Mary Stuart became Queen of Scots at a mere six days old in December 1542. This young baby was in the care of her recently widowed mother, Mary of Guise, while Scotland was under the rule of the regent James Hamilton, Earl of Arran. Nobles around Mary were constantly seeking to gain power at court to control the Scottish government for themselves. This was a dangerous and chaotic environment for a young queen to be raised in; at any moment, there was a real threat that she could be killed or kidnapped.
Due to her being a queen in her own right, the idea of Mary’s future marriage match was discussed while she was still a toddler, because marriage to the right prince was essential. Initially, it was planned that Mary would marry the future King Edward VI of England. This would bring peace to Britain and aid Protestant reforms in Scotland. When this fell through, King Henry VIII pursued a brutal, eight-year war against Scotland, remembered as the Rough Wooing.1
Rather than the English match, it was decided that Mary would marry into the French royal family, and she was betrothed to the Dauphin of France, Francis. The pair were still both infants, but the plan was that they would be raised together at the French court. This meant that Mary would be safe, away from the wars and constant plotting in Scotland and that her betrothal would be secured by her presence in the French court from such a young age.
To help Mary settle into her new French home, a group of girls was selected to accompany her to the French court. These girls were all close in age to the Queen, and they were also all called Mary. The four Marys had a mix of Scottish and French ancestry and were all of noble blood, making them ideal companions for the young Queen in a foreign realm. It was also believed that these girls would be loyal and help Mary continue to speak her native Scots language. The four Marys were made up of: Mary Seton, Mary Beaton, Mary Livingston and Mary Fleming, who was also a cousin of the Queen.
In 1548, the four Marys joined their Queen at the isolated Inchmahome Priory before setting sail from Scotland together for a life in France. The young Queen and her four friends were all around the age of five when they left for France and were planning on leaving their homeland for good.
Upon arrival in France, the four Marys were actually removed from the Queen for some time. The girls were sent off to the Dominican Royal Priory in Poissy.2 The aim was for the four Marys to be educated, and also that while away from her friends, Queen Mary could build important bonds with the Valois daughters, Claude and Elisabeth. By spending time with the princesses, Mary would learn French and be raised in a standard befitting a future Queen of France. While living at the French court, all the young girls learned French, dancing, and calligraphy, and were educated to a high standard. Once back with their Queen, the girls spent many happy years together, playing, learning, and perfecting the duties they would need later in life.
On 24 April 1558, the day arrived that a fifteen-year-old Mary had spent her entire childhood preparing for: her wedding to the Dauphin of France. Mary and Francis’s wedding was widely celebrated, and the future of the Valois dynasty seemed secure with the union of this promising young couple.
In July 1559, Mary and Francis suddenly became King and Queen of France when King Henry II died in a jousting accident. The teenage Mary was now Queen of both France and Scotland, and she was also claiming succession to the English throne. Things could not be better for Mary and her friends at this time, and all of court life revolved around them.
In December 1560, things took a drastic turn for the worse when Mary’s husband, King Francis II, died following complications from an ear infection. Mary was now widowed, and the four Marys were left at the French court with no purpose or prospects. The French monarchy continued as Charles IX ascended to the throne, and therefore, Mary and her ladies had no reason to remain. The five young women and their staff left the safety and familiar surroundings of France to head back to Scotland, where Mary would rule in her own right as Queen of Scots for the first time over a realm she had little knowledge of.
Once back in Scotland, Mary was facing widespread religious divisions as well as warring factions at court. Her four friends helped her bring a little bit of France to her Scottish castles and palaces by making changes to the entertainment, food, and décor. The four young women accompanied Queen Mary everywhere; they were by her side, whether in her bedchamber, at feasts, or even in parliament. The Marys were well-known to all who visited Queen Mary’s court, as they often performed in court dances and masques, and went out on hunting trips with prominent nobles.
To have fun and let their hair down, the Queen and her ladies would often put on disguises and go out into Edinburgh on shopping trips. They were seen laughing and joking and even wearing men’s riding clothes, which caused outrage amongst those who opposed the Queen, most notably the religious reformer John Knox. Knox was rather preoccupied with his absolute hate for female rule, and he spent much time writing and preaching about this, as well as stalking and harassing the Queen. Knox called the four Marys “lusty” and immoral3 ,and the friends could not even enjoy a bit of fun in the garden without Knox proclaiming “there might have been seen skipping not very comely for honest women.”4 To quell some of the rumours about her, Queen Mary had to marry again and was married to her cousin Lord Darnley in 1565. While their union did provide a son and heir for both Scotland and England in the form of the future King James VI and I, the marriage ended very badly when Darnley was murdered. Mary married again to Lord Bothwell in 1567, following rumours of Bothwell abducting and raping the Queen. The rest is history, and this marked the end of Mary’s personal rule and the beginning of a long period of captivity and eventual execution under the orders of her first cousin, once removed, Queen Elizabeth I of England.
The four Marys lives all took their own directions once Queen Mary lost control of Scotland. Mary Seton was the most devoted to her Queen and remained by her side for over fifteen years. She helped Queen Mary with escape attempts and lived with her in a succession of desolate houses and castles during her captivity. In her later years, Mary Seton returned to France and spent the remainder of her days in a convent. She would have been delighted to hear that Queen Mary’s son James had become king of Scotland and England.
Mary Fleming was not only Mary’s cousin but also her friend, so the pair shared a close bond. Mary Fleming went on to marry Sir William Maitland, a man who was twenty years her senior. Maitland was Queen Mary’s secretary but was known for being duplicitous and often involved in plots. Mary Fleming and her husband continued to support The Queen’s Party even when Mary had been overthrown. Following the surrender of Edinburgh Castle, Maitland died (possibly by suicide) before his trial could take place. Mary Fleming was herself held captive for some time and deprived of most of her lands and properties until King James ascended the throne. Mary was married again in later life to George Meldrum of Fyvie.
Mary Livingston was married to John Sempill in 1565. The Queen attended their wedding and showered them with gifts, including a grant of lands. Mary Livingston remained close to the Queen and was the keeper of her jewels in Scotland. Livingston outlived her husband, and the couple had several children together, although the exact number is unknown.
The final Mary was Mary Beaton, who was always hailed as the prettiest of the women. Beaton was a known political figure and often corresponded with the wives of English ambassadors. One ambassador, Thomas Randolph, courted Mary Beaton for some time, though she went on to marry Alexander Ogilvy in 1566. Beaton stayed with the Queen at Edinburgh Castle despite being married and was there for the birth of James. Mary Beaton lived out her life in Scotland and was present to welcome Anne of Denmark to court in 1590. Mary Beaton was survived by at least two children. After her death, her husband married again to Jean Gordon, the woman who was once cast aside by Lord Bothwell when he married Mary, Queen of Scots.
After the downfall of Mary, Queen of Scots, the five women led very different lives. However, it is evident that all the friendships endured in various ways, and the four Marys often risked their own lives and reputations in continuing to support the overthrown Queen. From being young girls together to old age, the four Marys lives remained intertwined with that of their ill-fated Queen and friend.5
- My Heart is my Own, John Guy p33
- Mary Queen of Scots- Antonia Fraser p67
- Mary Queen of Scots- Antonia Fraser p230
- John Knox – The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland p242
- Sources
www.maryqueenofscots.net
The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland- John Knox
My Heart Is My Own- John Guy
Mary Queen of Scots- Antonia Fraser
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