A Most Unconventional Scottish Queen | Mary of Guelders | Wars of the Roses

Mary of Guelders was born into an ordinary 15th century noble family, part of the network of aristocracy spread across Europe. But her unusual upbringing away at the Burgundian court due her father's lack of funds for a dowry, as well as learning from her relatives in Burgundy, would prepare her for a future as a Scottish queen. Although she only lived to be 30, Mary of Guelders proved a capable queen consort, and an extraordinary queen regent for her son, James III. Her legacy would continue as she steered Scotland through the turbulence of the Wars of the Roses in England, maintaining Scotland's importance and neutrality...
Sources and Related Books:
Mary of Gueldres (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography) - www.oxforddnb.com/display/10....
Scottish Queens, 1034-1714 by Rosalind K. Marshall - amzn.to/3YNvIDL
The Kings & Queens of Scotland by Timothy Venning - amzn.to/3OJJGlq
The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women: From Earliest Times to 2004 by Elizabeth L. Ewan, Sue Innes, Sian Reynolds and Rose Pipes - amzn.to/3qMdAh0
The above book links are affiliate links, and by clicking and buying a book, you're helping support this channel. Thank you very much! 🙌
For my images and footage, thanks to:
Pexels
Pixabay
Wikimedia Commons, especially:
VictorPaulK
Becks
Lee Sie
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Many of my images in this video were made with Midjourney, see if you can spot which ones!
I strive to always credit everyone whose images I use, and try as much as possible to use images freely in the public domain (purchased where not possible) - please let me know if I have missed you so I can give you due credit.
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[@lfgifu296]

Oooh, this chimes nicely with Lindsay Holiday’s series on Scottish monarchs!! Also hope your holiday went well :)

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I love how lots of us on KZbin seem to chime with similar things at the same time, it's awesome! 😂 And thank you, it went really well and was lovely - very much needed!

[@shelbyhyser3411]

❤

[@leeannproctor2966]

Who is lindsay holiday?

[@barbararoca6847]

Very well done. The War of the Roses from the Scottish point of view!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you! 😊 I am planning on revisiting Scotland for this period in some of my future videos, as well, so hopefully a better picture of what was going on there.

[@leeannproctor2966]

How educated was Mary of guelders?

[@claudiacervantes5379]

Her story would make a great movie or television series.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

There are so many lesser-known women in history I would LOVE to see a series or movie of. It's not that I don't love a good film about Elizabeth I or Mary, Queen of Scots, but there's so many others!

[@claudiacervantes5379]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople totally agree! 🥰

[@eugeniastravels8954]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople there're

[@leeannproctor2966]

You hit it right on the nail.

[@nazlsenay7312]

​I would have loved to see that too​@@HistorysForgottenPeople

[@azariahisrael5632]

Mary is my 18th great grandmother. I am a decendant of King James IV her grandson. I decend from 3 of her children: King James III, Alexander Duke of Albany, and Mary Dutchess of Arran and the Dukes of Hamilton. Hard to wrap my mind around it really. Mary is a decendant of the Kings of France, Bohemia, and Henry VII Holy Roman Emperor.

[@beth7935]

Cool, hello distant cousin! I'm descended from an illegitimate son of Mary's great-grandson, James V... & a whole lot of convict thieves, lol. Anyway, I like that it's James V cos his father is my fave Scottish king, & his mother is Margaret Tudor, daughter of my fave English king, Henry VII.

[@charmainelamont2020]

It is estimated that 25% of Scots are descended from King James IV.

[@t.m.a.3665]

Wow! So Amazing! 😮

[@christophercorbett5074]

Must be really exciting to have such a famous ancestor I know my family in general terms came over with William in 1066 and one later fought at Towton and another was knighted at Tewkesbury Sadly they fought AGAINST and not for Queen Margaret Ouch!!

[@tommcdonald1873]

Hi distant cousin! Proud descendant through James IV, her Grandson.

[@areiaaphrodite]

Wow, I've never heard of Mary of Guelders before, but what an impressive and politically astute woman! Mary of Guelders was the Queen that Mary, Queen if Scots should've been.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Definitely! I really wonder what it would have been like if Mary of Guelders had lived longer - or indeed even James II as well, they seem to have worked well together.

[@NaysayKen]

Should have but couldn’t with literally all her nobles on Elizabeth’s payroll even her brother and secretary William Maitland were English agents being paid large pensions during her reign so quite impossible really.

[@altinaykor364]

@@NaysayKen Elizabeth's payroll, or rightfully angry for the things, Mary's mommy did? what she did was far worse than just religious pressure. she literally tried to sold Scotland to France. whatever reason she had, Scots were obligated to feel any sympathy for such a betrayal? it's not known what Mary thought of the situation, but since there isn't much talk, I guess that was enough for Scottish to be distrustful of her, which only grow by the choices she made

[@leeannproctor2966]

Hope mary didn't hold that birthmark against him.

