Treaty of Greenwich facts for kids

The Treaty of Greenwich was actually two agreements signed on July 1, 1543. They were made in Greenwich, England, between representatives from England and Scotland.

The main idea behind these treaties came from Henry VIII of England. He wanted to unite the two kingdoms, England and Scotland, under one ruler. This was a big plan for the future!

The first part of the treaty aimed to create peace between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland. The second part was a marriage proposal. It suggested that Henry VIII's son, Edward VI of England, would marry Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary was very young at the time.

The agreement said that Mary would live with an English nobleman and his wife until she was ten years old. After that, she would move to England until her marriage. The treaty also allowed Scotland to keep its own laws.

Even though the Earl of Arran signed the treaty and approved it in August 1543, the Scottish Parliament rejected it on December 11, 1543. This rejection led to eight years of fighting between England and Scotland, known as the Rough Wooing.

Making the Treaty Happen

Making the Treaty of Greenwich happen took a lot of diplomatic work. Diplomats are like special messengers or representatives who try to solve problems between countries.

Important people involved in these talks included Adam Otterburn, George Douglas of Pittendreich, and the Earl of Glencairn from Scotland, who were in London. Ralph Sadler was the English diplomat in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The people who officially represented Mary, Queen of Scots (with permission from Regent Arran, who was ruling Scotland for Mary), were Glencairn, Pittendreich, William Hamilton, James Learmonth, and Henry Balnaves.

King Henry VIII's representatives included Baron Audley of Walden, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Stephen Gardiner (the Bishop of Winchester), Thomas Thirlby (the Bishop of Westminster), and Barons St.John and Gage.

A very important part of the discussions was an understanding that Regent Arran's son, James Hamilton, would marry Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.

What the Treaties Said

Two treaties were signed at Greenwich Palace on July 1, 1543.

The Peace Treaty

The first treaty was about general peace between England and Scotland. Here are some of the main points:

• There would be peace for as long as Henry VIII or Mary, Queen of Scots, lived, and for one year after.
• Neither ruler would start a war against the other or their friends.
• If anyone tried to harm the other country, the ruler would not help them.
• Neither ruler could break the treaty because of religious reasons.
• Neither country would hide rebels or traitors from the other. They had to hand them over quickly.
• Ships, sailors, and merchants from both countries should be treated well, just like in past times of peace.
• People living near the border (called the Marches) who had their goods stolen could chase after them.
• The town and castle of Berwick upon Tweed would remain peaceful.

The Marriage Treaty

The second treaty was all about the royal marriage:

• Prince Edward, Henry VIII's oldest son, who was six years old, would marry Mary, Queen of Scotland, who was only one year old.
• If Henry VIII was still alive when they married, he would give Mary land in England worth £2,000 a year. This amount would increase to £4,000 after his death.
• Until Mary moved to England, she would stay with Scottish nobles. However, King Henry could send an English nobleman or gentleman with his wife and attendants (up to 20 people) to live with her and help with her education.
• One month after Mary turned ten, she would be handed over to English representatives at the border near Berwick. Before she left Scotland, the marriage contract would be officially made.
• Within two months, six Scottish noblemen would be sent to England as hostages. These hostages would ensure that Scotland followed the agreement. Scotland could change the hostages every six months.
• Scotland would continue to be called the Kingdom of Scotland and keep its old laws and freedoms.
• If Prince Edward died without children after the marriage, Mary, Queen of Scots, would be free to return to Scotland unmarried.
• When Mary went to England, James, Earl of Arran, who was governing Scotland, would receive an official statement saying he had managed Scotland's money correctly.

See also

• List of treaties