Anne (Danish: Anna) was born on 12 December 1574 at the castle of Skanderborg. She was the daughter of King Frederik II of Denmark and his wife, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Her birth came as a blow to her father, who was desperately hoping for a son. Sophie would eventually give birth to a boy, the future Christian IV.
Anne and her older sister, Elizabeth, were sent to Güstrow to be raised by their maternal grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg. Güstrow provided Anne with a frugal and stable life during her childhood. Christian was also sent to Güstrow to be brought up but, in 1579, he returned to Denmark with Anne and Elizabeth.
Anne enjoyed a close, happy family upbringing in Denmark. Suitors from all over Europe sought the hands of Anne and Elizabeth in marriage, including King James VI of Scotland, who favoured Denmark as a reformed Kingdom. Queen Sophie was a diligent a matchmaker Sophie and, in July 1589, the agreement for a marriage with the King of Scotland was sealed; Anne herself was thrilled with the match. On 20 August 1589, Anne was married by proxy at Kronborg Castle.
Anne set sail for Scotland within 10 days, but her fleet was beset by a series of misadventures, being forced back to the coast of Norway. On 12 September, it was reported that it was feared that the Queen was in danger upon the seas. Alarmed, James called for national fasting and public prayers, kept watch for Anne’s arrival, wrote several songs and sent a search party out for Anne, carrying a letter he had written: Only to one who knows me as well as his own reflection in a glass could I express, my dearest love, the fears which I have experienced because of the contrary winds and violent storms since you embarked… Informed in October that the Danes had abandoned the crossing for the winter, James sailed from Leith to fetch his wife personally, arriving in Oslo on 19 November. According to a Scottish account, he presented himself to Anne, with boots and all, and, disarming her protests, gave her a kiss in the Scottish fashion.
Anne and James were formally married at the Old Bishop’s Palace in Oslo on 23 November 1589. A month of celebrations followed; and on 22 December, James visited his new relations at Kronborg Castle. The couple then moved to Copenhagen on 7 March 1590 and attended the wedding of Anne’s older sister Elizabeth, sailing two days later for Scotland. They arrived on 1 May. Anne was crowned Queen of Scotland on 17 May 1590 in the Abbey Church at Holyrood.
By all accounts, James was at first entranced by his wife, but his infatuation quickly evaporated, and the couple often found themselves at loggerheads. Between 1593 and 1595, James was romantically linked with Anne Murray, while Anne herself was also occasionally the subject of scandalous rumours.
From the first moment of the marriage, Anne was under pressure to provide James with an heir, but the passing of 1591 and 1592 with no sign of a pregnancy provoked rumours. As a result, there was a great public relief when on 19 February 1594, Anne gave birth to a son, Henry Frederick.
Anne soon learned that she would have no say in her son’s care; most distressingly for Anne, James insisted on placing Prince Henry at Stirling Castle, in keeping with the Scottish royal tradition. In late 1594, she began a furious campaign for custody of Henry, recruiting a faction of supporters to her cause. After public scenes in which James reduced her to rage and tears over the issue, Anne became so bitterly upset that in July 1595 she suffered a miscarriage. Thereafter, she abandoned her campaign, but it was thought permanent damage had been done to the marriage; nevertheless, Anne had six more children by James: Elizabeth, Margaret, Charles, Robert, Mary and Sophia.
Anne saw a belated opportunity to gain custody of Henry in 1603 when James left for London to assume the English throne following the death of Elizabeth I. Pregnant at the time, Anne descended on Stirling with a force of supporting nobles, intent on removing the nine-year-old Henry, whom she had hardly seen for five years. When she failed, she was so furious that she suffered another miscarriage.
When Anne was given instructions that she join James in England, she informed her husband that she would only do so if she was allowed the custody of Henry. This forced James to climb down at last, even though he reproved Anne for her actions. After a brief convalescence from the miscarriage, Anne travelled south with Prince Henry.
Anne enjoyed a close, happy family upbringing in Denmark. Suitors from all over Europe sought the hands of Anne and Elizabeth in marriage, including King James VI of Scotland, who favoured Denmark as a reformed Kingdom. Queen Sophie was a diligent a matchmaker Sophie and, in July 1589, the agreement for a marriage with the King of Scotland was sealed; Anne herself was thrilled with the match. On 20 August 1589, Anne was married by proxy at Kronborg Castle.
