In 1506 Britain’s first known African baby was born in Scotland – something of such interest that a nurse was paid to show the infant to King James IV.
The royal record of this event was identified by Dr Miranda Kaufmann, author of a recently published book called Black Tudors.
Her painstaking research identified over 360 Africans living in Britain between 1500 and 1640, including some 13 in Scotland where they were mostly referred to as Moors.
Scotland’s early 16thcentury royal household featured a number of Africans, including a drummer, maidservants and a favoured courtier named “Peter the Moor”.
Dr Kaufmann will be discussing her book and its revelations about our multicultural past at Wigtown Book Festival on 22 September.
She said: “It’s fascinating to dig into the records and start to recover evidence of Africans in Scotland more than 500 years ago.
“They were often linked to the royal household, as entertainers or servants, and travelled all over the country in the royal entourage.
“We know that in the early 1500s a Moorish drummer visited Dumfries with the court along with a troupe of Italian minstrels and that in 1506 the first African baby known to have been born in Britain was presented to the Scottish king.
“It’s a tremendous privilege to rediscover these records and get a glimpse of some remarkable lives.”
Like the other Africans in Scotland at the time the drummer or “More taubronar’” was a free person not a slave, and was paid £17 a year, the same as the Italians.
Substantial sums were paid from the royal coffers to decorate his drum, travel round Scotland, and to support his wife and children while he was away. The king even covered medical expenses when the drummer was injured.
On 24 February 1504 a fee was paid to cover the cost of a horse to take another African, “Peter the More”, to Dumfries. These are the first known Africans in the town.
Peter first appears in the record in 1501 and after several years at court the king paid for him to go to France, then provided him with a regular pension on his return in 1506. His role is unknown but the fact that he was well paid and provided with horses indicate that he was highly favoured.
In 1504 a number of travel payments were made for two Moorish lasses (who may have been called Elene and Margaret) in and around Queensferry, Inverkeithing, Edinburgh and Dunfermline. One was christened in December, which is the first known example in Britain.
The next year each was given dresses in February and September, these were of respectable but inexpensive woollen cloth.
Then, on 14 February 1506, there is a note to say that a nurse had been paid to take the Moorish baby (“Moris barne”) to be shown to the king – the first known African birth in Scotland.
Later in the century Anne of Denmark, who married James VI and I, had an African servant in Edinburgh c.1590-1594. He was probably the “absolutely real and native blackamoor”, who, according to a Danish account, led the procession during Queen Anne’s ceremonial entrance into Edinburgh in 1590, carrying a drawn sword. He may also have been the “Blacke-Moore” drawing a triumphal chariot at the entertainment following the baptism of James and Anne’s son Prince Frederick Henry in 1594. Queen Anne was portrayed with a black groom in 1617 (see the portrait in the Royal Collection here: https://bit.ly/2N7Imvv), but as this was twenty-three years later, he may not have been the same man.
Not all Africans in Scotland were linked to the court. In 1512 the Moorish servant of Andrew Forman, the Bishop of Moray, is recorded as taking a gift to the king.
In 1549 a “Mour” who was a mercenary and skilled horseman was billeted at Hume, Berwickshire, and referred to in a letter from Lady Home to Mary of Guise as being “as scharp a man as rides”.
Like this man, other Africans, may only have been in Scotland temporarily. The records show that two “blak More freris” – African clerics – were guests at court in 1508.
Adrian Turpin, Wigtown Book Festival’s Artistic Director, said:“This research pulls back the veil on a 16th-century Scotland that was far more cosmopolitan than many would imagine.
“What I find so tantalising is to wonder what it was like for these Africans to have crossed continents and come to Scotland whether it was to work as maids, entertainers or warriors – or to travel thousands of miles as representatives of the church in Africa.
“Something I love about Wigtown Book Festival is the way it provides a showcase for remarkable research of this kind – and in this case a book that tells us not just about Scotland half a millennium ago, but can even give us detail about early African visitors to Dumfries.”
Wigtown Book festival takes place in Scotland’s National Book Town from 21 to 30 September and involves a host of events and activities including theatre, film and music.
For full details go to wigtownbookfestival.com.
- Festivalgoers will also be warmly invited to attend another colourful regional event – The Kirkcudbright Festival of Light, which will be taking place in Scotland’s Artists’ Town from 5 to 14 October – see kirkcudbrightlight.com.
- The festival is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council, EventScotland (part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate), Creative Scotland and The Holywood Trust.
- Lovers of crime writing can also enjoy the Bloody Scotland festival in Stirling from 21-23 September. See https://bloodyscotland.com.
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For further information and interview requests contact Matthew Shelley on 07786 704299 or [email protected]
About Wigtown Book Festival
- The event is for people of all ages and tastes. There is a strong programme for children and young people.
- Among the guests this year are presenter Clare Balding, bestselling author Patrick Gale, comedian Susan Calman, Louis de Bernières, comedian and radio presenter Robin Ince, historian Tom Devine, crime writer Ann Cleeves, actor, writer and comedian Arabella Weir, philosopher John Gray,mountain walker and writer Cameron McNeish and broadcaster and writer Sally Magnusson.
- The festival always puts an emphasis on authors from and books that are relevant to Dumfries and Galloway. Historian Ted Cowan will discuss John Ross of Stranraer’s ill-fated voyage to discover the Northwest Passage, Shaun Bythell talks about his bestselling Diary of a Booksellerone year on and Sara Maitland presents A Pocket Pilgrimage – St Ninian’s Cave.
- Julia Muir Watt will look at Whithorn: An Economy of People, and Mike Morley shares stories of sacrifice and bravery from his book Wigtown Warriors. Meanwhile journalist Stephen Norris explains the unique charm of the Galloway hills and Jessica Fox discusses her re-released memoir Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets, which has now been optioned by a major Hollywood film company.
- There will also be a series of events as special celebrations for the 20th These include panel discussions offering writers’ perspectives on how Scotland has changed in the past two decades and what Europe will look like 20 years from now.
- The festival is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council, EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, Creative Scotland and The Holywood Trust.
About EventScotland
EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews.
EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.orgor for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.
About Year of Young People 2018
- A global first, YoYP 2018 is a part of the Scottish Government’s themed-year programme which focuses on celebrating Scotland’s greatest assets.
- A year-long programme of events and festivals are taking place across the whole of the country for all ages to enjoy, led by EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate. More information at www.visitscotland.com/yoyp2018
- Local authorities, schools, youth groups and organisations are running their own YoYP 2018 activity. Search #YOYP2018 on Twitter for the latest news.
- Young people co-designed the Year. A group of young leaders, Communic18, lead on all key decision making.
- The Year is delivered in partnership between the Scottish Government, VisitScotland and EventScotland – part of the VisitScotland Events Directorate, Young Scot, Scottish Youth Parliament, Children in Scotland, YouthLink Scotland and Creative Scotland.
- More information can be found at yoyp2018.scot, searching @YOYP2018 #YOYP2018 on Twitter or by emailing [email protected]
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