Treaty of Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Edinburgh was a treaty
drawn up on 5 July 1560 between the Commissioners of Queen Elizabeth I with the assent of the Scottish Lords of the Congregation
, and French representatives in Scotland to formally conclude the Siege of Leith
and replace the Auld Alliance
with France
with a new Anglo-Scottish accord, while maintaining the peace between England and France agreed by the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis.
in Scotland was supported by French troops. Scottish Protestants challenged her rule in the Reformation Crisis
. During the ensuing Siege of Leith
, French troops fortified the port and town of Leith against an English and Scottish Protestant force. The English army was invited into Scotland by the Treaty of Berwick
made by the Lords of the Congregation. Remains of an artillery
fort involved in the siege were found, in 2006, in Edinburgh
's Pilrig Park
, and two gun emplacements can be seen on Leith Links. The treaty was concluded on 6 July 1560 just short of a month after the death of Mary of Guise, Queen Regent in Scotland. The fortifications at Leith, Inchkeith
and Dunbar Castle
were duly removed, and the French garrisons left Scotland. Other conditions discussed involved the joint use of English and French heraldry by Mary, Queen of Scots in France.
, Bishop of Valence, and Charles de la Rochefoucault, Sieur de Randan, for France, with William Cecil
and Nicholas Wotton
, Dean of Canterbury and York. The French deputes were authorised to discuss the withdrawal of their troops with the Archbishop of St Andrews
, John Bellenden of Auchnoul
, and William Maitland as representatives of the Congregation. The French delegation was also permitted to meet and console the bereaved ladies-in-waiting of Mary of Guise's court. The cessation of hostilities during the negotiation was marked by two cannon shots from Edinburgh Castle
at 7 o'clock in the evening of Monday 17 June.
It was agreed between France and England that all their land and naval forces would withdraw from Scotland. Mary and Francis II of France
should not use the arms and signs of England and Ireland in their heraldry. Mary and Francis would fulfill the representations made by the nobility and people of Scotland on 6 July 1560.
of 1560 which met in August, and sought to establish the Protestant church in Scotland.
However the treaty was not ratified by Mary, Queen of Scots, the reigning monarch at the time, despite considerable pressure upon her to do so over the period until 1587. Even so, it had the intended effect of the withdrawal of French troops from Scotland
at the time, and the eventual fall of the Roman Catholic Church
in Scotland.
Mary, Queen of Scots, the reigning monarch of the time, may not have wanted the Treaty to be ratified as she was heavily attached to France, having been its Queen Consort, and viewed the Lords of the Congregation as rebels against her mother Mary of Guise. She also did not ratify the treaty because it officially declared Elizabeth the monarch of England, a position Mary desired for herself. The Gowrie Regime
attempted to ratify the treaty in April 1583.
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
drawn up on 5 July 1560 between the Commissioners of Queen Elizabeth I with the assent of the Scottish Lords of the Congregation
Lords of the Congregation
The Lords of the Congregation were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured reformation of the church along Protestant principles and a Scottish-English alliance.- Historical events :...
, and French representatives in Scotland to formally conclude the Siege of Leith
Siege of Leith
The Siege of Leith ended a twelve year encampment of French troops at Leith, the port near Edinburgh, Scotland. The French troops arrived by invitation in 1548 and left in 1560 after the English arrived to assist in removing them from Scotland...
and replace the Auld Alliance
Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance was an alliance between the kingdoms of Scotland and France. It played a significant role in the relations between Scotland, France and England from its beginning in 1295 until the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh. The alliance was renewed by all the French and Scottish monarchs of that...
with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with a new Anglo-Scottish accord, while maintaining the peace between England and France agreed by the Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis.
French and English troops in Scotland
The rule of Mary of GuiseMary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
in Scotland was supported by French troops. Scottish Protestants challenged her rule in the Reformation Crisis
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
. During the ensuing Siege of Leith
Siege of Leith
The Siege of Leith ended a twelve year encampment of French troops at Leith, the port near Edinburgh, Scotland. The French troops arrived by invitation in 1548 and left in 1560 after the English arrived to assist in removing them from Scotland...
, French troops fortified the port and town of Leith against an English and Scottish Protestant force. The English army was invited into Scotland by the Treaty of Berwick
Treaty of Berwick (1560)
The Treaty of Berwick was negotiated on 27 February 1560 at Berwick-upon-Tweed. It was an agreement made by the representative of Queen Elizabeth I of England, the Duke of Norfolk, and the Scottish Lords of the Congregation...
made by the Lords of the Congregation. Remains of an artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
fort involved in the siege were found, in 2006, in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
's Pilrig Park
Pilrig
Pilrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The name derives from a tower at the end of a field .Pilrig lies midway between Leith and Edinburgh, west of Leith Walk. It is split by Pilrig Street, which marks the division between the EH6 and EH7 postcode districts...
