Lmst

Amateur code breakers and Mary Stuart

I was particularly amused by the lines from her correspondence with the French ambassador

“If my son pursuits, I will evoke the curse of God against him, disinherit and deprive him as an unnatural, ungrateful treacherous and disobedient son.”

http://archive.today/2025.10.12-081715/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/mary-queen-scots-letter-code-cracked-j6dp7752m

Of course, Walsingham was not only intercepting most of her letters but also breaking the codes Mary was using as became obvious at her trial.

#MaryStuart #Codes #Ciphers #Scotland #History

From the article

Headline Amateur sleuths decode secret letters of Mary, Queen of Scots
Documents found in a French archive show the captive monarch complaining about lacking money to pay her servants

Portrait of Mary Stuart

Text follows

In a castle in northern England, in a darkened room, softly illuminated by the glow of tallow candles, Mary Stuart would pace across worn rugs and dictate letters. Her words were taken down by one of two secretaries, a Frenchman called Nau and her Scots secretary, Gilbert Curle.

These were no ordinary letters but long cryptograms composed on tiny pieces of paper with symbols and dots. During long years in captivity Mary, Queen of Scots became an adept “Queen of Codes”.

Although under the “custodianship” of George Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Mary, still had her “court”, though much reduced, and her ladies in waiting would smuggle the letters out in the sleeves of their dresses, book bindings and even inside the heel of a shoe. Each letter was sent to the French ambassador, Michel de Castelnau de Mauvissiere, an ally since childhood, who she designated with the single letter “K”.

Pagan Community Notes for Mar 27, 2025:

We remember Mary Stuart. Everglades Moon Local Council releases a statement regarding the recent events in Orlando. Two events highlight the weekend: Heathens Against Hate hosts a Trans Visibility Rally, and Perilous Passages, a virtual symposium on Pagan thought and practice, invites deep reflection. We also feature Star’s Tarot of the Week—& yes, the Sharktopus makes an appearance

https://wildhunt.org/2025/03/pagan-community-notes-week-of-march-27-2025.html

#witchcraft #pagan #marystuart #orlando #tarot

This pattern, titled Tapestries of Secrecy, draws inspiration from Mary, Queen of Scots, and the hidden messages she skillfully wove into her needlework during her imprisonment. #Tudors #MaryQueenofScots #MaryStuart #16thcentury #England #Renaissance
#Scotland
#Spoonflower #SpoonflowerDesign #mastoart #redbubble #pattern #Patterndesigner
#HistoricalInspiration #TextileArt #PatternDesign #NeedleworkStories #InteriorDesign #SurfacePatternDesign #ArtHistoryInspired #CreativeDecor
@histodons

A vibrant collage featuring a repeating floral pattern inspired by folk art, with a central motif of a woman, Mary Queen of Scots framed by decorative designs. The pattern is showcased on various products:

A sleeveless dress modeled by a smiling woman.
A framed art print with the central motif prominently displayed.
A colorful shower curtain hanging in a bathroom setting.
A luxurious bedroom with curtains and bedding featuring the pattern, paired with a tufted headboard, bright accent pillows, and modern furnishings.
The scene highlights the versatility of the pattern in fashion, art, and home décor.

Deciphering Mary Stuart’s lost letters from 1578-1584
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01611194.2022.2160677
Discussion [useless as of 2023-09-08]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37415356

* Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots (1542-1587) left extensive corpus of letters held in various archives
* secret correspondence w. her associates & allies

#MaryStuart #history #cryptography