[MR] Wikipedia: Anne of Denmark's Stolen Jewels

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, especially Fellow Scots,

Anne of Denmark married (by proxy) King of Scots James VI on 20 August
1589, thus becoming Queen Consort of Scotland. Their formal marriage had to
wait until 23 November after a harrowing voyage and a detour to Norway.

Anne brought a large retinue of servants to Scotland: tailors, a cellarman,
a carpenter, and several ladies-in-waiting. The foremost in rank was her
goldsmith/jeweler/jewel keeper, a German named Jacob Kroger.

In April 1594, Kroger became disgruntled after not being paid for some
time. He conspired with the King's equally disgruntled and unpaid camel
keeper, a Frenchman named Guillaume Martyn, to steal some of Anne's jewels.
Their plan was to flee first to England, and then on to their own countries.

The two thieves didn't get far. They made it to Newcastle-upon-Tyne where
they met Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell (son of James Bothwell, Mary
Queen of Scots 3rd husband, and probably murderer of her second husband,
Lord Darnley). The exiled Bothwell had been hiding out near Newcastle.
Bothwell seized the jewels, hoping to buy his way back into favor. By now
warrants were out, so Kroger and Martyn were arrested. They were return to
Scottish custody on 11 June. After a very speedy trial, both were hanged at
Edinburgh three days later.

Queen Anne's purloined jewels were no doubt returned, but were hardly safe.
Margaret Hartsyde, another trusted servant, was convicted of stealing some
of Anne's jewelry in 1608. More jewels were stolen after Anne's death in
1619 by servants Anna Kaas and Pierro Hugon. All three of these thieves had
powerful friends, and so managed to escape execution.

You can read more about Kroger and Martyn's crime at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Kroger .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Working to keep Merry Rose relevant for over 16 years.