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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1997-12 > 0881947967


From: "WILLIAM JOHN SHEPHERD, SR." <>
Subject: This Day In Scottish History
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 1997 12:32:47 -0500 (EST)


12 December 1574 - Birth of Anne of Denmark, wife of King James the
Sixth and First, and thus Queen of Scotland (from 1589) and England (from 1603)
until her death in 1619. It is told that she did not walk until the age of 9
but she seems to have made up for this in later life as she was quite the
dancer and very fond of extravagent Masques with expensive clothing.
Her husband, James, was a strange man who combined a strong
intellect with slovenly habits and tended to prefer the company of up and
coming young men to his wife or other women. Strangely enough, they appear to
have had a relatively stable marriage and produced seven children though three
died very young and eldest son Henry at age 18. Daughter Elizabeth married
against Anne wishes the Elector Palatine (in Germany) and became the
grandmother of the future King George I, the first of the Hannoverian kings of
Great Britain. The only surviving son was the future Charles I who would be
executed by Cromwell in 1649 after plunging the kingdoms into years of civil
war. It is said that when Charles was young and dreadfully ill his obstinate
refusal to take his medicine prompted his mother to exclaim that "he would live
to plague three kingdoms with his wilfulness." She was more prophetic than she
knew.
SOURCES: Among others, Barbara Softly's THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND (1976).

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