Mary Su Stuart

Marie de Guise, was once a jewel of the Guise family.She has been in and out of the French court since she was a child, and she is best friends with Princess Madeleine, the daughter of Francis I.After Madeleine married far away to Scotland and died of early illness, she became the object of marriage proposal of the widower James V.

At that time, although James V had countless illegitimate children, he still had no legitimate heir.In order to continue to maintain good relations with France, he did not choose Miss Mary Erskine, who gave him five children, but asked to continue to marry a French "princess".

The "princess" had better be strong enough to bear a son—and so Marie de Guise came into his consideration.As a widow, she had already given birth to two sons; moreover, at least one of them had inherited the title of Duke of Longueville and was growing up healthily.

But the widow didn't really want to marry. After all, she had just lost her husband and second son, and the new Duke of Longueville was so young.Her father also had little desire for his daughter to be far away from his home and country.However, Francois I tried his best to facilitate this matter, not only providing a marriage contract, but also taking the initiative to add a dowry to her; James Stuart's marriage proposal letter was so sincere, he begged for her advice and support...

On top of that, there was a famous blue-bearded monarch messing things up - Henry VIII, remember.

The king of England who finally married six wives had just ushered in the birth of his baby son Edward and the death of his third wife, Jane Seymour, so he might not be in a hurry to find a fourth.But when he heard that two old rivals, France and Scotland, were going to marry again, he really wanted to cause some disruption, so he pretended to send a letter of marriage proposal to the widow.

This time, Marie de Guise did not dare to hesitate any longer, and quickly agreed to the previous marriage contract.

After marriage, the Queen of Scotland really lived up to expectations, and soon gave birth to two boys one after another.Unfortunately, they both died shortly after.Since then, the male heir James V craves has never appeared again.In the end, the news of the queen's daughter stayed with him until his last breath.

But it was this daughter who grew up healthy.

And his widow, Queen Mary, is now sailing across the ocean from Scotland to see Queen Mary of the Stuart family.

On September 1550, 9, after reaching a peace agreement with England, Queen Mary returned to her motherland, France, by boat during the armistice.

In Western Europe in this era, widows left behind by deceased monarchs may not be able to obtain the title of queen mother, and their status is often not as good as that of the current queen, and they may not have the opportunity to listen to the government behind the curtain, or even regent.Marie de Guise relied on the support of her family and the Valois royal family, and after a "struggle" with the Scottish lords, she became the queen regent.Therefore, this trip back home is not only due to her nostalgia for her hometown, but also related to the stability of her power.

On October 1550, 10, the Queen Mother of Scotland participated in a performance hosted by the French court and received a grand welcome.

The performance was huge; the trombone sounded the drum, and the atmosphere was warm.The Queen Mother and Queen Mary, both on horseback, paraded behind the infantry with banners.These eye-catching banners are full of the solid friendship between France and Scotland-especially France's various military assistance to Scotland, such as fighting against the English and regaining fortresses.

Whispering is not suitable during a parade, and Queen Mary, who is watching all the way around, has already saved up a lot of things to say to her daughter.At night, when the mother and daughter were alone, she seized the right opportunity.

First of all, she cared about Mary's life in the French court.Originally, the Queen Mother learned from her younger brothers that her daughter was successful in her studies and was quite popular, so she was more at ease.However, she has recently learned that apart from those mysterious predictions, the future crown princess will also intervene in the crown prince's medical plan, so she is a little worried.

"I'm very glad that the strange remedies you put forward seem to be well-founded and effective; I also understand that you are very concerned about His Royal Highness Crown Prince François... You have taken the initiative to take on a lot of responsibilities and risks... "Mother said it with a little effort. "You also need to know that there have always been accusations of witchcraft in Scotland."

The eldest daughter of the Guise family sighed: "As for France, there has never been a lack of such voices. Alas, even if you are a king, you can't ignore the calls of the people."

Mary nodded obediently, but she didn't take such concerns seriously in her heart: Well, she heard that when Queen Catherine was childless ten years before her marriage, she saw all kinds of weird people, and even used tricks like toad urine—who took it? Blame the royal family for this kind of thing?

So, if her plan is reliable and the actual results look good, that's fine.

Seeing that her daughter looked relaxed, Queen Mary did not force her to persuade her.But with a deep sense of crisis, she strives to give her daughter sufficient education in other aspects.

"Through this performance, I also found that you are very unfamiliar with your guards, and everything is contacted by Lord Merrie." Lord Merrie, referring to the nineteen-year-old half-brother James, whose elder Mary is eleven years old, Serving as Deputy Captain of the Queen's Guard.

"It is true that he is related to you by blood, but you also need to pay attention to the relationship with your subordinates."

