Margaret Beaton facts for kids

Margaret Beaton, Lady Reres was a Scottish lady who lived in the 1500s. She was a close friend and helper to two queens: Mary of Guise and her daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots. Some people who didn't like Mary, Queen of Scots, tried to blame Lady Reres for bad things happening at court.

Early Life and Family Connections

Margaret Beaton was the daughter of John Beaton of Creich, who looked after Falkland Palace. Her mother was Jane Hay. Margaret had a famous niece named Mary Beaton, who was one of Mary, Queen of Scots' four special companions. Mary Beaton was the daughter of Margaret's brother, Robert Beaton of Creich.

Margaret married Arthur Forbes of Reres Castle in Kilconquhar, Fife. After her marriage, she became known as "Lady Reres."

Life at Court

Lady Reres was an important part of the royal household. In December 1558, Mary of Guise gave her £300, which was a lot of money back then!

In September 1566, Lady Reres was part of the household of young James VI of Scotland at Stirling Castle. She had a special bed with blue wool curtains. Mary, Queen of Scots, even sent her two chests for the prince's room. In December 1566, Mary bought Lady Reres a fancy black velvet gown with satin sleeves. This was probably for the baptism of Prince James.

Lady Reres, her sister Janet Beaton, and Jean Hepburn were with Mary, Queen of Scots, at Dunbar Castle before the battle of Carberry Hill.

Stories and Rumors

Lady Reres was often mentioned in stories written by the enemies of Mary, Queen of Scots. These stories were like propaganda, trying to make the queen look bad. Because of this, it's sometimes hard to know the real facts about Lady Reres's role at court.

For example, George Buchanan, a writer who was against Mary, Queen of Scots, wrote that Lady Reres was old and heavy in the 1560s. He also told a story about Mary, Queen of Scots, and another lady named Margaret Carwood helping Lady Reres climb down a garden wall in Edinburgh. This was supposedly to help James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, meet the queen secretly.

This story was also discussed in more detail at a meeting called the York Conference in 1568. It claimed that Lady Reres helped Bothwell meet the queen at a house in the Canongate where the Court of the Exchequer met.

Another document from 1568, called the "Contra Reginam Scotorum", claimed that Bothwell's divorce was partly because of his relationships, especially with Lady Reres. It also said she was a "principal instrument" (a key helper) between the queen and Bothwell.

One of the famous Casket Letters mentioned a conversation at Callendar House with William Livingstone, 6th Lord Livingston. In this conversation, Lord Darnley apparently said that Lady Reres "should serve her well."

Later Life

In 1573, during a long conflict known as the "lang siege" of Edinburgh Castle in the Marian Civil War, Lady Reres stayed in the castle. Her niece, Lady Jean Stewart, and William Maitland's wife, Mary Fleming, were also there.

Family Life

Margaret Beaton and Arthur Forbes had children, including:

• John Forbes, who had daughters named Christian, Dorothy, and Janet Forbes.
• Archibald or Arthur Forbes

Images for kids

• Mary of Guise.jpg

  Mary of Guise

• Mary Queen of Scots by Adrian Vanson.jpg

  Mary, Queen of Scots

• James VI of Scotland and I of England by John de Critz the Elder.jpg

  James VI of Scotland

• 

  James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell