Bertrand de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon

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Bertrand de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon (1523-1589) was French diplomat who served as ambassador to Elizabeth I in England and to James VI in Scotland.

Mothe-Fénelon and Mary, Queen of Scots[]

While in England, Mothe-Fénelon corresponded with Mary, Queen of Scots on political matters. He also bought textiles and sewing matereials for her, and advised on potential gifts for Elizabeth. In 1574 Mary, Queen of Scots embroidered an incarnate satin skirt with silver thread using materials bought in London by Mothe-Fénelon.[1] She soon wrote for more incarnate silk thread, better quality thinner silver thread, and incarnate taffeta for the lining.[2] Mothe-Fénélon presented the finished item to Elizabeth on 22 May, with a declaration of friendship, and reported to Charles IX of France that the gift was a success.[3][4] Presumably hopeful of an audience at the English court, Mary asked the Archbishop of Glasgow, her contact in Paris, to send coifs embroidered with gold and silver and the latest fashion in Italian ribbons and veils for her hair.[5]

Mary planned making more gifts for Elizabeth and wrote to Mothe Fénélon for advice on what she would like best. She asked him to send lengths of gold passementerie and braids called "bisette".[6] Elizabeth remained cautious of Mary's gifts, and was reluctant to try some sweets which Mothe Fénélon offered her as a gift from the brother of the chancellor of Mary's dowry, for fear of poison.[7]

Scotland in 1583[]

Mothe-Fénelon and François de Rocherolles, Sieur de Mainville, were sent as ambassadors to Scotland in January 1583.[8] The government of Scotland was in the hands of Ruthven Raiders, a rule known as the Gowrie Regime. The French diplomats were to ensure that James VI was at liberty, to continue discussions about the reurn of Mary to Scotland to rule in association with James VI, and the rehabilitation of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, who had been exiled by the Raiders.[9]

In December 1582 while travelling towards Berwick on Tweed, by chance near Northallerton they had encountered Esmé Stewart, who was travelling south.[10] After a banquet given by Edinburgh burgh council, Mothe-Fénelon went to Seton Palace and returned to Berwick.[11]

References[]

  1. ^ Carole Levin, 'Queen Elizabeth and the Power and Language of the Gift', Donatella Montini & Iolanda Plescia, Elizabeth I in Writing: Language, Power and Representation in Early Modern England (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), p. 227.
  2. ^ A. Labanoff, Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. 4 (London, 1852), pp. 111, 119
  3. ^ Janet Arnold, Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd (Maney, 1988), p. 94.
  4. ^ Correspondance de Bertrand de Salignac de la Mothe Fénélon, 1574-1575, vol. 6 (Paris, 1840), p. 122 'une basquinne [sic] de satin incarnat, ... en tout tissu de sa main'.
  5. ^ Labanoff, Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. 4 (London, 1852), p. 187.
  6. ^ Labanoff, Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. 4 (London, 1852), pp. 222-3.
  7. ^ Labanoff, Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. 4 (London, 1852), pp. 235-6
  8. ^ Thomas Thomson, History of the Kirk of Scotland by David Calderwood, vol. 4 (Edinburgh, 1843), pp. 694-700.
  9. ^ Steven J. Reid, 'Bairns and Bearded Men', Miles Kerr-Peterson & Steven J. Reid, James VI and Noble Power in Scotland (Routledge, 2017), p. 43.
  10. ^ Calendar of State Papers Scotland, vol. 6 (Edinburgh, 1910), pp. 235, 240-3, 256-7, 262-3, 265-6.
  11. ^ Thomas Thomson, History of the Kirk of Scotland by David Calderwood, vol. 4 (Edinburgh, 1843), p. 700.
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