[@mwilliams369]

Thank you for this video on Mary of Guelders who was an intelligent, politically savvy and remarkable figure. Beautiful visuals and delightful storytelling, your channel is one of my favourites. Excellent work 💐

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you so much! I'm really pleased you're enjoying the channel. 😊

[@leeannproctor2966]

Was her husband self conscious about his birthmark?

[@noreenclark2568]

Thoroughly enjoyable content about the life of an able woman who was a Queen of Scotland at a time when kings seem to die young through no fault of their own and their offspring were to young to rule without a regent. Its a shame she died before her son James the third of that name came to maturity 😢. Thankyou for the reading.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

It really is a shame - I wonder what would have been different had Mary and James II both lived, or even just Mary?

[@leeannproctor2966]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople why did the queen die so young?

[@LyricalXilence]

It's rare I hear of a Queen who is smart, faithful, no drama, produces heirs, and does right by her husbands memory, sons legacy, and the country.

[@leeannproctor2966]

Glad she didn't marry edward iv for he would have tried to overthrow her son I'm sure.

[@marciacoco9549]

An amazing lady. It’s sad she died so young ‼️

[@leeannproctor2966]

She seemed wiser than lots of her descendants.

[@crocodiledundee8685]

Have not heard of this amazing woman. Thanks for shining some light on her ❤ I’ve been to Edinburgh Castle and seen Mons Meg.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

She's a really underrated figure, and I think that's partially due to her very short reign as regent, and the fact that as a consort Mary didn't really do anything controversial! It was fun to uncover a little bit about her. 😊 Mons Meg is awesome, isn't it? I'm not really into military history in any way, but it was quite amazing (in a sort of terrifying way!) to stand near it and imagine the crazy damage that thing must have done.

[@crocodiledundee8685]

@@HistorysForgottenPeopleIndeed. BTW will you be covering any ancient Romans in this series.

[@leeannproctor2966]

Will you be doing james ii mother?

[@MartinFinnigan]

Thank you for shining a spotlight on one of our forgotten queens of Scots. It must have been so interesting for Scots looking over the border and seeing the auld enemy tearing itself apart.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

It really is amazing how forgotten she is! I can only put it down to her short reign as regent, but it makes you wonder how well-known both she and James II would be had they lived longer.

[@MichelleBruce-lo4oc]

Hi, awesome live history video I enjoyed it. Have a great day see you next video 😊

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thanks, Michelle, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@Philip-bk2dm]

Excellent. Many thanks!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Of course, thank you for watching! 😊

[@jamesarmstrong5424]

What an absolutely brilliant lady! I now add her to my growing list of powerful, heroic, and influential women of Scotland and the British Isles! Thank you for this insightful video! Cheers!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😊 It definitely surprises me that she isn't better known (including by me, until I researched her more!).

[@jamesarmstrong5424]

I'm reminded of the phrase...Behind every great man stands a woman (or something like that, lol), but in a lot of cases it was the woman that was probably greater!

[@leeannproctor2966]

Did she get along with her mother in law?

[@romo9122]

Never knew a lady from my home "duchy" was so influencial in Scotland. Thnks 4 educating me😊

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

That's one of the things I really love about history at this time - although someone might be Queen or Duchess of one place, they could actually be from another, and they probably brought a lot of influence from that place with them.

[@romo9122]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople Exactly! Sadly we are rarely told in school about the influence wives/sisters/daughters had on rulers and their heirs.. Thankfully we have you to enlighten us 😁

[@nancybradford8514]

Really enjoyed that, and I have to say I look forward to your updates. You're shining a light on people I'm not familiar with and I love that. To hear about the wars of the roses from the outside of it and to know more about the other Queens that are a little less mentioned yet still amazing examples. 👏❤ Thank you for all your hard work, its very much appreciated and I can't wait to see who you have coming up 😊❤

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Wow, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 😊 What's really lovely is that I remember from lessons at school being taught about the Wars of the Roses in terms of the kings, and the battles...and the women involved were mere names - and yet in researching them now, years later, actually they were all integral parts of what went on, and very much involved.

[@leeannproctor2966]

What kind of king james ii would have been if he lived longer.

[@pastelpurpledeathbed]

The video autoplayed for me so when I heard her name I was thinking “that’s some name for a noblewoman 😂”.

[@lisadwyer9699]

So much accomplished in such a short period of time. Incredible!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

She really did a huge amount! I must admit, I knew about Ravenscraig Castle, but not all of her other building projects. And I think Mary's political involvement shows she would have maintained stability and peace in Scotland as much as possible, had she lived longer.

