Margaret Douglas
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (born October 8, 1515 at Harbottle Castle , † March 9, 1578 in Hackney ) was an English noblewoman. Through her royal mother Margaret Tudor , she was the niece of King Henry VIII of England . As a close friend of her cousin Queen Maria I , she belonged to the Catholic opposition under her younger cousin Queen Elisabeth I. By clever tactics she succeeded in marrying her son Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, with her niece Maria Stuart and thus the grandmother of King Jacob I / VI. of England and Scotland to become.
Life
childhood
Margaret was the only child from the marriage of her parents Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus and Margaret Tudor , older sister of Henry VIII. Her maternal half-brother was Jacob V , and on her father's side she had several illegitimate half-siblings. Her birth took place under circumstances that at that time all of Europe found unheard of. Her mother was the widow of Jacob IV and had received from him both the government over Scotland and the guardianship of their two sons Jacob V and Alexander Stuart. By remarrying to Angus, however, she had forfeited both and the Scottish noble houses rebelled against a Douglas as the king's widow's husband. Margaret Tudor had to give her two sons into the guardianship of John Stewart, 2nd Duke of Albany and finally in 1515 fled heavily pregnant from the rebels to England, where she placed herself under the protection of her brother Heinrich.
Margaret Tudor gave birth to their only daughter on the night of October 7-8. The child was christened Margaret Douglas one day after its birth, and was godfathered by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey , who sent a deputy to the christening ceremony. Since Margaret Tudor had little more with her when she escaped than the clothes she was wearing, Henry VIII and his wife Katharina von Aragón gave her baby clothes for their little daughter. When she was finally received by her brother and was able to introduce her niece to him and her younger sister Mary Tudor , it was May 1516 and little Margaret was already seven months old. Her cousin Maria , the only surviving child of Heinrich and Katharina, had been born just a month earlier . The two young cousins shared the apartments for the royal children during Margaret Tudor's stay in England. They would later become close friends.
Back in Scotland, little Margaret quickly became a pawn in her parents' soon-to-be-broken marriage. Under current law, her father Archibald Douglas was her legal guardian and it was his choice where she grew up. Despite the bitter resistance of Margaret Tudor , Angus brought his three-year-old daughter into his Tantallon fortress, separated from her mother and in her own household. Finally he managed to take over the guardianship of his stepson Jacob V. In doing so, he laid the foundation for the young king's deep enmity for the House of Douglas, which was to help determine the fate of his daughter Margaret Douglas. Finally, Margaret Tudor obtained the annulment of her marriage to Angus, but contrary to the current regulations, Margaret Douglas was declared legitimate because Pope Clement VII added a clause to this effect.
Margaret Douglas' relatively peaceful life in Scotland came to an abrupt end when in 1528 her brother Jakob managed to escape from her father's tutelage. Supported by his mother Margaret Tudor and her new husband Henry Stewart, he launched a campaign against the House of Douglas, which Archibald Douglas forced to flee to England. Since he was practically outlawed in Scotland and in order to prevent an allegedly planned engagement between Margaret Douglas and the brother of her new stepfather, Archibald Douglas brought his fourteen-year-old daughter to England, although her brother Jacob, fearing for her to anyone who made her alive and unharmed brought back to him and his mother, promised a high reward. Margaret Douglas never saw her mother or brother again.
youth
On the run from his enemies and the Civil War, Archibald Douglas gave his daughter to the English Captain von Berwick, who had once belonged to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey's household. Margaret was Wolsey's godson, but the cardinal had already lost much of his power and was too preoccupied with his own political survival to take care of the girl. Instead, her aunt Mary Tudor took her under her wing, often received her as a guest in her house and finally introduced her to her uncle Henry VIII at court . Heinrich was very fond of his niece and continued to receive her father Archibald Douglas as his brother-in-law at court. In 1530 Margaret received the office of First Lady of Honor in the suite of Crown Princess Maria through her aunt . During this time, the cousins, who were almost the same age, developed a solid friendship that would last their lives. Both were convinced Catholics, which would later have a major impact on Margaret's life.