"Count Montgomery is the captain of the guard carefully selected by the French court for you. He is brave and courageous. Unfortunately, the relationship between him and your uncles is not too close. This requires your own efforts."

"I hope that you will treat the Lord Boswell who came with me kindly. Although he is very young and rebellious, he is independent and more loyal than other nobles in Scotland. He is worthy of careful training. warriors."

Mary couldn't help but stare round her eyes.Here, what kind of "talents" are the ones who taught her to win over?The historical Earl of Montgomery...seemed to have stabbed the King of France in the head in a joust with Henry II?And the Lord Boswell in history... seems to be the one who conspired with the Queen of Scots to murder her husband and thus became her third husband? !

What a dangerous lineup is this... Mary trembled, feeling as if she was facing an abyss.

Fortunately in misfortune, nothing has happened yet, and there are still ways to avoid it.So, under the ardent gaze of the Queen Mother, Mary put aside her thoughts about the "future" and pretended to be calm:

"Everything is strictly in accordance with my mother's teachings."

Queen Mary continued to warn: "It's not just my visit... Your equestrian skills also just need to be strengthened... These are excellent opportunities to get in touch."

"Remember, the Scottish Guard is your most trusted military force in France. Even though you are a future princess, you still need to have your own card."

The mother let out a weary sigh: "You know, in today's France, the lords are restricted everywhere. Even your uncle can't legitimately have such an independent team."

Well, ginger is old and spicy.Mary nodded.

However, in addition to promises, she decided to turn to something that excited her mother: "I will definitely not disappoint your expectations. In addition, apart from the two captains of the guard, I am also looking forward to being able to trust the Duke of Langeville." .”

This one is also her elder brother.However, he is a legitimate son of the same mother and half father who can be called "elder brother" by her.

Duke François Longueville was born in 1535 at the age of 15.He has been in correspondence with Queen Mary (Queen Mary before 1442) in Scotland.This child who lost his father since childhood has a deep admiration for his mother who married far away.Therefore, when the Queen Mother of Scotland visited France this time, he took the initiative to answer the call and come to accompany her.

"Yes." Queen Mary expressed emotion, but she was not lacking in relief. "He is a good boy with a soft heart. Although I have very limited opportunities to get along with him, but...if the Duke of Guise and the Cardinal are willing to give him advice, you may still see him often at the court. "

The Queen Mother sighed softly. "Actually, all along, your uncles have been taking care of him secretly. However, for some reason, they never got too close on the surface. However, seeing that he is so old, there is no need to avoid suspicion, and you can get closer... "

Mary asked curiously, "What's the reason?"

"In the past, François I... used to include the property under his name in my dowry..." Queen Mary hesitated for a moment, and said slowly. "Perhaps, it is because he suspects that he will not be able to grow up when he is far away from his mother. After all, his younger brother has died young."

"Because of the former king's treatment, the Rorgis family was too close to him, as if coveting the property of the Longwell family..." As she spoke, the mother's eyes gradually turned red. "God knows, I miss that kid a lot..."

If she had a choice, Marie de Guise would rather stay in her hometown and raise her eldest son well.However, fortunately or unfortunately, the monarchs of Scotland and France both took a fancy to her, and she had to embark on another difficult and dangerous road to power.

In order to gain a firm foothold, maintain her status, and protect the interests of her children... Over the years, this woman has almost tried her best.Deep in the vortex of the current situation, even at this moment, she and her children are reunited in their hometown, it is difficult to truly enjoy peace and tranquility.

Thinking of this, Mary stroked her mother's arm with sympathy.

"I am very happy that now I have the opportunity to continue our relationship with this elder brother."

In any case, as far as she can see so far, the Duke of Langeville is a well-behaved young nobleman who is not annoying.Moreover, this kind of blood relationship of "having the same mother" may really help in the future.

However, it depends on his future performance.

Mary was willing to offer an olive branch, and the French court did not ignore this relative.So, the slightly thin Duke of Langeville was called with great joy, and went to tour France with his mother.

When the two royal families were having fun and walking together, Mrs. Fleming, the matron of the Queen of Scots, suddenly "retired due to illness".

"What disease?"

Just as Mary asked in doubt, she heard the big, silly Mary Beeton angrily say, "A problem unique to women!"

Another maid, Mary Seton, kindly reminded: "Miss Beeton, we shouldn't call it a problem."

She answered Her Majesty instead: "Mrs Fleming is pregnant."

