March 2,1619 death of Anne of Denmark, consort of James VI and I.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Denmark#/media/File:Anne_of_Denmark_1605.jpg
Anne was born December 12, 1574 in Skanderborg castle in Jutland Denmark. Her father was Frederick II and her mother was Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. She was the second of their seven children, her sister Elizabeth was the eldest. Her father was disappointed as he had been hoping she would be the male heir he needed. Her brother Christian IV was born 3 years later.
Originally she was sent with Elizabeth to be raised in Gustrow by her maternal grandparents. And Christian joined them. But when in 1579 their father summoned their brother back, the girls returned with him.She had a happy childhood and was close to her mother who was quite hands on.
Elizabeth and Anne were sought after as royal brides. Elizabeth would marry Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
James Vi turned his attention to Denmark. He was in search of a protestant bride and he saw Denmark as a good trade partner and ally. His other option was Catherine of Bourbon, sister of Henry III of Navarre (future Henry IV of France). Catherine was eight years his senior.Catherine was favored by Elizabeth I as a wife for James.
James' ambassadors first sought the hand of Anne's sister Elizabeth but Frederick promised to her Henry Julius instead. But suggested if James wished to wed Anne that he would agree.
Her father died in 1588. Though her mother was in a struggle for power, she was a quick negoiator for her daughter. The betrothal was signed July 1589. There were rumors James was gay but Anne was quite happy about the marriage. The 14 year old was married by proxy August 20 1589 in Kronoborg castle with George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal standing proxy for the king. The king was 23.
They tried to set sail 10 days later but a storm forced them to land in Norway and she was transported to Oslo. One of the ships made it to Scotland, and there was fear that Anne's ship was out at sea lost. James kept watch at the home of his friend Lord Seton for the ship and ordered the country to pray for their new queen's safe arrival. He is said to have written songs to her.
Letters arrived in October from Anne letting her husband know she was safe in Norway and had been forced to abandon the trip. James set sail with his ships and headed to pick up his wife himself, arriving in Oslo November 12. On November 23 they were officially married in Oslo. The ceremony had to be performed in French, the language they both spoke. A month of celebrations followed. The couple left for Denmark arriving in late December to join her mother and younger brother the new king. They would remain in Denmark until April 19 when they would finally set sail for Scotland. Anne arrived finally in her new home May 1st into Leith. Five days later she made her grand entrance into Edinburgh in a silver carriage.
Anne was crowned queen of Scotland May 17.
The marriage seemed good at first but James soon took mistresses,and the couple butted heads. When she failed to provide an heir for the first years, the rumors began spreading more that her husband was a homosexual.
They fought hard over the custody of their eldest son Henry who was given his own household by Scottish tradition.In 1603 her husband had headed to England to assume the throne on the death of Elizabeth I. He sent word for his wife to join him and she refused unless custody of her son was given to her. Henry was returned to her care. She didn't leave at once for she had suffered a miscarriage but after she recovered she with her son and accompanied by a number of her ladies, headed to England.
The couple were often at odds. She did not approve of his drinking, and he of her ladies in waiting she kept.
In England they were often apart. Her husband preferred country life and his hunting lodges while the queen preferred to live in London. Anne eventually settled at Somerset house which she renamed Denmark House. By that time she had refused to have more children, having nearly died giving birth to her last, and it had caused a further rift with her husband.
Anne was raised Lutheran and she never adopted the Anglican faith. There was concern she actually converted to Catholic. Elizabeth I had certainly feared the rumors when she was alive. Though she protested rumors, she supported catholic matches for her sons, and freed a man who brought her a rosary from the Pope.
Anne often welcomed those to her court her husband did not approve but she never took up against him politically either. Despite their personal issues, she was a diplomatic benefit to James at court.
Like her husband she had a passion for the arts and excess. She loved to have masques and plays put on. She hired Inigo Jones to design the Queen's house for her in Greenwich. Jones she had known for her had worked on her masques before.
The last years of her life Anne suffered from gout. James visited her three times during her final illness and her son Charles often slept in an adjoining bedroom to be by her side. Anne Kaas, one of her maids who had accompanied her from Denmark, was at her side when she died as well. She died of dropsy at the age of 44.
Despite their issues James is said to have been greatly affected by the loss of his wife. He suffered illness after she died.
She wasn't buried until May 13, burried at King Henry's Chapel, Westminster Abbey. Her catafalque was designed by Maximillian Colt but it was destroyed during the civil war. An alternative one was designed by her friend Inigo.
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/james-i-and-anne-of-denmark
Her husband would die March 27, 1625, just over 6 years later.
Anne and James had 7 children (as well as at least 3 miscarriages). Four of her children would not survive childhood, and only 2 would marry.
-Henry: died at age 18 likely from typhoid.
-Elizabeth: married Frederick V of the Palatinate, and was known as the Winter Queen. She was the grandmother of George I.
-Margaret: died at 15 months old
-Charles: succeeded his father as Charles I. He married Henrietta Maria of France with whom he had 8 children though only 5 reached adulthood (one died shortly after birth). Charles was executed during the civil war, and his daughter Elizabeth died while being held by parliament forces. He was succeeded eventually by his son Charles II.
-Robert: died at the age of four months
-Mary: died at age two
-Sophie: the child that almost killed Anne. She died the day after she was born