When Elisabeth Tudor Maria lost her status as Crown Princess and her household was dissolved after the birth of Elisabeth Tudor , Margaret Douglas was given a place in the entourage of the new Queen Anne Boleyn and quickly adapted to the new circumstances. She and Anne got on well together despite Margaret's Catholicism and despite Anne's distrust of Margaret's cousin and friend Maria. Margaret Douglas attended the funeral of Queen Jane Seymour with her cousins Maria Tudor and Frances Brandon . She and Frances took on an official role once more when they received Henry's new Queen Anne of Cleves on English soil. Margaret also held the office of First Maid of Honor in the household of the Queens Anna von Kleve and Catherine Howard .
In disgrace
When the former Crown Princess Maria and Elisabeth were both declared bastards, Margaret Douglas moved up in line to the throne and became a very attractive match on the marriage market. Because of her love for the incongruous Thomas Howard , half-brother of the 3rd Duke of Norfolk , Margaret lost the favor of her uncle Henry VIII in 1536. Because of their royal blood, their descendants would have represented potential rivals for Henry's son, who was still hoped for. Whether the two actually got married in secret or were just planning to get married is controversial among historians, since at that time the promise of marriage was usually already regarded as a legally binding marriage contract.
In order to protect his throne, Henry VIII did not hesitate to pass a law making the marriage or seduction of members of the royal family without the permission of the monarch a high treason. Margaret Douglas should have been sentenced to death with this, but, as the Spanish ambassador Eustace Chapuys wrote in a letter to Charles V , she would have been pardoned, since no sexual intercourse could be proven. The ambassador remarks dryly: "... and certainly she would deserve a pardon even if she had behaved worse, considering the example she was and is being lived every day and that she has been marriageable for eight years."
Margaret and Thomas were incarcerated in the Tower, where Thomas died of illness in 1537. Margaret herself was brought to Sion House due to health problems, where Queen Catherine Howard was later imprisoned. Through the mediation of Thomas Cromwell and her formal renunciation of her fiancé, she was finally allowed to return to the court, but only after the long-awaited heir to the throne Edward VI. was born and Margaret's dangerous proximity to the throne was neutralized.
Heinrich had not been idle and had sent a messenger to Scotland to collect evidence that his sister Margaret Tudor's second marriage was invalid and that Margaret Douglas was therefore a bastard and not entitled to inheritance. However, this humiliation did not prevent Margaret from having another flirtation, this time with Charles Howard, Catherine Howard's brother. Once again she was sent back to Sion House and only released after a very strict admonition from her uncle. One reason was Catherine Howard's imprisonment at Sion House.
That same year, on November 24, 1541, Queen Margaret Tudor died in Scotland. On her deathbed, she expressed her regret over the divorce from Archibald Douglas and declared him her rightful husband in place of her current husband. In this way, Heinrich's sister reaffirmed the legitimacy of her daughter Margaret Douglas. Although Margaret's reputation had suffered badly, she managed to secure the office of first maid of honor again in 1543, this time in the wake of Queen Catherine Parr .
Countess of Lennox
Like her cousin Maria, Margaret also became a pawn on the marriage market. After a long war, her brother King Jacob V negotiated with her uncle Henry VIII and her father Archibald Douglas about a marriage between Margaret and his general, the Earl of Huntly . However, Margaret was indignant to hear that Jacob did not accept her as a member of the royal family and wanted to marry her off as his "illegitimate sister". For this reason, she refused to marry Huntly, but toyed with the idea of marrying Patrick Hepburn, 3rd Earl of Bothwell , the future father of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell , who in turn was the third husband of Maria Stuarts should be.
