Henrietta Stewart facts for kids
Henrietta Stewart (1573–1642) was an important Scottish noblewoman. She was a close friend and trusted advisor to Anne of Denmark, who was the Queen of Scotland.
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Life Story of Henrietta Stewart
Henrietta Stewart was the daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox. Her father was a favorite of James VI of Scotland. Her mother was Catherine de Balsac. In 1581, King James gave Henrietta the right to arrange the marriage of the Earl of Huntly. This was a special gift from the king.
Her marriage agreement was made in 1586 while she was in France. King James VI gave her father, the Duke of Lennox, money to bring her back from France.
Henrietta, her sister Marie, and her brother Ludovic returned to Scotland in November 1583. They came with their mother to visit King James VI. The two sisters came back again in June 1588. They stayed in Edinburgh, with the city paying for their lodging.
Henrietta's Wedding and Celebrations
On July 21, 1588, Henrietta married George Gordon, the Earl of Huntly. Their wedding took place at Holyroodhouse. Before the wedding, they had to declare their Protestant faith. A minister named John Craig would not announce their marriage otherwise.
King James VI of Scotland even wrote a special play, called a masque, for their wedding party. The king asked important landowners to send food for the feasts. He requested "venison, wild fowls, fed capons." The celebrations included "plays and masquerades" and lasted for two or three days. Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell gave Henrietta a pearl necklace. Everyone said there was "great triumph, mirth, and pastime."
In Scotland, it was common for women to keep their own name after marriage. So, Henrietta continued to sign her letters as "Henriette Stuart." Her sister, Marie Stewart, became a lady-in-waiting for Queen Anne of Denmark in 1590. Henrietta had asked for this, which helped her have more influence at court. Marie later married the Earl of Mar in 1592.
Henrietta's Influence at Court
Henrietta became a close friend of Queen Anne of Denmark. She had a lot of influence over the Queen. This friendship became a bit controversial. Henrietta was known to be a strong Catholic. This made her friendship with the Queen politically sensitive. It sometimes caused disagreements between the King and Queen. It also led to some criticism of Queen Anne from the Scottish church. Some people even thought Henrietta might have played a part in Queen Anne secretly becoming Catholic.
When Henrietta left the court in April 1594, the English ambassador, Robert Bowes, wrote about it. He said the Queen gave her many gifts. He noted these gifts were "liberal and exceeding the common order."
Trying to Help Her Husband
Henrietta often tried to help her husband's cause at court. This was true even when he was in trouble with the law. However, in June 1594, King James specifically told her not to come to court. She did not obey his order. She came to Leith and visited Queen Anne of Denmark at Holyroodhouse. She was "in base array," meaning she was disguised as a servant. This happened on a day when the king was away at Stirling Castle.
King James VI told the English ambassador Robert Bowes that the Queen was giving Henrietta "over-great countenance." This meant the Queen was showing her too much favor. The king thought some problems were caused by disagreements. These were between his Privy Council and the council managing the Queen's lands.
Ambassador Bowes understood that Henrietta's husband and his supporters relied on her. She could present a request to the king and his council. This request was to get her husband's lands back. The Queen also tried to help. When the request was denied, the Queen asked for the lands to be given to her instead.
King James Visits Huntly Castle
On July 6, 1594, King James VI ordered Henrietta to leave Edinburgh. She went to Seton Palace and then took a ship to Aberdeen. At Huntly Castle, her husband was confidently building a new hall and gallery.
In late October 1594, King James VI went to Huntly Castle. He planned to tear down parts of the building. David Foulis wrote that Henrietta watched the demolition. She was not allowed to speak with the king to plead her case. A church minister, Andrew Melville, was there. He urged King James VI to blow up the castle.
The king put the castle and lands under the care of Sir John Gordon. But on November 9, 1594, the king asked that Sir John not take Henrietta's rental income. Her brother, the Duke of Lennox, was the king's representative in Elgin. He said Henrietta was his enemy because her husband had not left Scotland. He added that she would not get her income unless she came south.
Her Son at Court
In March 1595, church ministers asked the king to make Henrietta and the Countess of Erroll live near Edinburgh. They also asked that Henrietta's son, Lord Gordon, be kept by the king.
In October 1596, Henrietta and her husband faced pressure to change from Catholicism. Her eldest son, Lord Gordon, was taken away. He was given to Queen Anne of Denmark to be raised at court. He was sent to the University of Edinburgh. Queen Anne bought him new clothes, including a velvet coat. Henrietta tried to get her son back, but her requests were rejected.
Back in Favor
Henrietta was a godmother to Princess Elizabeth in November 1596. She was also present at the birth of Princess Margaret in December 1598. She held Prince Charles at his christening in 1600. In November 1600, people noted that she was "chiefest" in favor with Queen Anne of Denmark.
In January 1598, Henrietta, Queen Anne, and the Countess of Erroll rode in a special procession in Edinburgh. They watched the symbolic return of the Earls of Angus, Erroll, and Huntly to their titles. It was said that the Queen was so fond of Henrietta and the Countess of Erroll that she sometimes shared a bed with one of them.
In April 1601, two of her husband's male servants were banned from Edinburgh for life. This was for attending Catholic mass. Henrietta was also asked to remove two female servants, Margaret Wood and Barclay, for the same reason. In December 1602, she was at Stirling Castle visiting Prince Henry. She traveled to Holyrood Palace the next day with her sister, the Countess of Mar.
In March 1609, the Venetian ambassador heard that Henrietta had written to Queen Anne. She asked Anne to speak to King James for her husband. Her husband was in prison in Scotland because he was Catholic. King James replied to Henrietta that Anne would not interfere with royal orders.
Henrietta Stewart died on September 2, 1642, in Paris, France. She was buried in Lyon, where her mother was also buried.
Her name is carved in stone on the upper part of Huntly Castle. It is in large letters, just as prominently as her husband's name.
Surgundo and Cherina: A Poem
An unknown writer from the late 1590s wrote a long poem called 'Surgundo: The Valiant Christian'. In this poem, George Gordon is called Surgundo, and Henrietta is called Cherina. Many names in the poem are simple anagrams (letters rearranged). For example, her father, the Duke of Lennox, was Prince Exonill.
The poem includes verses praising Henrietta, like this one: But O Cherina, dare I be so bold To aim at thy perfections yet untold When as Apollo, father of the arts Upon a time to try his daughter's parts Sets the nine maids of memory at strife To paint pure virtue's picture to the life ... Cherina, O, Cherina is my theme.
Henrietta's Family
Henrietta and her husband had several children, including:
- Anne Gordon, who married James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray.
- Elizabeth Gordon, who married Alexander Livingston, 2nd Earl of Linlithgow in 1611.
- Mary Gordon, who married William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas.
- George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, who became the Earl of Enzie.
- Francis Gordon (died in 1620).
- Adam Gordon of Aboyne, and later of Auchindoun.
- Laurence Gordon, who died at Huntly when he was 20 years old.
- Jean Gordon, who married Claud Hamilton, 2nd Baron Hamilton of Strabane.
- John Gordon, Viscount of Melgum, who married Sophia Hay. She was the daughter of Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll and Elizabeth Douglas. He died in a fire at Frendraught Castle in 1630.
