James Atkinhead or Aikenhead was a Scottish courtier, a diplomat, and Captain of

Dunbar Castle Dunbar Castle was one of the strongest fortresses in Scotland, situated in a prominent position overlooking the Dunbar Harbour, harbour of the town of Dunbar, in East Lothian. Several fortifications were built successively on the site, near th ...

The King's marriage

Atkinhead was a member of the royal household of

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of King James IV a ...

. He became involved in the king's marriage plans and was sent to France at least three times. In January 1535, James V wrote to

Francis I of France Francis I (; ; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once removed and father-in-law Louis&nbs ...

discussing negotiations about his marriage to a French bride. An marital alliance with France had been agreed in 1517 by the Treaty of Rouen. He sent Atkinhead to France. Atkinhead was instructed to explain that James V could not deviate from the 1517 Treaty of Rouen by marrying a bride who was not a Princess without the consent of the

Parliament of Scotland In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

. Francis I was suggesting that James V could marry

Mary of Bourbon Mary of Bourbon or Marie de Bourbon (29 October 1515 – 28 September 1538) was a daughter of Charles, Duke of Vendôme, and Françoise d'Alençon, daughter of René, Duke of Alençon. Mary was the subject of marriage negotiations of James V of ...

rather than his daughter

Madeleine of Valois Madeleine of Valois (10 August 1520 – 7 July 1537) was a French princess who briefly became Queen of Scotland in 1537 as the first wife of King James V. The marriage was arranged in accordance with the Treaty of Rouen, and they were marrie ...

. Aitkinhead was sent to France to meet Mary of Bourbon, instructed to "see and wesie the gentyll woman that is offerit us", to note her personage, her manners, "having" (deportment), and conversation. Atkinhead, if satisfied on these points, was to enquire about a dowry for Mary as if she were a daughter of Francis I. If the business was concluded, Mary of Bourbon should "haste home" to Scotland with an "honest train" of gentlewomen before winter. James sent letters on the same day with Aikenhead to Philippe Chabot and

Anne de Montmorency Anne de Montmorency, duc de Montmorency ( – 12 November 1567) was a French noble, governor, royal favourite and Constable of France during the mid to late Italian Wars and early French Wars of Religion. He served under five French kings (Loui ...

. The

Duke of Albany Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on younger sons in the Scotland, Scottish and later the British royal family, particularly in the Houses of House of Stuart, Stuart and House of Hanover, Hanover. History ...

suggested that James V might marry

Christina of Denmark Christina of Denmark (; November 1521 – 10 December 1590) was a Denmark, Danish princess, the younger surviving daughter of Christian II, King Christian II of Denmark and Norway and Isabella of Austria. By her two marriages, she became List ...

, now the widowed Duchess of Milan, and James V halted progress on plans for the marriage to Mary of Bourbon. At this time, there was also an investigation into the possibility of him marrying his former mistress, Margaret Erskine. On 28 December 1535, Aikenhead was sent to France to resume the Vendôme marriage plan and get the best deal for James V. Atkinhead's instructions included that Mary's train should consist of a 'sobir nummyr' of gentlewomen. James V then appointed "procurators", his legal representatives, to finalise the match. James V married Madeleine of Valois at

Notre-Dame de Paris Notre-Dame de Paris ( ; meaning "Cathedral of Our Lady of Paris"), often referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a Medieval architecture, medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the River Seine), in the 4th arrondissemen ...

on 1 January 1537, and after her death,

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from 1538 until 1542, as the second wife of King James V. She was a French people, French noblewoman of the ...

. Atkinhead was made Captain of Dunbar Castle.

Family

In 1539 the Earl of Norfolk mentioned that a member of the Hamilton family, wife of the late Captain of Dunbar, was living in

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...

. She was a daughter of

Patrick Hamilton of Kincavil Sir Patrick Hamilton (died 1520) was a Scottish nobleman. He was an illegitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton, and a younger brother of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran. Royal legitimation In January 1513 James IV declared that becau ...

.''State Papers Henry VIII'', vol. 5 (London, 1836), p. 155.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinhead, James Court of James V of Scotland Scottish diplomats Auld Alliance