In spite of his anger over Margaret's disproportionate relationships in her youth, Heinrich seems to have had some understanding for his niece. As he toyed with the idea of marriage for her, he explained, “We promised our niece that we would never marry her to someone she couldn't love in her heart… Since the two have never met, we don't know whether they will like each other when they see each other. ”He finally married Margaret in 1544 to Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox , who lived in exile in England and served him as a general against the Scots. Margaret henceforth carried the courtesy title Countess of Lennox .
Lennox belonged to the House of Stuart and thus had a claim to the Scottish throne. Through Margaret's royal blood, her children were therefore included in both the Scottish and the English line of succession. In Heinrich's letters and state papers, Margaret is referred to as Lennox's wife from July 1544. Although it was an arranged marriage, historians believe that there is great affection between the spouses. In letters Lennox often called his wife "my Meg", "my beloved Madge" and "his greatest consolation". He signed "Your Loving Husband Matthew". Historians believe that Margaret Douglas was the driving force in marriage and in dynastic plans and ambitions.
The first son Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, was born in March 1545, but died on November 28 of the same year. The date of birth of the second son, also Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley , however, is controversial. Traditionally, December 7th, 1545 is given, which would mean that he was conceived just a few weeks after the birth of his older brother. However, a messenger from Darnley's future wife Maria Stuart stated in March 1566 that Darnley was just nineteen years old. Thereafter, his date of birth would be December 7, 1546. Darnley and his younger brother Charles Stewart were the couple's only surviving children. Margaret had high hopes, especially in Darnley. In his will, Henry VIII had excluded all descendants of his older sister Margaret Tudor from the line of succession and instead favored the descendants of his younger sister Mary Tudor. However, many did not consider this regulation to be binding, since according to current law the older siblings and their descendants came first in the line of succession. So Darnley could justifiably be considered a prince by birth with a serious claim to the throne, and Margaret was all too willing to help her son to his crown.
Life under Maria I.
Despite the physical distance, Margaret Douglas always remained close friends with her cousin Maria Tudor . They both belonged to the Catholic faith and had it during the reign of the Protestant Edward VI. not filed. Her status rose suddenly when Mary finally triumphed and was crowned Queen of England. Mary paid Margaret great honors, made her rooms in Westminster available, fed Margaret's household at her own expense, and showered her beloved cousin with robes and jewels. It also ensured her an independent, generous income by transferring her rights to trade in wool.
Mary's benevolence was most evident in the fact that she gave Margaret Douglas precedence over Princess Elisabeth at court . From a Catholic point of view, Mary's half-sister was still illegitimate, while Margaret Douglas was the result of a lawful marriage to a Queen of the House of Tudor. However, Elisabeth was at the same time by the will of her father Henry VIII. Mary's official heir to the throne, while Margaret Douglas, like all descendants of Margaret Tudor , had been completely removed from the line of succession. Maria's obvious preference for Margaret and her desire for a Catholic succession to the throne now suggested that she wanted to change the line of succession in favor of the Lennox family.
This made Margaret, intentionally or not, a rival of Elizabeth. Her secretary Thomas Bishop later spread rumors that Margaret Douglas was hostile to Elisabeth and had deliberately bullied her. After the failed revolt by Thomas Wyatt , Elisabeth was taken to Westminster and placed under arrest. Margaret Douglas lived in the rooms directly above Elisabeth at the time and, according to Bishop, allegedly used the opportunity to abuse the princess, who was already afraid for her life, with endless noise. He alleges that Margaret had logs, pots and pans thrown on the floor to aggravate Elizabeth's migraines. In addition, Bishop said, she had tried to convince Maria to neutralize Elizabeth once and for all. Margaret Douglas indignantly dismissed these allegations, especially since no one except Bishop, not even Elisabeth, brought these charges against her.
Margaret's ambitions that Maria would name her or her son as heir to the throne, however, were not fulfilled. In order to appoint Margaret as heir to the throne, Maria would have had to disregard the will of her father, who had clearly appointed Elisabeth as Mary's heir. But it was precisely this will that formed the basis for Mary's claim to the throne. Without the will, her own status would have been noticeably shaken, which may have played a role in her decision to name Elisabeth as her heiress. When Maria died, Margaret Douglas took the ceremonial role of the main victims at the funeral of her cousin.
