Stuart dynasty

146 THE STUART DYNASTY.
people alone remained to champion the Catholic
cause.
Against these religious changes were, however,
arrayed a powerful section of the nobility, and it
was questionable how far their leading northern
representative, Earl Huntly, owning princely sway
in the north-east, was prepared to go in defence of his
faith. For this conservative section of society in the
Highlands never concluded an offensive and defen-
sive alliance with France when that countrv was
under the Gruise influence, or the small French
force which defended Leith must have been succoured
by reinforcements from their own country.
Had the life of Francis II. been prolonged, there
is every reason to believe that Scotland would have
become the theatre of a sanguinary religious war ;
but the early death of Mary Stuart's first husband,
in December 1560, relegated the Cardinal of Lorraine
and the Duke of Guise to subordinate positions,
their enemy, Catherine de Medicis, becoming Regent
of France during the early years of the reign of
Charles IX.
That these dissensions in France enabled Elizabeth
and Cecil to sustain the Protestant party in Scotland
the course of events will show.
Such, then, were the several conditions under
which the beautiful and attractive daughter of
James V. commenced her reign over faction-torn
Scotland.