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Linlithgow Palace and Mary of Guise

Posted on June 17, 2010 by David

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Born 1515 the eldest child of Claude de Guise and Antoinette de Bourbon. In 1534 Mary of Guise married Louis II, Duke of Longueville who died in 1537. They had two sons, both died before adulthood. Mary turned down a proposal from Henry VIII of England saying ‘I have a strong body but a slender neck’.

? In 1538 Mary married James V of Scotland who was building a splendid new palace at Stirling Castle where they were to hold court. He died in 1542 – the year after both their sons – and just days after she had given birth to Mary, Queen of Scots.

? Regent Arran tried to stop her getting Stirling Castle, there was a military standoff and he backed down. In 1543 the Marys moved from Linlithgow Palace to Stirling Castle, where the infant’s coronation was held.

? In 1547 the English defeated the Scots at Pinkie Cleugh but the following year French troops arrived to push back the English who had occupied parts of Scotland. Also in 1548 Mary suffered an illness feared to be the plague and was nearly killed by English guns at the siege of Haddington – many around her died.

? In 1554 Mary of Guise became regent, effective ruler of Scotland.

? Mary, Queen of Scots married the heir to the French throne in 1558 and he became King Francis II the following year but died in 1560.
During 1560 Mary of Guise tried to rally resistance to an uprising by the Protestant Lords of the Congregation, who were supported by English naval and land forces. She took refuge in Edinburgh Castle and French troops tried to hold the heavily fortified port of Leith. Mary, in her mid-40s, fell ill and declined very fast. She was held in such respect that even enemies visited her on her deathbed.

? Three days after Mary’s death the French agreed to a treaty. This brought the end of the Auld Alliance which had existed between Scotland and France since the 1290s and made way for the triumph of the Scottish Reformation.

? In 1561 Mary, Queen of Scots arrived at Leith to begin her personal rule – a Catholic queen of a Protestant country. Her son, and Mary of Guise’ grandson, ultimately united the thrones of Scotland and England as James VI and I.

Linlithgow Palace screensaver