Intrigues and ambitions under Elizabeth I.
The couple lost their royal favor after Elizabeth I ascended the throne , and they mistrusted them. They had to leave Westminster Palace and moved to Yorkshire, where they became central figures in the Catholic opposition. As early as 1559, Margaret Douglas sent her son Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, to France to congratulate her niece Maria Stuart on her coronation as Queen of France. In 1561, after the death of the young King of France, Margaret sent Darnley again to Maria, officially to express his condolences, but probably to show Maria a potential new husband, also of royal blood. At the same time, she wrote to the Scottish lords to persuade them to marry their queen with Darnley. When, after Maria's return to Scotland, rumors of the Lennox family's intrigues reached Elisabeth, Margaret's husband, Matthew Stewart, was incarcerated in the Tower and Margaret Douglas was placed under house arrest, not for the last time. Another attempt was made to prove that Margaret Tudor's second marriage was not valid and that Margaret Douglas was therefore illegitimate and not entitled to inheritance. An angry outburst from Margaret Douglas made Elisabeth uncomfortably aware that if she questioned the validity of a second marriage, she was walking on thin ice herself. In order to neutralize the Lennoxes and to be able to stand up to both Maria Stuart and Catherine Grey's claim to the English throne, Elisabeth had Margaret and her husband come to court with their children and treated them very favorably.
Regardless, Margaret Douglas and Lennox continued to pursue their ambitious plans. They obtained Elizabeth's permission to send Darnley to Scotland with his father, ostensibly to administer their lands in Scotland. In fact, they were still interested in marrying Darnley to Mary Queen of Scots and their efforts were ultimately crowned with success. Elizabeth was furious when she found out about the proposed marriage and put Margaret under house arrest again to put pressure on Darnley and Lennox in Scotland. The official reason for their anger was Darnley's royal parentage, which forbade him to marry without Elizabeth's permission. The real reason, however, was the danger to Elizabeth's throne. Darnley and Maria Stuart were both descendants of Margaret Tudor, with which the claim of their children to the English throne, in particular because of their commitment to Catholicism, assumed threatening proportions for the Protestant queen. When Darnley married Mary Queen of Scots, Elisabeth had Lennox's land confiscated and Margaret Douglas thrown into the Tower, where she was not even allowed to receive letters from her husband and son. Margaret still managed to get letters to her son from the Tower.
When the news of Darnley's murder reached England, Elisabeth released Margaret from the Tower, had her treated by her own personal physician, and finally allowed her to see her second son Charles Stewart again. Margaret, beside herself with anger and grief, long accused Mary Stuart of the murder of her son. She bombarded William Cecil with letters in which she demanded vengeance for her son and for a long time it was considered whether to bring her little grandson King Jacob to England and let her grow up with her. During this time Elisabeth tried very hard for the Lennoxes, as they could only be useful to her as allies against Maria Stuart. She made Matthew Stewart regent of Scotland, where he died in 1571, killed by the Scottish lords.