[@leeannproctor2966]

Her compassion towards margaret of anjou makes her a very good person.

[@jamistardust5181]

Both of the main limbs of my ancestral tree meet here. Mary Gelders is my 17th Great grandmother.

[@t.m.a.3665]

This is the 1st time I’ve ever heard of this Queen! Fascinating , loved your video. Thank you

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😊 Mary of Guelders is such a little-known queen, and it's surprising she isn't better known considering all she did - I'm guessing her very short reign was part of that.

[@tonibarrone854]

Hello!! So glad to hear your voice in another great video. Hope your holiday was awesome

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Aw, thank you! My holiday was amazing, just what was needed. 😊

[@lojosmom7949]

What a fascinating woman. I had never heard of her, but I will definitely be looking into more about her.

[@leeannproctor2966]

Is elizabeth ii an descendant of mary of guelders?

[@pioneercynthia1]

The original illustrations used in this piece are wonderful. I think they are quite in line with items from the period. What a good way to give us more of an immersion intro Mary's life.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you so much! 😊I do try to get the images as close as possible to what would fit (Midjourney doesn't always play ball on that, and it can take me a few hours to get it to create anything resembling a hennin!), so it's good to know it has the right feel for you guys watching.

[@RjakVegas]

​@@HistorysForgottenPeople Ahhh Midjourney, that's why so many of the visual are lifeless and uninteresting. Thanks for the honesty, blocking this now.

[@COBO2]

I’ve noticed a pattern of several or a few Scottish kings and queens getting crowned at a young age and needing regents. James 3rd, James 5th, Mary Queen of Scots and James 6th who would later become James 1st and 6th of England and Scotland.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

There really were a lot! I think it was a combination of the turbulent times and medieval living (although, of course, in James II's case, it was an accident!). Mary, Queen of Scots was ridiculously young, I think she was five days old?

[@MsJaytee1975]

After Robert III died in 1406 the next monarch who ascended to the throne as an adult was Charles I in 1625, the oldest was James IV who was 15 when he became king in 1488.

[@MTCali70]

And wasn't he the King James who with his scribes put the King James Bible together?

[@MsJaytee1975]

@@MTCali70 That was James VI

[@MTCali70]

@@MsJaytee1975 I had no idea how many James were Kings of Scotland..and Mary's too..very popular names..

[@goeegoanna]

Fascinating, thank you. It is pleasing to see a history that is a relative success, without all the sinister machinations, however short it was.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

You're right, it is nice to come across someone - especially in a position of power - who didn't abuse the power they had, and instead seemed to genuinely work for their country.

[@tondakremble6660]

I sooo enjoyed this video. I don't recall hearing of her until now. I also enjoyed the enthusiasm with which the story was told. Bravo! More, more. Can't wait.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it! 😊 You're right in that Mary is a very forgotten figure, and I think that's probably a combination of not living very long, and not doing anything controversial.

[@yvonnecampbell7036]

As they say "If it aint Dutch, it aint much" xD

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Haha, I love that! 😂

[@hildatrellis907]

That’s a new one on me but I totally concur, being half Dutch and spending my holidays with my Dutch family in Gelderland. I’m a history buff but never heard of this amazing lady. Thank you for enlightening me! Subscribed!

[@martingreen331]

That was very informative Why was the King depicted with a red birth mark on his face? Is this historically accurate and why did you fail to mention it ?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Yes, it's historically accurate, but I didn't mention it because I didn't think it was particularly relevant, and it's something that can be found pretty quickly with a look on Google. (The woodcut image I use of him first shows his birthmark, as well). James II of Scotland was nicknamed 'Fiery Face' because of his birthmark, but it didn't affect his rule or the way he was treated in any way (with the exception that contemporaries considered it a possible outward sign of his fiery temper), nor do any sources suggest he attempted to hide it in any way.. If it had, then I would have mentioned it. 😊

[@beth7935]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople Yeah, I've always thought "James of the Fiery Face" was such a cool nickname! It sounds badass, & not at all derogatory.

[@martingreen331]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople Thanks for clarifying that and thanks for these creat you tube videos they are both informative and entertaining

[@christophercorbett5074]

Very interesting I knew a little about Mary in connection with my heroine Margaret of Anjou but not all this Well done for promoting her

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! 😊

[@themaestroslady1812]

Just curious why the pictures of Mary's husband James show him with a prominent facial birthmark.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Because he did have one! 😊 James II had a large birthmark that covered one side of his face, and his nickname (due to the birthmark) was 'James of the Fiery Face'. Contemporaries also believed it was a physical manifestation of his 'fiery' temper.

