The roles of the queen in late medieval Scotland were complex. This thesis explores the experience of the Scottish queen consort from the late fourteenth century to the early sixteenth century. Whilst studies of European queenship are increasing in number, comparable work on the Scottish queen consort has hitherto been limited. Political narratives have been favoured, and the unique qualities of Scottish queenship in a broader social and cultural framework have been underexplored. This thesis seeks to redress this imbalance by drawing on a wide range of source material to provide a socio-cultural understanding of the role of the queen in Scotland. The six queens upon whom this thesis focuses embody different aspects of queenship. They range from the first queens of the Stewart dynasty up to Margaret Tudor, whose consortship was brought to an abrupt end on the death of her husband in battle against her own brother's army. From this point there was no queen consort in Scotland for almost a quarter of a century. The early Stewart queens, Euphemia Ross and Annabella Drummond, demonstrate the experiences of a native queen consort, married before their husbands became king. Joan Beaufort, Mary of Guelders, Margaret of Denmark and Margaret Tudor were all foreign-born, and were expected to integrate into their new role as the Scottish queen, whilst maintaining sometimes controversial ties to their natal families. By analysing the varying experiences of six queens rather than studying them alone it is possible to identify patterns and trends which highlight those aspects unique to queenship in Scotland. A broad range of evidence is considered. This study utilises near to contemporary literature, including chronicles and early histories, poetry, hagiography, advice literature, and romance. This is complemented by an in-depth study of the extant financial records as well as charter evidence and parliamentary records. Underpinning the analysis throughout is the question of contemporary expectations of the role of the queen in Scotland from the late fourteenth to early sixteenth centuries. This thesis considers how the queen engaged with these expectations, and how she demonstrated good queenship through her role as a mediator, her piety, her charity, and the care of her subjects. The role of the queen as a mother is highlighted, as are the ways in which royal children were cared for, which is integral to an understanding of royal parenthood. Finally, the practical realities of maintaining the queen consort are assessed, from the structure of her household to the ways in which she was funded. The exploration of Scottish queenship has much to add to our understanding of late medieval Scottish society, and this study offers the first comprehensive examination of the cultural framework in which the queen operated.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:690598 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Hayes, Amy Victoria |
| Publisher | University of Aberdeen |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=230149 |
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