The last few years
Between 1572 and 1573 Margaret Douglas was reconciled with her niece and daughter-in-law Maria Stuart, who was meanwhile under arrest in England. In a letter from Maria Stuart in 1578, the Queen of Scotland wrote about her aunt and mother-in-law:
“... she confessed to me in letters [...] that she did me wrong in the unjust persecution against me, which she let happen on her behalf, on the basis of false information, but mainly, as she says, on the basis of express orders from the Queen of England and her council, who made sure that she and I would never have a good relationship. But as soon as she realized my innocence, she refrained from further persecution; even went so far as to refuse her consent for further actions against me. "
The old lady was nevertheless wise enough to deny Elisabeth her reconciliation with Mary. From 1574, fear of Catholic conspiracies grew in England, as Jesuits secretly came into the country to work underground for the restoration of Catholicism. There was also rumor of a planned invasion of Philip II and anyone who sympathized with Maria Stuart was automatically under suspicion. For this reason Margaret Douglas was careful not to be associated with Maria and had no qualms about lying to Elisabeth's face:
“I asked Her Majesty if she really thought that of me, because I was flesh and blood and could never forget the murder of my child; and she said no, believing she couldn't believe I could ever forget because if I did I would be a devil. "
Yet Margaret became careless once more when she also married her second son, Charles Stewart, without royal permission in 1574. The bride Elizabeth was the daughter of Bess of Hardwick , who had long been Maria Stuart's nurse. For this she was thrown into the Tower once more by the angry Elizabeth, while Bess of Hardwick was clever enough not to react to the request to appear in London until the Queen's anger had subsided. Shortly after her release, Margaret Douglas wrote another letter to her niece and daughter-in-law Maria Stuart, in which she expressed her concern for the little king in Scotland, Mary's son Jacob . At the same time she assured Maria Stuart of her loyalty and her belief in Mary's innocence:
“I swear your Majesty, do not be afraid, but trust God that everything will turn out well; the treachery of those who betrayed you is now better known than before. I will always do my part to the satisfaction of Your Majesty, if it pleases God, who may be the comfort of both of us. And now I assure your Majesty of my most humble thanks for your good memory. May Almighty God grant your Majesty a long and happy life. Your Majesty's most humble, loving mother and aunt, ML "
However, this letter never reached Maria Stuart because it was intercepted by Cecil. Margaret Douglas' correspondence with Maria was thus known at court. In addition, Maria drew up her will at this time, in which she gave Margaret full rights to the Earldom of Angus, her father's inheritance, over which Margaret had stood in years of legal dispute with her cousin James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton .
death
Margaret's sympathies for Catholicism and Mary Stuart made her a dangerous opponent of Queen Elizabeth in the eyes of many Protestants . However, she was hit hard by the death of her last surviving son, Charles Stewart. Margaret Douglas looked after Charles' only daughter, Arbella Stuart , for a while , but her health was rapidly deteriorating. She had already suffered from colic in previous years and when she had Robert Dudley as a guest on March 7, 1578 , she was again plagued by severe pain that night. During a brief recovery, she called her household together and received the final rites. She finally died on the evening of March 9th. Not long afterwards, rumors emerged that the unpopular Dudley had poisoned Margaret Douglas for political reasons. These allegations were first recorded in the book "Leycester's Commonwealth", which appeared a few years after Margaret's death and which quite obviously tries to defame Dudley.
Although Robert Dudley could not be proven murder, it was interpreted to his disadvantage that he accepted Margaret's administrator Thomas Fowler, who administered all the papers of the Countess. Margaret Douglas received a dignified burial in Westminster Abbey despite her ambivalent attitude towards Elizabeth. On her elaborately designed crypt there is not only her painted statue, but also the statues of her deceased children, who symbolically kneel at their grave and mourn their deaths. Among them is Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, who is highlighted by a royal cloak and crown over his head. Her second son, Charles Stuart, was buried with her. When her grandson James I finally ascended the throne, he arranged a dignified funeral for his mother Maria Stuart and buried her next to her aunt and mother-in-law, Margaret Douglas.
progeny
Margaret Douglas had a total of eight children with her husband:
- Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (March 1545 - November 28, 1545)
- Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (probably December 7, 1546 - February 10, 1567) ⚭ Queen Mary of Scots , Duke of Albany, Earl of Ross and Lord of Ardmanach and formal King of Scotland since 1565. Father of Jacob I.