[@tonibarrone854]

It is so sad that James and Mary died so young. Ir males you think of the what ifd

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

It really was an astonishing turnover rate! James' father went because he was assassinated, and then there was a regent until James came of age. When he reached his majority, people must have breathed a sigh of relief. But then he died young, Mary died young, and then Bishop Kennedy (James III's next regent) also died a few years later. I do think if James II and Mary had lived longer, they would have ensured a period of stability for Scotland.

[@OWOT-re5jf]

Port wine on his face. Interesting story. She died too young after accomplishing much!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I had a good go at trying to make his birthmark as realistic as possible, but Midjourney was determined that he wouldn't have one, so hopefully it looks okay! Mary definitely died too young! It made me wonder what else might have been accomplished had she lived, especially considering the problems with her son when he became king in his majority after her death.

[@Herbsandspices100]

Where did you get the pictures from?😊

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I try to use genuine medieval images where possible, but the rest are AI generated images I make using Midjourney. 🙂

[@Herbsandspices100]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople Thanks :)

[@lfgifu296]

For the question I have a controversial Queen consort hehe: what do you think of Isabella of France?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

OOOOOH - I don't want to give too much away because I'm doing a video on her in a few weeks. I'll say this; overall, I kind of admire her. I don't agree with everything she did, I think that having an affair that openly wouldn't have helped her situation - and yet, she had put up with her husband openly favouring Piers Gaveston for years, so fair enough, perhaps. And while Isabella and Roger Mortimer's removal of Edward II is often portrayed as being entirely down to wanting an end to her marriage and taking the throne of England, he was a really rubbish king! She certainly doesn't seem like a woman who sat around and waited for something to happen, and she wasn't afraid to claim control for herself. I think she was a woman pushed to breaking point, and she snapped. Not all of her actions can be entirely justified, but equally, no one complained when Edward was taken off the throne. She also resolved the conflict with Scotland, which you think would be a point in her favour, but apparently everyone at the time just wanted to be at war with them. There was probably some pushing on Mortimer's side, he almost certainly saw a chance to be in a place of real power. I think it says a lot that although Edward III - when he came of age - had Mortimer executed, he imprisoned his mother and let her out again rather quickly. 😄

[@lfgifu296]

@@HistorysForgottenPeopleIstg I have a telepathic connection with your video ideas (especially medieval ones) 😭😭 I agree, while she certainly wasn’t a saint, her husband made it nearly impossible for her to be so, and, as you said, he was an outright bad king! She and Mortimer did go a bit far, but their “regency” was still better than the sorry excuse of a reign that was Edward II’s tenure😭 As to that Scotland part, though we today find it a good thing (after all peace is preferable to war), I can also see why people would be mad at it, having already fought and died, I can understand why they then hated it when it was solved with a peace treaty that did not give them Scotland. Also, I’m hyped for that Isabella video!! And it does say a lot that her son soon released her. When she was in power, she seemed not to want to let go of it (maybe in part due to Mortimer’s influence), but once it all settled she was ok with it

[@user-ri1ti6go7s]

Very interesting

[@MTCali70]

12:58 this sounds like a repeat of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Catherine de Medici...and or her cousin Queen Elizabeth I...history really does repeat..

[@lyndamcmullen5506]

❤❤❤

[@magray4b]

Is there a way to do Richard Duke of York and/or King Henry VI? 🙏🏾 🤞🏾

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Well, I've got a fair bit on Henry VI throughout some of the other 'Wars of the Roses' videos, in Margaret Beaufort's videos and especially Margaret of Anjou, but you're right, I've not done one him personally yet. As for Richard, Duke of York, I'm going to include him in my upcoming video about Cecily Neville, but I'll definitely think about doing a separate one on him as well. 😊

[@leeannproctor2966]

Was mary of guelders a great beauty?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

She was described as being very attractive, but as it was convention for all queens to be described as 'beautiful', it's difficult to pinpoint whether that was true largely or in part. I decided to err on the side of caution and make her pretty! 😂

[@LifeInPink999]

What happened to his face?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

He had a large red-purple birthmark that covered one side of his face. His nickname actually stemmed from it, 'James of the Fiery Face'! Contemporaries believed it was an outward sign of his 'fiery' temper. 😊

[@leeannproctor2966]

I would like to know that answer as well ?

[@Ug1i]

Would you ever do any videos about women from the late 18 early 1900s

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I definitely will! I have a HUGE list of people for future videos, so they are coming, but 'at some point in the future'. 🤣

[@fatovamingus]

I love learning all of this information but I have to weigh in on the fact that none of these people were attractive. It is a nice perk to see them as we want them to look but come on...

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Sadly Midjourney still won't make 'normal' people that easily, because most images on the internet are of people wearing make-up and filtered, so the AI program thinks that's how everyone looks. Over time, hopefully it will improve! Until then, I just pretend it's an overdone Hollywood production. 🤣

[@fatovamingus]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople maybe we can exchange authenticity for continued Attractive people like this