Both born and died on 19 May 1450).
- James III of ScotlandJames III of ScotlandJames III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
(1451–1488). - Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1454 - 1485).
- David Stewart, Earl of MorayDavid Stewart, Earl of MorayDavid Stewart, Earl of Moray was a son of King James II of Scotland.He was created Earl of Moray on 12 February 1456....
(c. 1456 - 1457. He was created Earl of MorayEarl of MorayThe title Earl of Moray has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland.Prior to the formal establishment of the peerage, Earl of Moray, numerous individuals ruled the kingdom of Moray or Mormaer of Moray until 1130 when the kingdom was destroyed by David I of Scotland.-History of the...
on 12 February 1456. - John Stewart, 1st Earl of Mar and GariochJohn Stewart, Earl of Mar (d. 1479)John Stewart, Earl of Mar and Garioch was the youngest son of James II of Scotland and Mary of Guelders.James II bestowed the titles of Earl of Mar and Earl of Garioch on his son sometime between 1458 and 1459. In 1479, John was accused of treason and imprisoned at Craigmillar Castle...
(c. 1459 - 1479). - Princess Margaret of Scotland. Married William Crichton, 3rd Lord Crichton of Auchingoul. She became the mother of Margaret Crichton and mother-in-law of George Leslie, 4th Earl of RothesGeorge Leslie, 4th Earl of RothesGeorge Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat.George became Earl of Rothes after his father's death at the Battle of Flodden. The title had previously been possesed by his uncle, William Leslie, the 2nd Earl...
. - Princess Mary of ScotlandMary Stewart, Princess of ScotlandPrincess Mary, Countess of Arran was the eldest daughter of King James II of Scotland and Mary of Guelders. Her brother was King James III of Scotland. She married twice; firstly to Thomas Boyd, 1st Earl of Arran; secondly to James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton...
(May 1453-May 1488). Married first Thomas Boyd, 1st Earl of ArranThomas Boyd, 1st Earl of ArranThomas Boyd, Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman.Thomas was the son of Robert, 1st Lord Boyd, who was a regent during the minority of James III. His father was able have Thomas created Earl of Arran and Baron Kilmarnock in the Peerage of Scotland and arrange Thomas' marriage to Princess Mary,...
and secondly James Hamilton, 1st Lord HamiltonJames Hamilton, 1st Lord HamiltonJames Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton, 6th Lord of Cadzow was a Scottish nobleman, scholar and politician.-Early life:...
. She became the mother of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 1st Earl of ArranJames Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran and 2nd Lord Hamilton was a Scottish nobleman and first cousin of James IV of Scotland.-Biography:...
.
Regency
After her husband's death, Mary acted as RegentRegent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
for their son James III of Scotland
James III of Scotland
James III was King of Scots from 1460 to 1488. James was an unpopular and ineffective monarch owing to an unwillingness to administer justice fairly, a policy of pursuing alliance with the Kingdom of England, and a disastrous relationship with nearly all his extended family.His reputation as the...
until her own death three years later. Mary was drawn into the War of the Roses taking place in England at this time. She appointed Bishop Kennedy as her chief advisor; their companionship was described as well- functioning despite the fact that the bishop favored an alliance with the Lancastrians
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, while Mary at first wanted to continue playing off the warring parties in England against each other.
While Mary was still mourning the death of King James II
James II of Scotland
James II reigned as King of Scots from 1437 to his death.He was the son of James I, King of Scots, and Joan Beaufort...
, the Lancastrian Queen Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
fled north across the border seeking refuge from the Yorkists. Mary sympathetically aided Margaret and took Edward of Westminster
Edward of Westminster
Edward of Westminster , also known as Edward of Lancaster, was the only son of King Henry VI of England and Margaret of Anjou...
into her household to keep them out of Yorkist hands.
Mary's dealings with Margaret were mainly to provide aid to the deposed queen. Mary gave a number of Scottish troops to help Margaret and the Lancastrian cause. She and Margaret also organised a betrothal between Prince Edward, son of King Henry VI of England
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
, and King James III's sister Princess Margaret in 1461. In return for her support, Mary asked for the town of Berwick
Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed is a border town in the north of England.Berwick may also refer to:- England :*Berwick Street Market, London*Berwick, Sussex**Berwick railway station*Berwick St John, Wiltshire...
on the Anglo-Scottish border, which Margaret was willing to give up.
Relations between the two women deteriorated, however, with the increasingly friendly alliance between King Edward IV of England and Duke Philip of Burgundy. Any support by Mary for Margaret, Edward's enemy, threatened the alliance that Duke Philip wanted with King Edward IV against the French King Louis XI.
Edward IV tried to put a stop to Mary's support of Margaret by proposing marriage to the widowed queen, which Mary rejected. Her uncle, Duke Philip, pressured her to call off the betrothal of Margaret of Scotland and Prince Edward, to Margaret's disappointment. In 1462, she paid the Lancastrian royals to leave Scotland and made peace with Edward IV. She also hinted at the possibility of a marriage between herself and the new English king. Mary, reportedly, had several affairs during her period as regent, notably one with the Lord Hailes
Mary went ahead with James II's plan to build a castle on land at Ravenscraig
Ravenscraig Castle
Ravenscraig Castle is a ruined castle located in Kirkcaldy which dates from around 1460. The castle is an early example of artillery defence in Scotland...
, designed to withstand the use of artillery, and lived in it while it was under construction until her death.
Trinity College Church
A devout CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, Mary founded Trinity College Church
Trinity College Kirk
Trinity College Kirk was a royal collegiate church in Edinburgh, Scotland. The kirk and its adjacent almshouse, Trinity Hospital, were founded in 1460 by Mary of Gueldres in memory of her husband, King James II...
ca. 1460 in memory of her husband. The church, located in the area now known as Edinburgh's Royal Mile
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
, was demolished in 1848 to make way for Waverley station, although it was partially reconstructed in 1870 under the name Trinity Apse. Mary was buried in the church, although her coffin was moved to Holyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Reformation the Palace of Holyroodhouse was expanded...
in 1848.