Imprisoning Mary, Queen of Scots: James VI's Response

this video is sponsored by Squarespace hello and welcome back to the channel if you are new here hi you're very welcome this is reading the past and I'm Dr Cat on a few occasions I have seen in my comment sections people querying the Scottish response to the imprisonment of Mary Queen of Scots in England and also how her subsequent execution was handled how did James I 6th of Scots deal with his neighboring Monarch and kind woman both while she was holding his mother in captivity and after she had signed that death warrant that would lead to Mary's execution how much was his response Guided by the fact that he wanted to be Elizabeth's Heir well today we're going to take a look at this and by looking at the extant evidence we will hopefully gain a better understanding of this complicated and highly emotive situation but before we jump into today's topic I want to say an absolutely massive thank you to Squarespace for sponsoring another video on this channel when it comes to building 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trial and then when you are ready to launch go to squarespace.com reading theast to save 10% off of your first purchase of a website or domain thanks again to Squarespace for sponsoring this video but now it's time to take a look at both Royal Anglo Scottish relations in the latter half of the 16th century and also the relationship between James I 6 and his mother [Music] Mary when little James Stewart was born at Edinburgh Castle on the 19th of June 1566 his parents marriage was it would turn out already ireverse ibly strained 3 months before James's birth his father Henry Stewart Lord darnley had been involved in the murder of his mother Mary Queen of Scots his favorite David Rito it was a brutal event that happened in front of the heavily pregnant Queen when the baby was baptized at Sterling Castle on the 17th of December 1566 his father refused to attend less than two months later as the 9th became the 10th of February 1567 Lord darnley was murdered at kir field James hebburn Earl of Bothwell was believed by many to be responsible for darley's death on the 15th of May 1567 it was Bothwell that Mary married Little James had last seen his mother on the 21st of April and at that point he was just under two Monon shy of his first birthday this Bothwell marriage generated a ground swell of opposition on the part of Mary's Lords so much so that by the 15th of June 1567 which was 4 days before James's first birthday Mary found herself left with no choice but to surrender to her enemies and then the following day the 16th of June she was imprisoned in L Le Castle Mary's queenship officially came to an end on the 24th of July 1567 when she under Jess signed Deeds of abdication her son now aged 13 months was from that moment king of Scots he was crowned at Sterling 5 days later on the 29th of July Mary escaped from L leeven on the 2nd of May 1568 and before long she felt that she had no other option than to leave Scotland for refuge in England she would arrive there on the 16th of May Mary would never return to Scotland again and so that 21st of April visit which I mentioned a few moments ago would prove to be the very last time that James would see his mother in person and considering that he was not yet one at that time I think it's fair to assume that James would have no real memory of her that anything he knew about his mother would have to presumably be based upon the reports of others or at least it would until he was old enough to correspond with her himself on his own half even then though we may wish to consider how easy it would be for Parental bonds to be both fostered and supported only through letters letters that both parties would have known or at least assumed were being read by others we might wonder who could have been shaping James's opinion of his mother from his earliest years perhaps his Regents might have guided his thinking or at least the ones that survive long enough his mother's half brother James Stewart Earl of Murray was assassinated in January 1570 his paternal grandfather Matthew Stewart Earl of Lennox was killed in September 1571 and then John kin Earl of Mah died in October 1572 officially of natural causes although rumors of poison did abound these men had been part of removing and or keeping Mary from Power might this have impacted the way they talked about her to her son if indeed they talked about her at all I mean in the case of Lennox I think he might have had very particular feelings about the woman that he deemed to be at least complicit in the murder of his son in any case all three of these Regents would be dead by the time that James was six and so we might question how much anyone's going to be talking about an absent mother to a fatherless boy of this tender age James is Regent was James Douglas Earl of Morton and he had switched his Allegiance numerous times from Mary to darnley to Bothwell to those who sought to bring Bothwell and Mary down with this in mind what might he have told James about his mother Morton was unseated in a March 1578 coup that had the nearly 12-year-old James as its figurehead and at this point James announced his capacity and intention to rule for himself another influence on James's view of his mother may perhaps be found in the religious services that James attended these were those of the Presbyterian Scottish Kirk whose preachers were for the most part theologically inspired by Calvin as James's Reign went on he would have to confront and contend with the particularly Ardent members of his clergy when James sought to assert his authority over the Kirk there were those who were prepared to counter his claims in the strongest terms because to them he was a member of the Kirk like any other person it was not for him to lead but to follow and I do wonder if James's mother's Roman Catholic faith might have been something that further distanced him from her might he have come to view her