République Ecossaise

[afleitch]

In the centre of Marie Stuart Square, not far from the Senate stands a modern statue of King Francis III. A forgotten king amongst the French in Scotland he retains some dignity even within a deeply republican national mindset. The base of the statue contains many sayings attributed to him in both French and 'Scoscais' the often mocked national dialect of English but one that is rich in heritage and is famous in song.

You would, if you covered your ears believe you were not in a rainy Scottish city at all, but somewhere deep in the centre of Paris. They did after all have the same planners and they were given a clean slate to work from after the infamous destruction of 'Edimbourg' after the Napoleonic Wars. The statue therefore looks a little out of place. The same could be said of Francis in life. His mother was Marie Stuart (or Mary Stewart) and elegant yet unremarkable queen who died obese and housebound at the grand age of 68. His father, King Francis II died at a less remarkable age of 18 his only, somewhat incredible act of note being his issue. Shortly after the birth, the young dauphin's father died and so the real story of this king, his kingdoms of France and Scotland and their future together really began.


More soon

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I'm excited.

[afleitch]

Francis III was born in 1562. He was as artistic and as athletic as his mother. He spent his childhood, as the boy king in France keeping his mother Mary with him during his childhood. The travelling French court which Mary, as an infant herself was asborbed in became a renewed passion for his mother. Francis' grandmother, Catherine de' Medici was swiftly dispatched to Scotland with Mary herself showing little attention. Catherine, as regent was brutal. Backed up by a robust French garrison in Edinburgh, Catherine paid scant attention to protestant reformers and rebels and even less attention to the country outside the city walls.

In France, Francis excelled in the arts and languages. Fluent in Latin and Scots and 'passable' (according this his infamous diaries) in Gaelic he developed a deep interest in Scottish culture and folklore at the same time it was being undermimed. Catherine died in 1569 and was replaced as regent by the protestant James Stewart, Lord Moray. Moray was blood but was also a former anglophile. He had reached a strange 'entente' with Catherine de' Medici before her death and with the sworn allegiance of the now immmense French garrison backed up with a French court was a remarkable success, helping appease the protestant lords in the Pacification of Scotland and is credited by many modern historians as the force behind the fudged marriage of Elizabeth I and François, Duke of Anjou. Elizabeth promptly gave birth to a son, Henry at the ripe age of 38. Moray was replaced as Regent by Colin Campbell, 6th Earl of Argyll in 1576.

At 18, Francis set sail for Scotland. He arrived at Leith in August 1580 and was welcomed by the French court. It was a home from home - which irked the young king somewhat and he decamped to Linlithgow after a few days rest taking only his horse and his trusted advisors with him. The remainder of 1580 was spent on what can be recognised as a 'jaunt'. After a brief stop at Stirling he rode on north into the Scottish Highlands. What happened we do not know, as he left his diaries behind at Stirling, but he returned late November with a larger entourage than had accompanied him including 'wild Highlanders' who confused the court and swathes of plaid. The royal court soon became a clash of French elegance and Highland simplicity. He left for France in the spring of 1581.

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Bump.

[afleitch]

Bump.

I've got a bit more I can add

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Hurrah!