history-be-written:February 22, 1540: Marie de Guise is crowned Queen of Scots at Holyrood Abbey&ldq
history-be-written:February 22, 1540: Marie de Guise is crowned Queen of Scots at Holyrood Abbey“As soon asthe pregnancy was confirmed, arrangements went ahead for Marie’s delayedcoronation, which was scheduled to take place at Holyrood Abbey on 22 February1540. Preparations began in October, when Marie wasprobably only two months pregnant. Keen to enhance the increasing prestige ofthe Scottish monarchy with an impressive display of royal magnificence, Jamesordered a new gold crown decorated with pearls and precious stones, and agilded silver scepter with a raised hand at the end in the French style for hiswife. His own crown was remodeled and embellished with twenty-three preciousstones, including an enormous amethyst and three beautiful garnets. His owncoronation had taken place when he was just 17 months old and had been in ahurried, miserable affair carried out in the chapel royal of Stirling Castleamidst the chaos and uncertainty following his father’s death at Flodden. Thefact that he couldn’t remember it didn’t make him any less a King, but it’slikely that James regarded Marie’s coronation as an opportunity to compensatefor the unceremoniousness of his own crowning and reinforce his authority uponhis nobles, his people and the other crowned heads of Europe.Sadly, no contemporary description of Marie’scoronation has survived but we know from the records that she was a dazzlingsight in a robe of purple velvet, lined with ten ells [arms] of white corded taffeta.The records inform us that James also ordered a new robe for himself, made ofthirty-eight ells of purple velvet and lined with forty dozen ermine skins. Healso ordered a turquoise ring and a gold belt set with a sapphire - althoughthe latter may have been for Marie’s benefit rather than his own. It’s clearthat the royal couple, a pair of tall, attractive redheads must have lookedimpressive as they walked together down the aisle of Holyrood Abbey whereCardinal Beaton was waiting to perform the crowning and then celebrate Massbefore the royal couple and their court returned to the state apartments for abanquet and entertainments.” -Melanie Clegg, “Scourge of Henry VIII: the Life of Marie de Guise” -- source link
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