James (Stewart) King of Scots (1512 - 1542)

Born 10 Apr 1512 in Linlithgow, Linlithgowshire, Scotland

Ancestors

Husband of Madeleine (Valois) de Valois — married 1 Jan 1537 in Paris, France

Husband of Marie (Guise) Stewart — married 12 Jun 1538 in Edinburgh, Scotland

Descendants

Died 14 Dec 1542 at age 30 in Falkland, Fife, Scotland

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James V (Stewart) King of Scots was a member of Scottish Nobility. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

James V (Stewart) King of Scots is Notable.

James V (Stewart) King of Scots is a member of Clan Stewart.

Early Life

James was a son of James IV Stewart, King of Scotland and Margaret Tudor, the oldest daughter of Henry VII Tudor, King of England and Elizabeth of York. He was the only legitmate child of James IV to survive infancy and young childhood. James V was born on 10 April 1512 in Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. He was christened the next day on Easter Sunday. He received the title of Duke of Rothesay on15 April 1512.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Linlithgow Palace

James ascended to the throne on 9 September 1513 at the age of 17 months following his father's death at the Battle of Flodden. The battle was fought near Branxton in the county of Northumberland in northern England, between an invading Scots army under King James IV and an English army commanded by Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Surrey.^[6]

Stirling Castle

As the Scots were afraid of an English invasion, the coronation of James V took place with haste in the Chapel Royal at Stirling Castle on 21 September 1513. In accordance with the terms of James IV's will, his mother Margaret became regent for her young son during her widowhood.^[4] Margaret lost her regency in 1514 when she unexpectedly married Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus.^[7] French born John Stewart, Duke of Albany replaced her as regent. He was Jame V's second cousin, and second in line to the throne of Scotland behind Jame's younger brother Alexander, Duke of Ross.^[6]

Albany landed in Scotland on 18 May 1515, and at a parliament in Edinburgh on 12 July 1515, he was proclaimed protector and governor of Scotland until James was 18 years old.^[2][8][7][9] On 4 August 1515 Albany besieged Stirling Castle with 10,000 men, and Margaret was forced to relinquish James and his brother Alexander.^[7][2][10] Margaret fled to Linlithgow Castle, and didn't see her son again for two years. Alexander, Duke of Ross, died in December 1515.

Albany was in Scotland for brief periods from Mary 1515 to June 1517, from November 1521 to October 1522, and from September 1523 to May 1524. He left a council of regency to excercise authority in his absence. When Albany was in France in 1524, he promised to return before 1 September 1524 or foreit his governorship. Francois I refused to release Albany from France to return to Scotland. Queen Margaret brought James V from Stirling to Edinburgh, and made him king in his own right. An act of parliament confirmed this on 20 August 1524.^[4][11][7]

As regent, Mary was not well liked by many of the Scottish lords. Her estranged husband, Archibald Douglas,the Earl of Angus, was being harbored in England by King Henry VIII.^[12] Angus was sent back to Scotland as Henry's agent. Against Margaret's wishes in July 1525, he was given custody of James by the Scottish Council for three months. Angus refused to hand over the king after this time period, and the Douglases ruled Scotland for the next three years.^[4]

Margaret and Angus had an unhappy marriage, and lived apart for long periods. The marriage was annulled March 1527 under the grounds that Angus was "pre-contract" to Lady Jane of Traquair.^[13] Margaret had married her third husband, Henry Stewart, in March 1528.^[14] It is believed that James accepted this remarriage, if Margaret would turn over Stirling Castle to him. On May 20 May 1528, James managed to escape from Angus. Between 19 June and 6 July, James V established himself as the head of the Scottish government. In May 1529, Angus was exiled in England.^[4]

Family

James was promised to Madelaine de Valois, daughter of François I, Roi de France and Claude de Valois, Duchesse de Bretagne, in the treaty of Rouen of 1517. Francois reconsidered, and in March 1536, James became engaged to Marie de Bourbon, daughter of the duc de Vendome. Francois I hesitated once again, and on 26 November 1536, a contract of marriage was sign at Blois.^[12][15][16] James and his daughter Madelaine were married on 1 January 1536/7 in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France.^[17] Madelaine died of consumption at Holyrood on 07 July 1537.^[18][1][19] There were no children of this marriage.

