ANNE OF DENMARK, QUEEN CONSORT OF JAMES I.
Arms.—A cross gu., surmounted of another arg. Frederick II., King of Denmark and Norway.
Dexter canton: Or, semé of hearts ppr., 3 lions passant guardant az., crowned or. Denmark.
Sinister canton: Gu., a lion rampant, crowned or, holding in his paws a battle-axe arg. Norway.
Dexter base: Az., 3 crowns ppr. Sweden.
Sinister base: Or, 9 hearts, 4, 3, and 2, gu., in chief a lion passant guardant az. Gothes.
In base: Gu., a wyvern, wings expanded and tail nowed or. The Vandals.
An escutcheon of Pretence, quarterly;
1. Or, 2 lions passant guardant az. Sleswick.
2. Gu., an inescutcheon having a nail fixed in every point thereof in triangle, between as many holly leaves, all arg. Holstein.
3. Gu., a swan, wings close arg. Stormer.
4. Az., a chevalier armed at all points, brandishing his sword, his helmet plumed, upon a courser arg., trapped or. Ditzmers.
Over the whole an inescutcheon per pale—
Dexter: Az., a cross formée fitchée or. Dalmenhurst.
Sinister: Or, 2 bars gu. Oldenburg.
Motto.—La mia Grandezza viene dal Eccelso.
[Plutarch. Les Œuvres morales de Plutarque. Paris, 1588.]
Anne of Denmark (born 12th December 1574, died 1619), Queen Consort of James I., King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, was the daughter of Frederick II., King of Denmark and Norway. The alliance between the Danish Princess and James VI. of Scotland was not agreeable to Queen Elizabeth, but in spite of her opposition the marriage took place in 1589 at Upslo. In 1590 the king and queen returned to Scotland, and in 1603, on the death of Queen Elizabeth, they came to England.
Queen Anne was a great patron of Progresses, Pageants, and Masques, and is said to have been a beautiful dancer. She was very extravagant, and incurred much censure for running into debt, although her allowances were very liberal. At one period Queen Anne was suspected of leanings towards the Roman Catholic religion. She objected to the marriage, ultimately of the greatest importance, of her daughter Elizabeth to Frederick V., Elector Palatine of the Rhine, on the ground that his position was not high enough, but she attended the marriage in 1612.
Several of her books are among the old Royal collection presented to the British Museum in 1757.
