Foreign Correspondence With Marie De Lorraine Queen of Scotland

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The foreign correspondence of Marie de Lorraine, Queen of Scotland from 1538 till 1560, contained in the Balcarres Papers at the Advocates' Library and in a collection at the Register House, covers a period of about twenty years, from the time of her marriage till shortly before her death. The bulk of the correspondence is due to the family and dependants of the House of Guise. This does not mean that the letters are chiefly domestic; for, after the accession of Henri II., the Duke of Aumale and his brother the Cardinal, being among the King's most intimate advisers, naturally have much to say on matters of State. The domestic letters are only those of her mother the Duchess of Guise, her sisters, and her son, with occasional communications, chiefly formal, from her uncles and other relations by marriage. There are fewer letters on affairs of the kingdoms before 1542, as until that date the Queen had no share in the government, although in one letter from the Duchess of Guise there is a hint of increasing influence with the King. Until 1542 we have mainly family news, news of friends, of the administration of the Queen's estates in France, of the movements of the French court, the wars and the part her family play in them; but there is also some indication of the Queen's interest in the development of her new country.

The foreign correspondence of Marie de Lorraine, Queen of Scotland from 1538 till 1560, contained in the Balcarres Papers at the Advocates' Library and in a collection at the Register House, covers a period of about twenty years, from the time of her marriage till shortly before her death. The bulk of the correspondence is due to the family and dependants of the House of Guise. This does not mean that the letters are chiefly domestic; for, after the accession of Henri II., the Duke of Aumale and his brother the Cardinal, being among the King's most intimate advisers, naturally have much to say on matters of State. The domestic letters are only those of her mother the Duchess of Guise, her sisters, and her son, with occasional communications, chiefly formal, from her uncles and other relations by marriage. There are fewer letters on affairs of the kingdoms before 1542, as until that date the Queen had no share in the government, although in one letter from the Duchess of Guise there is a hint of increasing influence with the King. Until 1542 we have mainly family news, news of friends, of the administration of the Queen's estates in France, of the movements of the French court, the wars and the part her family play in them; but there is also some indication of the Queen's interest in the development of her new country.