France 1547-1561
One of the most perfect creatures that was ever seen, and such that from that young age, and wonderful and praiseworthy beginnings, she has given so great an expectation of her that it is not possible to hope for more from any princess on earth.
Letter to Mary’s mother, Mary de Guise, from a French courtier, 1547
When she was 5 years of age, to escape the predatory ambitions of England, Mary was sent to France as the prospective wife of its Dauphin. There she was cossetted, dressed in the finest of fabrics as recorded in the French Treasury Accounts:
5 ells of Venetian crimson red damask for the Queen of Scotland’s gowns
4 and a half ells of crimson red taffeta for another gown
5 ells of black silk damask for another gown
An ell and a quarter of cloth of silver to make [her] a front petticoat and a pair of sleeves.
An ell and two thirds of Venetian crimson red satin to make [her] a front petticoat, a pair of sleeves and a coif.
An ell and two thirds of white satin, an ell and two thirds of straw yellow and an ell and two thirds of green satin to make [her] three front petticoat , three pairs of sleeves and three coifs.
Extract from : Comptes des Enfants de France pour L’ Année 1551
Letter to Mary’s mother, Mary de Guise, from a French courtier, 1547
When she was 5 years of age, to escape the predatory ambitions of England, Mary was sent to France as the prospective wife of its Dauphin. There she was cossetted, dressed in the finest of fabrics as recorded in the French Treasury Accounts:
5 ells of Venetian crimson red damask for the Queen of Scotland’s gowns
4 and a half ells of crimson red taffeta for another gown
5 ells of black silk damask for another gown
An ell and a quarter of cloth of silver to make [her] a front petticoat and a pair of sleeves.
An ell and two thirds of Venetian crimson red satin to make [her] a front petticoat, a pair of sleeves and a coif.
An ell and two thirds of white satin, an ell and two thirds of straw yellow and an ell and two thirds of green satin to make [her] three front petticoat , three pairs of sleeves and three coifs.
Extract from : Comptes des Enfants de France pour L’ Année 1551
Mary at the French Court. Sketch by Francois Clouet
|
Mary as a widow in 1560 by Francois Clouet
|
Mary married the Dauphin in 1558 and the following year, on the death of his father, he became King Francois II and Mary became Queen Consort. In 1559, however, she was widowed. She was 18 years of age.
|
… she will not receive any consolation but brooding over her disaster with constant tears and passionate and doleful lamentations, she universally inspires great pity. Chronicler, France,1560
|