Anne set sail for Scotland within 10 days, but her fleet was beset by a series of misadventures, being forced back to the coast of Norway. On 12 September, it was reported that it was feared that the Queen was in danger upon the seas. Alarmed, James called for national fasting and public prayers, kept watch for Anne’s arrival, wrote several songs and sent a search party out for Anne, carrying a letter he had written: Only to one who knows me as well as his own reflection in a glass could I express, my dearest love, the fears which I have experienced because of the contrary winds and violent storms since you embarked… Informed in October that the Danes had abandoned the crossing for the winter, James sailed from Leith to fetch his wife personally, arriving in Oslo on 19 November. According to a Scottish account, he presented himself to Anne, with boots and all, and, disarming her protests, gave her a kiss in the Scottish fashion.
Anne and James were formally married at the Old Bishop’s Palace in Oslo on 23 November 1589. A month of celebrations followed; and on 22 December, James visited his new relations at Kronborg Castle. The couple then moved to Copenhagen on 7 March 1590 and attended the wedding of Anne’s older sister Elizabeth, sailing two days later for Scotland. They arrived on 1 May. Anne was crowned Queen of Scotland on 17 May 1590 in the Abbey Church at Holyrood.
By all accounts, James was at first entranced by his wife, but his infatuation quickly evaporated, and the couple often found themselves at loggerheads. Between 1593 and 1595, James was romantically linked with Anne Murray, while Anne herself was also occasionally the subject of scandalous rumours.
From the first moment of the marriage, Anne was under pressure to provide James with an heir, but the passing of 1591 and 1592 with no sign of a pregnancy provoked rumours. As a result, there was a great public relief when on 19 February 1594, Anne gave birth to a son, Henry Frederick.
Anne soon learned that she would have no say in her son’s care; most distressingly for Anne, James insisted on placing Prince Henry at Stirling Castle, in keeping with the Scottish royal tradition. In late 1594, she began a furious campaign for custody of Henry, recruiting a faction of supporters to her cause. After public scenes in which James reduced her to rage and tears over the issue, Anne became so bitterly upset that in July 1595 she suffered a miscarriage. Thereafter, she abandoned her campaign, but it was thought permanent damage had been done to the marriage; nevertheless, Anne had six more children by James: Elizabeth, Margaret, Charles, Robert, Mary and Sophia.
Anne saw a belated opportunity to gain custody of Henry in 1603 when James left for London to assume the English throne following the death of Elizabeth I. Pregnant at the time, Anne descended on Stirling with a force of supporting nobles, intent on removing the nine-year-old Henry, whom she had hardly seen for five years. When she failed, she was so furious that she suffered another miscarriage.
When Anne was given instructions that she join James in England, she informed her husband that she would only do so if she was allowed the custody of Henry. This forced James to climb down at last, even though he reproved Anne for her actions. After a brief convalescence from the miscarriage, Anne travelled south with Prince Henry.
Observers regularly noted incidents of marital discord between Anne and James. In 1603, James and Anne fought over the proposed composition of her English household. In turn, Anne took exception to James’ drinking: in 1604, she confided to the French envoy that the King drinks so much, and conducts himself so ill in every respect, that I expect an early and evil result. A briefer confrontation occurred in 1613 when Anne shot and killed James favourite dog during a hunting session.
In London, Anne adopted a cosmopolitan lifestyle, while James preferred to escape the capital. Anne moved into Greenwich Palace and then Somerset House. After 1607, she and James rarely lived together, by which time she had borne seven children and suffered at least three miscarriages. After narrowly surviving the birth and death of her last baby, Anne’s decision to have no more children may have widened the gulf between her and her husband.
A further source of difference between Anne and James was the issue of religion. Anne had been brought up a Lutheran, but she may have discreetly converted to Catholicism at some point. Like James, Anne later supported a Catholic match for both of their sons, and her correspondence with the potential bride, Infanta Maria Anna of Spain, included a request that two friars be sent to Jerusalem to pray for her and the King. The papacy itself was never quite sure where Anne stood.
In Scotland, Anne sometimes exploited court factionalism for her own ends and as a result, James did not trust her with secrets of state. In practice, Anne was little interested in high politics unless they touched on the fate of her children or friends. In England, Anne turned to social and artistic activities. Though she participated fully in the life of James’ court and maintained a court of her own, she rarely took political sides against her husband.
Anne has traditionally been regarded with condescension by historians, who have emphasised her triviality and extravagance. However, the reassessment of James in the past two decades, as an able ruler who extended royal power in Scotland and preserved his Kingdoms from war throughout his reign, has been accompanied by a re-evaluation of Anne was an influential political figure and assertive mother, at least for as long as the royal marriage remained a reality. Clare McManus, among other cultural historians, has highlighted Anne’s influential role in the Jacobean cultural flowering, not only as a patron but as a performer herself.