as another opponent for him to face in matters of Faith there were however others who would have had more than a little input on James's thinking during his childhood and Adolescence namely his tutors Jenny Wold explains that quote the choice of his principal tutor appointed when he was four was obvious George Buchanan noted European humanist exponent of resistance Theory and slanderer of his mother to which attributes could be added a fair degree of sadism beating the Lords anointed was not just a matter of discipline but of satisfaction at the end of his life the King still had nightmares about Buchanan although by that time with Buchanan long dead he could also Express pride in having a tutor of great academic distinction as he did when complimented by an English courtier on his pronunciation of Latin and Greek I do wonder what effect this tutor who James was apparently both terrified of and ultimately grateful for who was so open in his distaste for Mary Queen of Scots what effect would he have had on James's view of his mother in the early 1580s there were suggestions apparently devised and promoted by Mary herself that she and James might enter into some kind of joint rule together over Scotland she had hoped this plan would buy her Liberty so she could either return to Scotland and to at least nominal power or even that she could remain in England but no longer as a prisoner by this point however James was in his late teens and he had until this point been principally concerned with making good on his previous claims of being both willing and able to rule for himself and so perhaps this suggestion of his mothers was unappealing to him because it would require James to share power perhaps he was unwilling to help the woman he had been told had murdered his father or maybe it was simply the case that the political and diplomatic Capital that James would have to expend to bring this plan to pass was simply too high a cost for him to pay instead James and Elizabeth I came to their own terms they shared an affectionate correspondence where she referred to him variously as her dear brother and cousin while he would call her his dearest sister cousin and mother James would Express the expected affection for his actual mother but it seems that this affection did not extend to making a deal that might secure her Liberty and thus her security there is however evidence of James discussing the plans of certain foreign agents working on his mother's behalf and thus against Elizabeth but it appears that he went no further than talk no sign of him offering either verbal physical or fiscal support for any of these plots has been detected if the later evidence is to be believed Mary was not content to leave off her attempts to obtain her Liberty nor was she content to only focus on one plan if James and Joint rule were not going to be her route then seemingly she would look to find another whether that meant coming to terms with Philip of Spain in a manner that would disinherit her son James from any claim to the English Throne or whether it was going to be by finding co-conspirators who were much closer to hand in 1586 that would be Anthony babington and his Confederates I have got a video on the babington plot which I will leave linked suffice to say the evidence connected to and generated by this plot would show that Mary Queen of Scots endorsed it and also added her own recommendations to bring it to pass Mary was accused of treason she was tried and convicted all that remained was for Elizabeth to sign the warrant for her execution on the 26th of January 1587 James wrote to Elizabeth begging her to spare his mother's life when we take a look at this letter on first glance it appears panicked desperate there's even an implied Threat Level within it but look again and see that while there is panic desperation even threat implied it never steps over the line James never breaks protocol he does not act activ L threaten Elizabeth his Panic his desperation do not make him lose control among other things he States quote yet justly preferring the duty of an honest friend to the sudden passions of one who how soon they be passed can wisely away the reasons than I can set them down I have resolved in a few words and plan to give you my friendly and best advice appealing to your ripest judgment to discern their upon what thing Madam can greatly attouch me in honor that is a king and a son than that my nearest neighbor being in straightest friendship with me shall rigorously put to death a free Sovereign Prince and my natural mother alike in estate and sex to her that so uses her orbe it subject I grant to a harder fortune and touching her nearly in proximity of blood what law of God can per commit that Justice shall strike upon them whom he has appointed Supreme dispensatory of the same under him whom he hath called gods and therefore subjected to the censure of none in Earth whose anointing by God cannot be defiled by Man unrevenged by the author thereof who being Supreme and immediate left tenants of God in heaven cannot therefore be judged by their equals in Earth what monstrous thing is it that Sovereign princes themselves should be the example givers of their own sacred diadems profaning then what should move you to this form of proceeding supposing the worst which in good faith I look not for at your hands honor or profit honor were it to you to spare when it is least looked for Honor were it to you which is not only my friendly advice but my Earnest suit to take me and and all other princes in Europe eternally beholden unto you in granting this my so reasonable request and not pardon I pray you my free speaking to put princes to Straits of honor where through your general reputation and the universal almost Mis liking of you may dangerously Peril both in honor and utility your person and estate ye know Madam well enough how small small difference Cicero concludes to be betwix util utility and honest honor in his disclosure thereof and which of them