, and two gun emplacements can be seen on Leith Links. The treaty was concluded on 6 July 1560 just short of a month after the death of Mary of Guise, Queen Regent in Scotland. The fortifications at Leith, Inchkeith
Inchkeith
Inchkeith is an island in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. It is part of the council area of Fife.Inchkeith has had a colourful history as a result of its proximity to Edinburgh and strategic location for use as home for a lighthouse and for military purposes defending the Firth of Forth for attack...
and Dunbar Castle
Dunbar Castle
Dunbar Castle is the remnants of one of the most mighty fortresses in Scotland, situated over the harbour of the town of Dunbar, in East Lothian.-Early history:...
were duly removed, and the French garrisons left Scotland. Other conditions discussed involved the joint use of English and French heraldry by Mary, Queen of Scots in France.
Terms of the treaty
The representatives were Jean de MontlucJean de Montluc
Jean de Montluc was bishop of Valence and brother of Blaise de Montluc. He was sympathetic to the Protestants, attacked the cult of images, and made prayers in French, thereby earning him the opprobe of Rome...
, Bishop of Valence, and Charles de la Rochefoucault, Sieur de Randan, for France, with William Cecil
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
and Nicholas Wotton
Nicholas Wotton
Nicholas Wotton was an English diplomat-Life:He was a son of Sir Robert Wotton of Boughton Malherbe, Kent, and a descendant of Nicholas Wotton, lord mayor of London in 1415 and 1430, and member of parliament for the city from 1406 to 1429.He early became vicar of Boughton Malherbe and of Sutton...
, Dean of Canterbury and York. The French deputes were authorised to discuss the withdrawal of their troops with the Archbishop of St Andrews
John Hamilton (archbishop)
The Most Rev. Dr. John Hamilton , Scottish prelate and politician, was an illegitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran....
, John Bellenden of Auchnoul
John Bellenden (Lord Justice Clerk)
Sir John Bellenden of Auchnole and Broughton was, before 1544, Director of Chancery in Scotland, and was appointed Lord Justice Clerk on 25 June 1547. He was also knighted before April 1544....
, and William Maitland as representatives of the Congregation. The French delegation was also permitted to meet and console the bereaved ladies-in-waiting of Mary of Guise's court. The cessation of hostilities during the negotiation was marked by two cannon shots from Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
at 7 o'clock in the evening of Monday 17 June.
It was agreed between France and England that all their land and naval forces would withdraw from Scotland. Mary and Francis II of France
Francis II of France
Francis II was aged 15 when he succeeded to the throne of France after the accidental death of his father, King Henry II, in 1559. He reigned for 18 months before he died in December 1560...
should not use the arms and signs of England and Ireland in their heraldry. Mary and Francis would fulfill the representations made by the nobility and people of Scotland on 6 July 1560.
Ratification
The terms of this treaty are occasionally confused with the acts of the Reformation ParliamentScottish Reformation Parliament
The Scottish Reformation Parliament is the name given to the Scottish Parliament commencing in 1560 that passed the major pieces of legislation leading to the Scottish Reformation, most importantly Confession of Faith Ratification Act 1560; and Papal Jurisdiction Act 1560 .right|thumb|[[John...
of 1560 which met in August, and sought to establish the Protestant church in Scotland.
However the treaty was not ratified by Mary, Queen of Scots, the reigning monarch at the time, despite considerable pressure upon her to do so over the period until 1587. Even so, it had the intended effect of the withdrawal of French troops from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
at the time, and the eventual fall of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Scotland.
Mary, Queen of Scots, the reigning monarch of the time, may not have wanted the Treaty to be ratified as she was heavily attached to France, having been its Queen Consort, and viewed the Lords of the Congregation as rebels against her mother Mary of Guise. She also did not ratify the treaty because it officially declared Elizabeth the monarch of England, a position Mary desired for herself. The Gowrie Regime
Raid of Ruthven
The Raid of Ruthven was a political conspiracy in Scotland which took place on 22 August 1582. It was composed of several Presbyterian nobles, led by William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, who abducted King James VI of Scotland. He was seized while staying at the castle of Ruthven , and kept under...
attempted to ratify the treaty in April 1583.