| The Crown Matrimonial | |
|---|---|
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| Episode: | Consummation |
Reign
Unbeknown to Mary Stuart, her mother Marie de Guise added a secret clause into her wedding contract that would give Scotland to her husband Prince Francis if she died without children.
Mary found out about the contract months later, and with Lady Kenna's help was able to find it, and destroy it. She had a Scot's Welcome Celebration and secretly enlisted the help of Lord McKenzie and his men to send a message to Scotland how their Regent Queen had betrayed them. However, they were murdered by Queen Catherine and eventually the entire matter was dropped.
Don Carlos requested that he be given the title of The Crown Matrimonial and was then planning on murdering Mary Stuart on their way to Scotland. However, the plan was discovered by Gideon Blackburn and the wedding was called off.
Lord Darnley requested The Crown Matrimonial from Mary Stuart as part of their marriage agreement. However, she refused, citing Don Carlos' attempted murder of her.
Historical Facts
- The Crown Matrimonial - In law, it is a person's right to co-reign equally with his or her spouse.
- The Crown Matrimonial was sought by King Francis II of France, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, by the Parliament of Scotland and Mary's mother, Mary of Guise, who was regent of Scotland. It would make Francis legal co-sovereign of Scotland with Queen Mary, and would also grant Francis the right to keep the Scottish throne if he outlived her. By the terms of the offer, he would be able to pass the Scottish crown to his descendants by a wife other than Mary. The Crown of Scotland was to be sent to France, where it was supposed to be kept at the Abbey of Saint Denis. However, the offer was never realized, as The Hamilton family, who were close to the throne, joined the Protestants and opposed it.
- Mary's 2nd husband, Lord Darnley, demanded the Crown Matrimonial. The Protestant peers promised to make him sovereign by the consent of Parliament. They agreed that Henry, as the new sovereign, would pardon all the exiled Protestants and allow them to return to Scotland. However, the plan was never realized.
- Not long after their marriage, King Darnley grew arrogant. Not content with his position as king Consort, he demanded The Crown Matrimonial, which would have made him a co-sovereign of Scotland with the right to keep the Scottish throne for himself if he outlived his wife. Mary, Queen of Scots refused his request, and their marriage grew strained even though they conceived a child by October 1565.