ought to be framed to the other and now Madam to conclude I pray you so away their few arguments that as I ever presumed of your nature so the whole world may praise your subjects for their dutiful care for your preservation and yourself for your princely pity the doing whereof only belongs unto you the Performing whereof only app pertains unto you the praise thereof only ever will be yours what is thought to be Elizabeth's response to this is found in an undated letter she writes to James quote you may see whether I keep the serpent that poisons me when they confess to have reward by Saving of her life they would have had mine do I not think you make myself a goodly prey for every wretch to devour transfigure yourself into my state and suppose what you ought to do and thereafter weigh my life and reject the care of murder and shun all baits that may untie our amities and let all men know that princes know best their own laws and misjudge not that you know not Mary Queen of Scots was executed at fing on the 8th of February 1586 7 on the 14th of February Elizabeth wrote to James quote my dear brother I would you knew though not felt the extreme dollar that overwhelms my mind for that miserable accident which far contrary to my meaning hath befallen I have now sent this Kinsman of mine whom air now it hath pleased you to favor to instruct you truly of that which is too irksome for my pen to tell you I beseech you that as God and many more know how innocent I am in this case so you will believe me that if I had bid ought I would have bid by it I am not so basem minded that fear of any living creature or Prince should make me so afraid to do that were just or done to deny the same I am not a so base a lineage nor carry so vile a mind but as not to disguise fits not a king so will I never dissemble my actions but cause them show even as I meant them thus assuring yourself of me that as I know this was deserved yet if I had meant it I would never lay it on other shoulders no more will I not damnif myself that thought it not the circumstance it may please you to have of this Bearer and for your part think you have not in the world a more loving kinswoman nor a more dear friend than myself nor any that will watch more carefully to preserve you and your estate and who shall otherwise persuade you judge them more partial to others than you and thus in haste I leave to trouble you beseeching God to send you a long Reign the 14th of February 1587 your most assured loving sister and cousin Elizabeth R the following month James replied to Elizabeth with quote Adam and dearest sister whereas by your letter ye purge yourself of your unhappy fact together with your many and solemn attestations of your innocency I dare not wrong you so far as not to judge honorably of your unspotted part therein so on the other side I wish that your honorable behavior in all other times Hereafter May fully persuade the whole world of the same and as for my part I look that she will give me at this time such a full satisf action in all respects as she'll be a mean to strengthen and unite this aisle establish and maintain the True Religion and to oblige me to be as of before I was your most loving he omits that last word was it going to be son brother cousin friend is this perhaps a sign of James's distraction at the loss of his mother or could this Omission have been more calculated designed to inspire Elizabeth to go further to make amends to him perhaps by naming him unquestionably as the heir to her throne was James willing to take no action in his mother's name in the hope that England would one day be his after all James did spend much of the remainder of Elizabeth rain seeking recognition for this claim of his this recognition was not forthcoming but neither was any clear refusal of the same and when Elizabeth died on the 24th of March 16003 it would be James who as seeded to the English throne in 16006 the elaborate monument that James commissioned for Elizabeth was completed it was placed in the north aisle of the Henry VI 7th lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey she was interred beneath it in a vault with her half- sister Mary in 1612 the monument for Mary Queen of Scots which was taller than that which had been produced for Elizabeth was also ready Mary was moved from peterbrook Cathedral and was reinterred beneath this new monument which sits in the South aisle of the lady Chapel so opposite to Elizabeth's tomb the wording on Mary Queen of Scott's tomb is by Henry Percy Earl of North umberland and it announces among other things that she was the quote sole Heir and great granddaughter of Henry viith King of England through his elder daughter Margaret that she was quote Mistress of Scotland by law of France by marriage of England by expectation thus blessed by a three-fold right with a three-fold crown that she was quote great in marriage greater still in lineage greatest of all in her progeny here lies buried the daughter bride and mother of Kings God grant that her sons and all who are descended from her May Hereafter behold the cloudless days of Eternity so what do you think of James's relationship with or his feelings about his mother do you think he blamed her for his father's death and so chose not to help her when he could did he want to avoid a situation where he had to share his rule his power with her or to defer to her claim to the English Throne as one that might supersede his own was he simply more con con erned with obtaining the greater prize of the English crown was he desperate to avoid the danger that might be generated by supporting her Folsom is it possible that this King Who as a very small boy had learned that his Regent had been killed who experienced threats against his own life who was berated by his priests and beaten by his tutor was driven principally by a desire to survive or was it do you think something else entirely that motivated him as always I'm looking 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