Madeleine de Valois by Francois Clouet, 1537

He married, secondly, Marie de Guise, daughter of Claude de Lorraine, Duc de Guise and Antoinette de Bourbon-Vendôme, on 12 Jun 1538 at St. Andrews Cathedral in Fife, Scotland, and by proxy in Paris on 9 May 1538.^[1][20]

James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise

James and Marie had three children. James Stewart, Duke of Rothesay, was born on 22 May 1540 in St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland. His brother Robert or Arthur Stewart, Duke of Albany, was born April 1541 in Falkland, Fife, Scotland. On the same day, 21 April 1541, both boys died. James died in St. Andrews, and Robert died in Stirling. They are buried side-by-side at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh, Scotland.^[21][1][18]

Holyrood Abbey

Mary Stewart, the future Queen of Scotland, was born on 7 December 1542 in Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland. ^[22], and was executed on 8 February 1587 in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England. Mary was originally buried in Peterborough Cathedral, Cambrideshire, England. Her son King James VIth of Scots and Ist of England moved her to Westminster Abbey in 1612. She is buried thirty feet from from her first cousin, Elizabeth I Queen of England, who signed her death warrant for treason.^[18]

James had at least nine known illegitimate children:

• James Stewart was the child of Elizabeth Shaw. He was born in 1529, and died in 1557.^{[3][18][23][1]}
• James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray. He was born in 1533, and his mother was Margaret (Erskine) Douglas , reportedly James's favorite mistress. He died 23 January 1569/70 by assassination.^[18][24][1]
• James Stewart. His mother was Christina Barclay.^[18][25][1]
• Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney. His mother was Euphemia Elphinstone, and he was born in about 1533. He died 4 February 1592/93.^{[18][25][1][3]}
• Jean Stewart. Her mother was Elizabeth Bethune. She married Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll in 1553, and divorced him in 1573. She died 7 January 1588.^[1][3]
• John Stewart, Lord Darnley and Prior of Coldingham. He was born in about 1531, and his mother was Elizabeth Carmichael. He married Jean Hepburn. He died November 1563. ^[1][3]
• Robert Stewart, , Prior of Whithorn. He died in 1581, and his mother is unknown.^[1][3]
• Adam Stewart His mother was Lady Elizabeth Stewart, the daughter of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Lennox. He was born in about 1535, and died 20 June 1575.^[1][3]
• Margaret Stewart The name of her mother is unknown.^[3][1]

Reign

A story is often told that James V would dress up as a yeoman farmer, and would walk amongst his subjects incognito, calling himself the Gudeman of Ballengeich (the tenant farmer of Ballengeich, a place near Stirling). ^[26] Thus disguised, James would find out about life from the perspective of his subjects, rather than just hearing what his nobles or clergy told him. He was nicknamed "King of the Commons".^[27]

Statue of James V of Scotland adorning the eastern corner of the Royal Palace at Stirling Castle.

James was known for his architectural patronage. He spent large sums of money remodeling his residences including Falkland Palace, Stirling Castle, the Palace of Holyrood House, and Linlithgow Palace.^[4][28][29] He was also an accomplished musician. He played the lute, could sight-read vocal scores and employed a large staff of musicians in his court. He was a literary patron. The poets and authors he supported include John Mair, Hector Boece, and David Lindsey.^[4] James participated in jousting tournaments, and staged many of them during his reign.^[4] He was an advocate of the culture of chivery. He was a member of most of the European orders of chivery. The Order of the Golden Fleece was sent to him by the Emperor Charles V in 1532.^[30] The Order of the Garter was sent to him by Henry VIII.^[31] He was invested at Holyrood House, on the 2ist of February I534-5. The Order of St. Michael was sent to him by Francios in 1536.^[18] The insignias of the Scottish Order of the Thistle, as well as the three other orders were all carved above his new gateway at Linlithgow.^[4]

