General Notes

Name Suffix:<NSFX> Count Montgomerie
The year 1559 opened up a series of royal marriage celebrat
ions. Claude was married to the Duke of Lorraine, Elizabet
h was married to Philip of Spain by proxy in June, and Marg
aret the King's sister, was affianced to the Duke of Lorrai
ne. On 30th June however was sparked off a chain of event
s which were to mark the end of Mary's golden days. Catheri
ne, who is said to have possessed extra-sensory perception
, received a prophecy from her astrologer Nostradamus, tha
t the King would die wounded. He had had a recurring drea
m in which a young lion fought with an older one and gouge
d his eye out, and the King's escutcheon was engraved wit
h a lion. At the double wedding celebrations, Henry who wa
s a keen jouster, challenged several partners, including th
e Count of Montgomery, a young man from Normandy of Scottis
h descent. When Henry, who was showing signs of fatigue, ch
allenged him a second time, Montgomery and Catherine both b
egged that he be excused. Henry would have none of it and o
rdered Montgomery to joust again. And so the premonition ca
me true; Montgomery accidentally struck the King's helmet a
nd a splinter entered his eye. Henry fell to the ground, bl
ood pouring from his wound. He was taken to the Hôtel des T
ournelles where he died ten days later. Montgomery, a prote
stant, was of course suspected but Henry had insisted tha
t he should not be blamed for the accident.