Treaty of Greenwich
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Greenwich contained two agreements both signed on July 1, 1543 in Greenwich
between representatives of England
and Scotland
. The accord, overall, entailed a plan developed by Henry VIII of England
to unite both kingdoms (i.e. Union of the Crowns
). The first sub-treaty helped to establish peace between the Kingdom of England
and the Kingdom of Scotland
. The second sub-treaty was a marriage proposal between Edward VI of England
and Mary, Queen of Scots. In this part of the treaty, it was agreed that Mary would be accompanied by an English nobleman/gentleman (and his wife) until she was ten years old. Afterwards, Mary would reside in England until the time of her marriage. Also, the Treaty of Greenwich permitted the Kingdom of Scotland to maintain its laws. Even though the Earl of Arran signed the accord on July 1 and ratified it on August 25, 1543, the Treaty of Greenwich was ultimately rejected by the Scottish Parliament
on December 11, 1543, leading to eight years of Anglo-Scottish conflict known as the Rough Wooing
.
, George Douglas of Pittendreich
and Earl of Glencairn in London, and Ralph Sadler
in Edinburgh. The commissioners for Mary (with the consent of Regent Arran) were Glencairn, Pittendreich, William Hamilton, James Learmonth of Dairsie and Henry Balnaves
. Henry's commissioners were Baron Audley of Walden
, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
, Stephen Gardiner
Bishop of Winchester
, Thomas Thirlby
Bishop of Westminster
, and the Barons St.John and Gage.
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
between representatives of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The accord, overall, entailed a plan developed by Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
to unite both kingdoms (i.e. Union of the Crowns
Union of the Crowns
The Union of the Crowns was the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the throne of England, and the consequential unification of Scotland and England under one monarch. The Union of Crowns followed the death of James' unmarried and childless first cousin twice removed, Queen Elizabeth I of...
). The first sub-treaty helped to establish peace between the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
and the Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
. The second sub-treaty was a marriage proposal between Edward VI of England
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
and Mary, Queen of Scots. In this part of the treaty, it was agreed that Mary would be accompanied by an English nobleman/gentleman (and his wife) until she was ten years old. Afterwards, Mary would reside in England until the time of her marriage. Also, the Treaty of Greenwich permitted the Kingdom of Scotland to maintain its laws. Even though the Earl of Arran signed the accord on July 1 and ratified it on August 25, 1543, the Treaty of Greenwich was ultimately rejected by the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
on December 11, 1543, leading to eight years of Anglo-Scottish conflict known as the Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing
The War of the Rough Wooing was fought between Scotland and England. War was declared by Henry VIII of England, in an attempt to force the Scots to agree to a marriage between his son Edward and Mary, Queen of Scots. Scotland benefited from French military aid. Edward VI continued the war until...
.
Diplomacy
The treaty was the culmination of diplomatic efforts by Adam OtterburnAdam Otterburn
Adam Otterburn of Auldhame and Reidhall was a Scottish lawyer and diplomat. He was king's advocate to James V of Scotland and secretary to Mary of Guise and Regent Arran.-Servant to James V:...
, George Douglas of Pittendreich
George Douglas of Pittendreich
George Douglas of Pittendreich was a member of the powerful Douglas family who struggled for control of the young James V of Scotland in 1528. His second son became James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton and Regent of Scotland. Initially, George Douglas promoted the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and...
and Earl of Glencairn in London, and Ralph Sadler
Ralph Sadler
Sir Ralph Sadler, PC, Knight banneret was an English statesman of the 16th century, and served as a Secretary of State for King Henry VIII.-Background:...
in Edinburgh. The commissioners for Mary (with the consent of Regent Arran) were Glencairn, Pittendreich, William Hamilton, James Learmonth of Dairsie and Henry Balnaves
Henry Balnaves
Henry Balnaves was a Scottish politician and religious reformer.-Biography:Born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, around 1512, he was educated at the University of St Andrews and on the continent, where he adopted Protestant views. Returning to Scotland, he continued his legal studies and in 1538 was appointed...
. Henry's commissioners were Baron Audley of Walden
Baron Audley of Walden
The title of Baron Audley of Walden was created in the Peerage of England in 1538 for Thomas Audley, the Lord Chancellor. It became extinct upon his death in 1544....
, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was a prominent Tudor politician. He was uncle to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of the wives of King Henry VIII, and played a major role in the machinations behind these marriages...
, Stephen Gardiner
Stephen Gardiner
Stephen Gardiner was an English Roman Catholic bishop and politician during the English Reformation period who served as Lord Chancellor during the reign of Queen Mary I of England.-Early life:...
Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
, Thomas Thirlby
Thomas Thirlby
Thomas Thirlby was an English bishop. While he acquiesced in the Henrician schism, with its rejection in principle of the Roman papacy, he remained otherwise loyal to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church during the English Reformation....
Bishop of Westminster
Bishop of Westminster
The Bishop of Westminster was an office in the Church of England. It existed from 1540 to 1550 and its only holder was Thomas Thirlby. The Bishop's seat was at Westminster Abbey....
, and the Barons St.John and Gage.
Sources
- Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher. The History of England, from the Accession of Henry VII, to the Death of Henry VIII, 1485-1547 (Volume V). Longmans, Green, and Co., 1906.
- Loades, David Michael. John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, 1504-53. Oxford University Press, 1996. ISBN 0198201931
- Merriman, Marcus, The Rough Wooings. Tuckwell, 2000, pp 111-136. ISBN 1 86232 090 X