Upon the death of James V of Scotland on 14- December 1542, Henry VIII of England determined to effect the marriage of his son Edward to Mary Queen of Scots, James' sole heir. He gained the betrothal when the treaties of Greenwich were signed on 1 July 154-3. However, a revolution in Scotland to Scottish annulment of the marage treaty the following December. During the period 1544-45, Henry tried to force the Scots to agree, but despite two major invasions (and countless minor ones), considerable aristocratic dissaffection and a war with the Low Countries, the Scottish regency of the earl of Arran successfully resisted the English attacks. Al though Henry had been thwarted of his g02~, protector Somerset continued the policy, but he pressed the Scots with much more rigour and intelligence than had Henry. After the victory of Pinkie on 10 September 1547, large areas of Scotland were occupied by pel1Jlanent English garrisons (many in freshly constructed artillery forts) and a determined attempt was made so to weaken the Scottish government that it would accept the marriage. Somerset thus hoped to achieve the dynastic union of the two realms and he envisioned a new kingdom of Great Britain. But English military success was too complete, for it forced the Scots to turn to the French. Due to the peace in Europe in 1548, Henry II was able to move from his father's cautious protection of Scottish interests to open ilulitary assistance. In return for the betrothal of Mary to his heir Francis, Henry sent a large army which began in July 1548 to contain the English and then in 1549 to expel them from Scotlanld. Ul timllately the English position collaDsed and by the treaty of Boulogne, 24 Ivlarch 1550, they gave up both their positions still held in Scotland and their claim to the hand of Mary.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:527930 |
| Date | January 1971 |
| Creators | Merriman, M. H. |
| Publisher | University of London |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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