Lords of the congregation

The Lords of the Congregation, originally styling themselves "the Faithful Congregation of Christ Jesus in Scotland", were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured a reformation of the church according to Protestant principles and a Scottish-English alliance.

In December 1557 a group of Scottish lords opposed the marriage of the young Queen Mary of Scotland to the Dauphin of France (who became King Francis II of France from 1559 to 1560). The group signed the 'First Band' or Covenant to work to make Scotland Protestant. The initial members were the Earl of Argyll, his brother Colin Campbell, the Earl of Glencairn, the Earl of Morton, and John Erskine of Dun, though others, such as William Douglas of Whittinghame quickly followed.

Following religious riots in Perth, the Lords gained support and provided military help to John Knox in opposing the troops of Mary of Guise. Near Cupar, in Fife, the Lords fielded enough military strength to face off a French and Scottish army jointly led by the Duke of Châtelherault (who as Regent had supported the French match) and by D'Oysel the French king's lieutenant. By July 1559 the Lords of the Congregation had taken Edinburgh. As Edinburgh Castle held out against them, the Lords withdrew under the terms of the truce of the Articles of Leith (25 July 1559). In September, Châtelherault, now joined by his son the Earl of Arran, changed sides and became leader of the Congregation Lords.

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