The Four Orders of Chivalry on the Fore Entrance to Linlithgow Palace "The Order of the Garter", "The Order of Thistle", "The Order of the Golden Fleece" and "The Order of St. Michael"

James remained loyal to the Catholic Church during the Reformation, although he was aware of the need for change. But there was a difference between condemning poor practice and rejecting the authority of the Church or its doctrines. He did not tolerate heresy, and a number of Protestants were burned at the stake during his reign.^[18][4]

Under the reign of James V, the College of Justice was established. This court was the forerunner of the present day Scottish Court of Session. James wanted to centralize justice and reduce the arbitrary power of the baronial courts. In 1531, Clement VII issued a Papal Bull, granting James the right to tax Church property to fund a the new civil court.^[2] It was carried into effect by an act of Parliament on 17 May 1532. It stated that "because our sovereign is most desirous to have a permanent order of justice for the universal well-being of all his lieges and, therefore, intends to institute a college of cunning and wise men, both of the spiritual and temporal estate, for the doing and administration of justice in all civil actions".^[32]

James had a mixed relationship with his uncle, King Henry VIII. In 1534 a treaty was signed between England and Scotland. ^[33] After the death of his mother on 18 October 1541 ^[18][21], the peace with England was short lived. When Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church and desolved the monasteries, he asked James to do the same. James refused, and further insulted Henry by refusing to meet him at York. Furious, Henry sent troops to Scotland. The Battle of Haddon Rig took place in August 1542, and the Scots were victorious.^[21] On 24 November 1542, his army was defeated at the Battle of Solway Moss.^[34] James did not command in person, and is thought to have been suffering from the illness that caused is death.^[2] In a letter he wrote to his wife Mary, he states:

In December James was in Falkland Palace at the time of the birth of his daughter Mary on 7 December 1542 in Linlithgow Palace.^[21] On hearing of the birth of his daughter, King James reportedly said:

This statement is in reference to his belief that the Stewarts accession to the throne was through Marjorie Bruce, and the end of the Stewart dynasty with Mary Queen of Scots.

James died on 14 December 1542, age 30, at Falkland Palace, Fife, Scotland. ^[27][36][34] He was buried at Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland.^[1][22]