Miss Beeton pursed her lips, rather unhappy.She and Miss Seton's mother were both maidservants brought by Queen Mary from France in the past, and both married the Scottish nobles and lords.Therefore, they have special feelings for the Queen of orthodox background and noble blood, and for France, and they are all somewhat displeased with the identity of Mrs. Fleming, a native of Scotland and an illegitimate daughter.It's not difficult to get along with Mary Fleming on a daily basis, but don't make them respect the mistress housekeeper who is quickly climbing to the top!

Hear what Mrs. Fleming had to say - "Thank the Lord! I am honored and delighted to have a child with the King!"

The favorite concubine of the Wang family who has no "official status" has tears of pride in her eyes, as happy as her relationship can be.

In view of the current situation, the little queen said with a kind face that all the affairs of the court were properly arranged, and she only needed to rest and pay attention to her body.The Empress Dowager Wang also appeared quite happy, and even gave Mrs. Fleming a lot of gifts.

Under the instruction of His Majesty the King, the matron, as a matter of course, no longer provided services to the Queen and Queen Mary, and only cared for her child.

With all these things, the mother and daughter felt that this person's behavior was quite inappropriate, and if he continued to stay in the French court, he might cause trouble sooner or later.

"Since she was pregnant, Mrs. Fleming has stopped being evasive, and she has a high arrogance..." Queen Mary lamented the situation in the harem. "I have heard that you are still on good terms with the queen and Madame Valentinoy, which reassures me. You know, although the lady is getting older, her influence on the king has not diminished. In the past, His Majesty Henry Occasionally, she gets into trouble, but she is always careful not to disturb the lady. Now, Mrs. Fleming is so arrogant in the court, it will definitely irritate her..."

Although she told her daughter to be careful, Queen Mary herself didn't have that much energy to manage.In addition to negotiating with Henry II and hoping to further stabilize the marriage contract between her children, she also wanted to get more financial support for Scotland-yes, as a widow who was robbed by English robbers, she looked back at the ruins A piece of Scotland, I feel stretched everywhere.

For Mrs. Fleming's sake, Henry II also had the idea of ​​spending a lot of money generously.However, the king was not taken advantage of, he also put forward his own conditions: I heard that the Scottish Legion has a good fighting capacity, if necessary...take it out and borrow it for him?

In view of the temporary stability of the local situation, Queen Mary naturally agreed to come down.

There was a mingling of toasts and congratulations; the King of France and the Queen Regent of Scotland were both satisfied with this series of transactions.

The exchange of interests between adults also affects the friendship between children.Now, no matter where they go, there are many caring people who try their best to help the crown prince and the future princess have a close relationship, and create conditions for their companionship from time to time.

So, when she left Paris, Marie often rode around on a pony with Francois.

The beautiful scenery on a good day, the wind, the flowers, the snow and the moon?

Cough cough, to be precise, it should be—children like not to do their homework and go outdoors to have fun.

Mary felt it was a bit of a pity: In this era, the etiquette that ladies should have when riding a horse is to ride with their legs together and reclining.

This posture is so awkward.

In short, the soul of modern man feels quite unnatural.

However, although there are many people to please, this "principle" is not so easy to change-Mary repeatedly proposed to try boys' legs apart and straddling horses, but she was repeatedly rejected.

Not only because "the image is not dignified", but also because "women can't wear long trousers"!

"A woman shall not wear what a man wears, and a man shall not wear a woman's clothing, for such conduct is an abomination to the LORD."

Hmph, unfair patriarchal society.Mary had no choice but to slander frequently.

Seeing his fiancée showing hesitation, François whispered into her ear secretly, pretending to swear:

"One day, I will make your wish come true."

To be so presumptuous, in the eyes of outsiders, is unruly; but from my own point of view, it is a good thing to call it "daring to break through the shackles of ethics".

Marie gave Francois a white look.This little devil can still make my sister happy.Well, for the sake of his sincerity, let's accept this promise.

"You must remember... I will remind you in the future." The corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

Seeing her pale face, Francois also smiled happily.

In the spring of 1551, a warm wind blew across the land of France.The Queen Mother of Scotland and her party, entertained by the French court, continued to tour the territory.But as Queen Mary stayed for a long time, some discordant voices finally emerged, such as——

"The honors and benefits His Majesty has bestowed on Scotland are far too great."

Although Montmorency, who said such sour words, was the chief confidant of Henry II, obviously, he could not fully represent the king's original intention.

On the other hand, Montmorency's rivals, the Guise brothers, wished that their sister would stay longer in France.After all, Queen Mary's high-profile appearances show their achievements all the time-the daughter with the blood of Guise will completely make Scotland a part of the French territory.

However, when the remnants of spring fall and the summer heat approaches, another Scottish lady is facing a major turning point in her fate.

Mrs. Fleming, who had just given birth to a son for Henry II, suddenly suffered a crushing defeat.