Margaret Stuart (24 December 1598 March 1600) was the second daughter of King
James VI of Scotland and
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...
. Sometime in March 1600, Margaret died of an unknown illness and she was buried in
Holyrood Abbey. Three years later, her father ascended the throne of England.
Life
Margaret was born at 3 o'clock in the morning of Christmas Eve 1598, the second daughter of King
James VI of Scotland, future James I of England, and
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...
. She was born at
Dalkeith Castle, where the Master of Work,
William Schaw
William Schaw (c. 1550–1602) was Master of Works to James VI of Scotland for building castles and palaces, and is claimed to have been an important figure in the development of Freemasonry in Scotland.
Biography
William Schaw was the second ...
, had set carpenters to work to furnish a nursery, with a cradle, a bed, a chair for the nurse, and four stools for the ladies who rocked the cradle. The queen's confinement at Dalkeith commenced on 21 September 1598.
The
Countess of Huntly attended the delivery.
Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree
Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree (died 1627) was a courtier in the household of Anne of Denmark in Scotland and looked after her children Prince Henry, Princess Elizabeth, and Charles I of England
Career
Margaret was the daughter of Henr ...
, senior lady in waiting, was in charge of Margaret's care.
Margaret's baptism was postponed until 15 April 1599, as the winter, part of the "
Little Ice Age", was exceptionally cold and there were worries that the princess should catch a cold and expire. King James VI wrote letters to his nobles and lairds, inviting them to the baptism, and asking for contributions. This letter was sent to Robert
Bethune of Balfour in
Fife:
"We greet you well: having appointed the baptism of our dearest daughter to be here at Holyrood House
The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edi ...
, upon Sunday, the 18th of April next, in such honorable manner as that action craved: we have therefore though good right effectually to request and desire you to send us such offerings and presents against that day, as is best then in season and convenient for that action, as you regard our honor and will merit our special thanks. So, not doubting to find your greater willingness to pleasure us herein, since you are to be invited to take part of you own good cheer, we commit you to God."
Although such letters were not unusual on these occasions, the circumstances were exceptional, because a faction of bedchamber courtiers had displaced the
royal treasurer
Royal may refer to:
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* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
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* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a c ...
,
Walter Stewart of Blantyre
Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre (died 8 March 1617) was a Scottish politician, administrator, and judge.
Life
He was the son of Sir John Stewart of Minto and Margaret Stewart sister of James Stewart of Cardonald
Educated with James VI under ...
, and instead
George Home,
George Elphinstone
George Elphinstone of Blythswood (died 1634) was a Scottish landowner, courtier, and Provost of Glasgow.
Life
George Elphinstone was the son of George Elphinstone of Blythswood (died 2 April 1585), a leading Glasgow merchant and shipowner, and ...
, Robert Melville younger, and
David Murray pledged money for the celebrations. James paid £400
Scots for clothes made by the tailor
Peter Sanderson
Peter Sanderson Jr. (born April 25, 1952) In print issue #1650 (February 2009), p. 107 is a comic book critic and historian, as well as an instructor/lecturer in the New York area concerning the study of graphic novels/comic books as literature.
...
for Margaret and her sister
Elizabeth
Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to:
People
* Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name)
* Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist
Ships
* HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships
* ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
to wear at the baptism. The celebrations at
Holyroodhouse
The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh ...
involved feasting, dancing, and tournament games called "
running at the ring" and "running at the glove". The guests included the
Duke of Lennox
The title Duke of Lennox has been created several times in the peerage of Scotland, for Clan Stewart of Darnley. The dukedom, named for the district of Lennox in Dumbarton, was first created in 1581, and had formerly been the Earldom of Lenno ...
, the
Earl of Huntly, the
Earl of Mar
There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. T ...
, and the
Chancellor.
After the baptism, Margaret and her sister were put into the care of
Lord Livingston
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...
and his wife
Lady Livingston at
Linlithgow Palace. Helena Crichton was her
wet nurse
A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, or if she is unable or chooses not to nurse the child herself. Wet-nursed children may be known as "milk-siblings", and in some cu ...
. Marion Bog washed her linen, and Thomas Burnett supplied butter and sugar candy.
Death and burial
In March 1600, Margaret was taken ill, but her disease is not known.
Alexander Barclay
Dr Alexander Barclay (c. 1476 – 10 June 1552) was a poet and clergyman of the Church of England, probably born in Scotland.
Biography
Barclay was born in about 1476. His place of birth is matter of dispute, but William Bulleyn, who w ...
,
apothecary
''Apothecary'' () is a mostly archaic term for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses '' materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons, and patients. The modern chemist (British English) or pharmacist (British and North Amer ...
, and the German physician
Martin Schöner were called to "supply certain drugs,
medicaments, and other gear, for the use of the Lady Margaret, during the time of her sickness" and assist the infant, but to no avail. Margaret died sometime during the very same month she became ill, but the exact date was never recorded. Later in March, she was embalmed, her body was decorated with flannel, crimson silk and Florence ribbon, to prepare her for the funeral.
[''Letters to King James the Sixth from the Queen, Prince Henry, Prince Charles etc'' (Edinburgh, 1835), pp. lxxvi-lxxvii.] She was transported from Linlithgow to Edinburgh and was privately interred in
Holyrood Abbey.
Ancestors
References
Notes
Bibliography
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stuart, Margaret (1598-1600)
1598 births
1600 deaths
16th-century Scottish people
16th-century Scottish women
Scottish princesses
Margaret
Burials at Holyrood Abbey
Children of James VI and I
Royalty and nobility who died as children
Daughters of kings