- Philip Stewart (* 1554 or 1555)
- Charles Stewart (probably April or May 1557–1576), Earl of Lennox, ⚭ 1574 Elizabeth Cavendish; his only child, Arbella Stuart, died in the Tower of London in 1615
- four daughters
Only the second son Henry and the fourth son Charles survived their childhood. No records exist about the daughters, neither dates of birth nor names. They may have been stillborn or died before they could be baptized. The number of children and their gender are only known, as there are statues on Margaret Douglas' tomb.
family tree
literature
- Kim Schutte: A Biography of Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, (1515–1578): Niece of Henry VIII and Mother-In-Law of Mary, Queen of Scots. Studies in British History, V. 62 (Hardcover), ISBN 978-0-7734-7199-3
- Linda Porter: Mary Tudor: The First Queen . Paperback edition 2009, ISBN 978-0-7499-0982-6
- Agnes Strickland : Lives of the Queens of Scotland and English Princesses connected with the Regal Succession of Great Britain Volume II .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ 'Henry VIII: October 1515, 16-31' , Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 2: 1515-1518 (1864), pp. 276-291.
- ^ Agnes Strickland: Lives of the Queens of Scotland and English Princesses connected with the Regal Succession of Great Britain Volume II , p. 252
- ↑ Linda Porter: Mary Tudor. The First Queen p. 77.
- ↑ Linda Porter: Mary Tudor. The First Queen p. 95.
- ↑ Henry VIII: July 1536, 21-25 - Pages 54-73 | "… copulation took not place… and certainly if she had done much worse she deserved pardon, seeing the number of domestic examples she has seen and sees daily, and that she has been for eight years of age and capacity to marry. "
- ^ Agnes Strickland: Lives of the Queens of Scotland and English Princesses connected with the Regal Succession of Great Britain Volume II , p. 276
- ↑ Linda Porter: Mary Tudor. The First Queen p. 144.
- ↑ Agnes Strickland: Lives of the Queens of Scotland and English Princesses connected with the Regal Succession of Great Britain Volume II , p. 281 | "... she should be bestowed in marriage to his victorious general, the Earl of Huntley, but only as his 'base sister' ... "
- ^ Dulcie M. Ashdown: Tudor Cousins. Rivals for the Throne. 2000 Sutton Publishing, p. 54
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 9
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 10
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 61
- ↑ Linda Porter: Mary Tudor. The First Queen pp. 251-252.
- ^ Dulcie M. Ashdown: Tudor Cousins. Rivals for the Throne. 2000 Sutton Publishing, p. 108
- ^ Dulcie M. Ashdown: Tudor Cousins. Rivals for the Throne. 2000 Sutton Publishing, pp. 109-110
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 26
- ↑ Jane Dunn: Elizabeth and Mary. Cousins, Rivals, Queens. 2005 Vintage Books Edition, p. 194
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 157
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 428
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 559. “... confessed to me, by sundry letters [...] the injury she did me by unjust pursuits which she allowed to go out against me in her name, through bad information , but principally, she said, through the express orders of the queen of England and the persuasion of her council, who also took much solicitude that she and I might never come to good understanding together. But how soon she came to know of my innocence, she desisted from any further pursuit against me; nay, went so far as to refuse her consent to anything they should act against me in her name. "
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, pp. 562-564
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, pp. 562-564
- ^ Dulcie M. Ashdown: Tudor Cousins. Rivals for the Throne. 2000 Sutton Publishing, p. 173
- ^ History of Queen Elizabeth, Amy Robsart and the Earl of Leicester: being a reprint of "Leycesters commonwealth", 1641 .. (1904) 1904, pp. 44-45
- ↑ Alison Weir: The Lost Tudor Princess . Vintage, 2015, p. 153 .
- ↑ Alison Weir: The Lost Tudor Princess . Vintage, 2015, p. 156 .
- ↑ Alison Weir: Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley. 2009 Ballantine Books Trade Paperback Edition, p. 593
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Douglas, Margaret |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Countess of Lennox |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British noblewoman, niece of King Henry VIII of England and grandmother of King Jacob I of England |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 8, 1515 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Harbottle |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 9, 1578 |
| Place of death | Hackney |