December 5 - Mary Queen of Scots’ husband dies of an ear infection

On this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1560, King Francis II of France, died at the age of just 15. Francis was King Consort of Scotland, as the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and his father had also proclaimed him and Mary as King and Queen of England back in 1558!

 

He was taken ill in mid-November with what appears to have been an ear infection, and it led to him dying on this day in history. His death led to Mary, Queen of Scots, returning to her homeland of Scotland, a country she hadn't seen for 13 years. 

 

Find out more about Francis II of France, his marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, his death and what happened next, in today's talk from Claire Ridgway, founder of the Tudor Society.

 

Also on this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1556, Anne de Vere was born, She was the daughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, and his second wife, Mildred Cooke. Anne only lived until she was 31 years old, but in her short life she managed to impress scholars, have five children, and have a rather eventful and unhappy marriage with Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who didn't treat her at all well and even refused to recognise their first daughter as his own, at one point. If only she had married Philip Sidney instead! Find out more about Anne in last year’s video - https://youtu.be/pUXSKiNLXo8