Grave of James V of Scotland

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13} Sir James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage: founded on Wood's edition of Sir Robert Douglas's The Peerage of Scotland (Edinburgh, Scotland: David Douglas, 1904),volume I, pages 23-25.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Mackay, Aeneas. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/James V of Scotland," Wikisource.com (accessed October 31, 2022).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} Weir, Alison. Britain's Royal Families : The Complete Genealogy. London, UK: 2002. pp. 243-5 Archives.org Accessed 31 Oct 2022
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9} “James V (1512–1542), King of Scots.” Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Accessed November 1, 2022. www.oxforddnb.com
5. ↑ Mackay, A. James George., McNeill, G. Powell., Burnett, G., Stuart, J. The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland = Rotuli Scaccarii Regum Scotorum. vol 13, pp. LXXXIV - LXXXVI Hathitrust.org Accessed 14 Nov 2022
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "Henry VIII: November 1514, 21-30," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 1, 1509-1514, ed. J S Brewer (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1920), 1450-1467. British History Online Accessed 13 Nov 2022
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} Giustinian, Sebastian Giustinian. Four Years at the Court of Henry VIII.; Selection of Despatches written by the venetian ambassador, Sebastian Giustinian and addressed to the signory of Venice, January 12th 1515 to July 26th 1519, in Two Volumes, Vol. I . United Kingdom. 1854. pp. V, 110,125, 128, 154, 165. Archive.org Accessed 6 Nov 2022
8. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2022), A1515/7/1. Date accessed: 2 November 2022 Records of the Parliaments of Scotland
9. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2022), A1513/1. Date accessed: 10 November 2022.Records of the Parliaments of Scotland
10. ↑ "Henry VIII: November 1514, 21-30," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 1, 1509-1514, ed. J S Brewer (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1920), 1450-1467. British History Online Accessed 10 Nov 2022
11. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2022), A1524/8/2. Records of the Parliaments of Scotland Accessed 7 November 2022.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} "Henry VIII: September 1524, 11-20," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 4, 1524-1530, ed. J S Brewer (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1875), 283-302. British History Online Accessed 11 Nov 2022
13. ↑ d'Avray, D. L., ed. “Margaret of Scotland and Archibald Douglas, the Earl of Angus.” Document-group. In Dissolving Royal Marriages: A Documentary History, 860–1600, 220–26. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014. doi:10.1017/CBO9781107477148.021. Cambridge.org Accessed 10 Nov 2022.
14. ↑ Stone, J.M. Studies from Court and Cloister: being essays, historical and literary dealing mainly with subjects relating to the XVIth and XVIIth centuries Edinburgh, 1905. pp 32-33. Archive.org Accessed 14 Nov 2022
15. ↑ "Henry VIII: November 1536, 26-30," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 11, July-December 1536, ed. James Gairdner (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1888), 468-491.British History Online Accessed 10 Nov 2022
16. ↑ "Henry VIII: September 1524, 11-20," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 4, 1524-1530, ed. J S Brewer (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1875), 283-302. British History Online 14 Nov 2022.
17. ↑ A Diurnal of Remarkable Coccurents that have Passed within the Country of Scotland since the Death of King James the Fourth till the Year M.D.LXXV. Edinburgh. M.D.CCC.XXXIII. p. 21 Archive.org
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 18.8 18.9} Dunbar, Archibald. Scottish Kings; A Revised Chronology of Scottish history, 1005-1625. Edinburgh,Scotland. 1889, pp. 224-245. Accessed 2 Nov 2022. Archive.org
19. ↑ "Index: M," in Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 5 Part 2, 1536-1538, ed. Pascual de Gayangos (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1888), 631-639. British History Online Accessed 10 Nov 2022.
20. ↑ A Diurnal of Remarkable Coccurents that have Passed within the Country of Scotland since the Death of King James the Fourth till the Year M.D.LXXV. Edinburgh. M.D.CCC.XXXIII. p. 22 Archives.org Accessed 17 Nov 2022
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3} A Diurnal of Remarkable Coccurents that have Passed within the Country of Scotland since the Death of King James the Fourth till the Year M.D.LXXV. Edinburgh. M.D.CCC.XXXIII. pp. 23-25 Archives.org Accessed 21 Nov 2022
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} A Diurnal of Remarkable Coccurents that have Passed within the Country of Scotland since the Death of King James the Fourth till the Year M.D.LXXV. Edinburgh. M.D.CCC.XXXIII. p. 25. Archives.org Accessed 21 Nov 2022
23. ↑ Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum : The register of the Great seal of Scotland, A.D. 1306-1668. 1812. vol. 25, pp. 307, 315,360. Archives.org Accessed 17 Nov 2022.
24. ↑ Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum : The register of the Great seal of Scotland, A.D. 1306-1668. 1812. vol. 25, pp. 360. Archives.org Accessed 17 Nov 2022
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1} Registrum magni sigilli regum Scotorum : The register of the Great seal of Scotland, A.D. 1306-1668. 1812. vol. 25, p. 316.Archives.org Accessed 17 Nov 2022
26. ↑ Black, Adam and Charles. Black's Picturesque Tourist of Scotland. North Bridge. 180-181.Google Books Accessed 4 Dec 2022
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3} John Knox: Works of John Knox, vol. 1 (of 6) - christian classics ethereal library. p. 91, 93 . Christian Classics Ethereal Library Accessed November 24, 2022
28. ↑ Dunbar, John. Scottish royal palaces : the architecture of the royal residences during the late medieval and early Renaissance periods. East Lothian. 1999. p. 27 Archives.org Accessed 1 Dec 2022
29. ↑ Dunbar, John. Scottish royal palaces : the architecture of the royal residences during the late medieval and early Renaissance periods. East Lothian. 1999. p. 49 Archives.org Accessed 1 Dec 2022
30. ↑ A Diurnal of Remarkable Coccurents that have Passed within the Country of Scotland since the Death of King James the Fourth till the Year M.D.LXXV. Edinburgh. M.D.CCC.XXXIII. p. 15.Archives.org Accessed 4 Dec 2022
31. ↑ A Diurnal of Remarkable Coccurents that have Passed within the Country of Scotland since the Death of King James the Fourth till the Year M.D.LXXV. Edinburgh. M.D.CCC.XXXIII. p. 19 Archive.org Accessed 4 Dec 2022
32. ↑ The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007-2022), 1532/6. Records of Parliament Accessed: 26 November 2022.
33. ↑ "Henry VIII: June 1534, 26-30," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 7, 1534, ed. James Gairdner (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1883), 326-357. British History Online Accessed 29 Nov 2022
34. ↑ ^{34.0 34.1} "Preface," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 18 Part 1, January-July 1543, ed. James Gairdner and R H Brodie (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1901), i-liii. British History Online, accessed December 1, 2022, British History Online Accessed 1 Dec 2022
35. ↑ Strickland, Agnes & Elizabeth. Lives of the queens of Scotland and English princesses connected with the regal succession of Great Britain. New York. 1851. p. 371. Archives.org Accessed 23 Nov 2022.
36. ↑ "Henry VIII: December 1542, 21-25," in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 17, 1542, ed. James Gairdner and R H Brodie (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1900), 674-678.British History Online Accessed 30 Nov 2022

