Legal Succession: Elizabeth I of England & James VI of Scotland: Part 4

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Commendator of Kinloss, Earl of Mar, Edward Bruce, Elizabeth I of England, James VI-I of Scotland and England, Lady Arabella Stuart, Sir Robert Cecil

We have looked at all of the people in line to the succession to the throne of England. The fact that James VI, King of Scots was eventually chosen as successor to Elizabeth I demonstrates two ideas. First and foremost is the fact that male prefered primogeniture had become the tradition if not the law by this time. The second point is that the monarch still had power to name their successor. Although by the late 1590s it had become treasonous to talk about the succession to the queen herself there were those that knew the issue had to be raised eventually.

The queen’s chief minister was Sir Robert Cecil who at one point supported the succession of Lady Arabella Stuart to the throne. He eventually shifted his alliance to the King of Scots and in 1601 began secret correspondences with James promising him the throne of England. The action toward supporting James on the English throne was not solely originating in England. James actively pursued his rights to the English throne and in February of 1601 The Earl of Mar and Edward Bruce, Commendator of Kinloss, went to London as ambassadors for the purpose of having james recognized as heir to Queen Elizabeth. Because of the possibility of treason these efforts were done in secret. The Scottish embassadors even went from town to town trying to gain support for James and his claim to the throne.

Despite the secret correspondences there is evidence that Elizabeth I did indeed expect that James would succeed her. Historians remark that her own regular correspondence with James became more friendly at this time. She also increased the irregular subsidy which Elizabeth paid to James, either in cash or jewellery was increased. In March of 1603 as the end of the life of Elizabeth was certain the subject was raised on her death-bed. Historians cannot substantiate if any of this is true. She was unable to speak but was able to gesture. A list of names was read to her containing those in line for the succession and when James VI of Scotland was mentioned she made a circular motion in the air taken to mean she agreed with that choice.

When Elizabeth died in the early morning hours of March 24, 1603 Sir Robert Cecil proclaimed James VI of Scotland as King of England. On April 5 James set forth for London promising to return to Edinburgh (he never did). He arrived in London on May 7 and was crowned at Westminster Abby on July 25. The succession from the Tudor Dynasty to the Stuart Dynasty went smoothly.

James wanted to unite the two crowns into the Kingdom of Great Britain. However there were many issues blocking this from happening. Despite, at times, calling himself the king of Great Britain, England and Scotland would remain separate countries that shared the same monarch as Head of State. It would not be until 1701 that the two crowns were truly united.

Next in this series will be the succession of Charles I.

Legal Succession: Elizabeth I of England & James VI of Scotland: Part 3

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2nd Duke of Somerset, 6th Earl of Angus, Archibald Douglas, Countess of Shrewsbury, Elizabeth Talbot, King of Poland, Kings and Queens of England, kings and queens of Scotland, Lady Arabella Stuart, of King James I-VI of England and Scotland, Ranuccio of Parma, Scotland, Sigismund III Vasa, William Seymour

Before I move on to what made the advisors of Elizabeth I to choose James VI, I want to discuss another possible claimant to the throne, James’s cousin, Lady Arabella Stuart.

Lady’s Arabella’s claim to the English throne stemmed from her descent via Henry VII of England. Henry VII’s daughter, Margaret Tudor married, as her second marriage,  Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, and this union produced a daughter, Margaret Douglas,  Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, this union produced two son Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley and Charles Stuart, 5th Earl of Lennox. Henry Stuart, lord Darnley married his cousin Mary, Queen of Scots. As you recall Mary, Queen of Scots was a descendent of Henry VII via Margaret Tudor’s first marriage to James IV, King of Scots. Charles Stuart, 5th Earl of Lennox secretly married Elizabeth Cavendish in 1574 and this greatly angered Queen Elizabeth I because it was done without her permission. Elizabeth Cavendish’s mother, Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (Bess of Hardwick), and her mother-in-law, Margaret Douglas, were both sent to the tower as punishment.

Lady Arabella was born in 1575 and her father died the next year and her mother died in 1582. The young Lady Arabella was placed under the care of Queen Elizabeth’s chief minister, William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley. From time to time Lady Arabella would appear at court and prior to 1592 she was considered the most likely and acceptable candidate to the English throne after the death of Elizabeth. however, he ward, Lord Burghley and his son,  Secretary of State Sir Robert Cecil felt that James VI was a more likely candidate. However, during her time when she was considered the likely heir to the throne there were many marriage prospects for her. Among them were:  Ranuccio of Parma, eldest son of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma and Maria of Portugal,  Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford and Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland. James VI wanted Lady Arabella to marry a cousin,  Ludovic Stuart, 2nd Duke of Lennox, but nothing came of this match.

In 1610 Lady Arabella eventually married, in secret and against the wishes of King James I-VI of England and Scotland, William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset, himself a descendent from the Tudors via Lady Catherine Grey, sister of the ill-fatted Lady Jane Grey, the 9 day queen. The couple was arrested and separated. They escaped their imprisonment and tried to flee to the European Continent. The Duke of Somerset was succesful in escaping from the clutches of King James I but Lady Arabella was not. The ship she was on was captured and Lady Arabella was imprisoned in the Tower where she died after starving herself to death.

Next week will conclude this part of the series where James VI succeeds Elizabeth I.