Francisco de Busso facts for kids
Francisco de Busso was an Italian nobleman who worked for Mary, Queen of Scots. He was a very important person in her royal household. Busso was in charge of things like food and servants. He made sure the queen's palaces ran smoothly.
Busso's Role at Court
Busso had worked for Mary's mother, Mary of Guise, before. He was a Knight of the Order of St James of the Sword. In 1563, Mary made him the main supervisor of her palaces. He was also the Keeper of Holyrood Palace.
His name often appeared in court records as "Senyeour Frances" or "Francisco." Sometimes, official papers called him "John." He worked with William MacDowall to make the gardens at Holyrood even better. A French diplomat named Paul de Foix said that Busso was very close to Queen Mary. In 1565, Mary gave him a special silk cloak. It had belonged to her mother.
Busso played a big part at the baptism of Prince James. This event happened at Stirling Castle in December 1566. During the celebration, there was a procession. It brought food into the Great Hall. Busso walked in this procession as a Master of Household. He walked with Gilbert Balfour and the Laird of Findlater.
Facing Disapproval
Not everyone was happy with Busso's influence. The Scottish reformer John Knox wrote about this. He said that Scottish nobles did not like how much influence Busso and other foreigners had. These foreigners were favored by Queen Mary.
In 1565, an English diplomat, Thomas Randolph, listed Busso. He also listed David Riccio and Thomas Fowler. Randolph called them "unworthy persons" and foreigners. He said they caused suspicion because of their power at court. Later that year, some Scottish nobles rebelled against Mary. This event was called the Chaseabout Raid. They included Busso's presence as one of their reasons for the rebellion.
His Death
Francisco de Busso died in April 1576. He passed away in a place called Dunkeld.