See also:

• Wikipedia: James V of Scotland

• Wikidata: Item Q137814, en:Wikipedia

• Leslie, John. The History of Scotland: From the Death of King James I, in the Year M.CCCC.XXXVI, to the Year M.D.LXI. United Kingdom: Printed [for the Bannatyne Club], 1830.Google Books Accessed 14 Nov 2022

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9301796/james_v-king_of_scots: accessed 31 October 2022), memorial page for James V King of Scots (10 Apr 1512–14 Dec 1542), Find a Grave Memorial ID 9301796, citing Abbey of Holyrood, Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland; Maintained by Find a Grave .

• Wikipedia contributors, "James V of Scotland," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikipedia Accessed October 31, 2022

• Haplogroup Analytics Groups Y-DNA R1b1a2a1a2 (and similar)

• Wikipedia contributors, "Battle of Flodden," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikipedia Accessed November 2, 2022).

• Ross, Stewart. The Stewart Dynasty. United Kingdom: House of Lochar, 2003.

• Bingham, Caroline. James V: King of Scots, 1512-1542. United Kingdom: Collins, 1971.

• Cameron, Jamie. James V: The Personal Rule, 1528-1542. United Kingdom: Tuckwell Press, 1998

• Wilson, Samuel. “Convents, Courts and Coronation: How Mary of Guise Came to Scotland.” Historic Environment Scotland Blog, February 18, 2022. [1] Accessed 22 Nov 2022

• Wikipedia contributors, "Battle of Haddon Rig," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Wikipedia Accessed November 22, 2022

• Wikipedia contributors, "Battle of Solway Moss," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia Accessed November 22, 2022.

• “10 April - The Birth of King James V of Scotland.” The Tudor Society, April 10, 2019. Tudor Society