Anne and James shared the fault of extravagance. She loved dancing and pageants and created a rich and hospitable cultural climate at the royal court, became an enthusiastic playgoer and sponsored lavish masques. Anne’s masques, scaling unprecedented heights of dramatic staging and spectacle, were avidly attended by foreign ambassadors and dignitaries and functioned as a potent demonstration of the English crown’s European significance. Anne’s masques were responsible for almost all the courtly female performance in the first two decades of the 17th century and are regarded as crucial to the history of women’s performance. The Queen loved music and patronised the lutenist and composer John Dowland; she also commissioned artists such as Paul van Somer, Isaac Oliver and Daniel Mytens, who led English taste in visual arts for a generation. Under Anne, the Royal Collection began once more to expand.
By late 1617, Anne’s bouts of illness had become debilitating. In January 1619, the royal physician instructed Anne to saw wood to improve her blood flow, but the exertion served to make her worse. James visited Anne only three times during her illness, though their son Charles often slept in the adjoining bedroom and was at her bedside during her last hours. Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scotland, England and Ireland, died aged 44 on 2 March 1619.
Despite his neglect of Anne, James was emotionally affected by her death. He did not visit her during her dying days or attend her funeral, being himself sick. As he had done before he ever met her, James turned to verse to pay his respects:
In London, Anne adopted a cosmopolitan lifestyle, while James preferred to escape the capital. Anne moved into Greenwich Palace and then Somerset House. After 1607, she and James rarely lived together, by which time she had borne seven children and suffered at least three miscarriages. After narrowly surviving the birth and death of her last baby, Anne’s decision to have no more children may have widened the gulf between her and her husband.
A further source of difference between Anne and James was the issue of religion. Anne had been brought up a Lutheran, but she may have discreetly converted to Catholicism at some point. Like James, Anne later supported a Catholic match for both of their sons, and her correspondence with the potential bride, Infanta Maria Anna of Spain, included a request that two friars be sent to Jerusalem to pray for her and the King. The papacy itself was never quite sure where Anne stood.
In Scotland, Anne sometimes exploited court factionalism for her own ends and as a result, James did not trust her with secrets of state. In practice, Anne was little interested in high politics unless they touched on the fate of her children or friends. In England, Anne turned to social and artistic activities. Though she participated fully in the life of James’ court and maintained a court of her own, she rarely took political sides against her husband.
Anne has traditionally been regarded with condescension by historians, who have emphasised her triviality and extravagance. However, the reassessment of James in the past two decades, as an able ruler who extended royal power in Scotland and preserved his Kingdoms from war throughout his reign, has been accompanied by a re-evaluation of Anne was an influential political figure and assertive mother, at least for as long as the royal marriage remained a reality. Clare McManus, among other cultural historians, has highlighted Anne’s influential role in the Jacobean cultural flowering, not only as a patron but as a performer herself.
Anne and James shared the fault of extravagance. She loved dancing and pageants and created a rich and hospitable cultural climate at the royal court, became an enthusiastic playgoer and sponsored lavish masques. Anne’s masques, scaling unprecedented heights of dramatic staging and spectacle, were avidly attended by foreign ambassadors and dignitaries and functioned as a potent demonstration of the English crown’s European significance. Anne’s masques were responsible for almost all the courtly female performance in the first two decades of the 17th century and are regarded as crucial to the history of women’s performance. The Queen loved music and patronised the lutenist and composer John Dowland; she also commissioned artists such as Paul van Somer, Isaac Oliver and Daniel Mytens, who led English taste in visual arts for a generation. Under Anne, the Royal Collection began once more to expand.
By late 1617, Anne’s bouts of illness had become debilitating. In January 1619, the royal physician instructed Anne to saw wood to improve her blood flow, but the exertion served to make her worse. James visited Anne only three times during her illness, though their son Charles often slept in the adjoining bedroom and was at her bedside during her last hours. Anne of Denmark, Queen of Scotland, England and Ireland, died aged 44 on 2 March 1619.
Despite his neglect of Anne, James was emotionally affected by her death. He did not visit her during her dying days or attend her funeral, being himself sick. As he had done before he ever met her, James turned to verse to pay his respects:
So did my Queen from hence her court remove
And left off earth to be enthroned above.
She’s changed, not dead, for sure no good prince dies,
But as the sun, sets, only for to rise.
 |
Anne of Denmark
Paul van Somer
c. 1617
|
The relationship between Anne and James was reaaly toxic, damn. Poor dog that Anne shot though... XD This is a really interesting piece of information, thank you so much for your hardwork! And that goes along the drawing you did of Anne, which is just adorable and so elegant :)
ResponderEliminar