Marriage Negotiations
Owing to Arbella's status as a possible heir to the throne, there were discussions of appropriate marriages for her throughout her childhood. It would have suited the Roman Catholic Church for her to marry a member of the House of Savoy and then take the English throne. A marriage was also mooted with Ranuccio, eldest son of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma and Maria of Portugal. According to the Curiosities of Literature by Isaac D'Israeli, this scheme originated with the Pope, who eventually settled on his own brother, a cardinal, as a suitable husband for Arbella. The Pope defrocked his brother, freeing him to marry "Arbelle" (as the Italians spelled her name) and thus claim the English crown. Nothing came of this plan, and in fact the only direct evidence of Arbella's religion is her taking Protestant communions while at Shrewsbury House in Chelsea.
In the closing months of Elizabeth's reign, Arbella fell into trouble through reports that she intended to marry Edward Seymour, a member of the prominent Seymour family. This was reported to the Queen by the supposed groom's grandfather, Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford. Arbella denied having any intention of marrying without the Queen's permission, which was required for any marriage to be legal.
In 1588, it was proposed to James VI of Scotland that Ludovic Stuart, 2nd Duke of Lennox should be married to Arbella, but nothing seems to have come of this suggestion either. In 1604, Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland sent an ambassador to England to ask for Arbella to be his queen. This offer was rejected.
Read more about this topic: Lady Arbella Stuart
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