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Mary, Queen of Scots, was a beautiful and controversial woman whose life was full of drama and intrigue.
France : The Happy Years
Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow Palace on 7th December 1542,
the daughter of James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise. Six days
after her birth her father died, and she became Queen of Scotland.
From her infancy, Scotland's rival pro-English and pro-French
factions plotted to gain control of Mary. Her French mother was
chosen as regent, and she sent Mary to France in 1548. Mary lived
as part of the French royal family. In April 1558 she married
the Dauphin Francis; she secretly agreed to bequeath Scotland
to France if she should die without a son. In July 1559 Francis
succeeded his father becoming King Francis II and Mary became
Queen of France as well as of Scotland. In addition, many Roman
Catholics recognised Mary Stuart as Queen of England after Mary
I died and the Protestant Elizabeth I succeeded her to the throne
in November 1558. Mary Stuart's claim to the English throne was
based on the fact that she was the grand-daughter of Margaret
Tudor, sister of Henry VIII--Elizabeth's father. To the Roman
Catholics, Mary's claim appeared stronger than Elizabeth's because
they viewed Henry's marriage to Anne Boleyn as illegal. Mary's
young husband Francis II died in December 1560 after a reign of
17 months. Mary, who was about to become 18 years of age, was
left in a difficult position. Unwilling to stay in France and
live under the domination of her mother-in-law Catherine De Medicis
she decided to return to Scotland and take her chances with the
Protestant reformers.
Scotland: The Early Years
On 19th August 1561, Mary landed at Leith and immediately took
the advice of the moderates James Stuart (her half-brother, later
earl of Moray) and William Maitland of Lethington. She recognised
the Reformed (Presbyterian) church and allowed it a modest endowment
but not full establishment. The Protestant reformers, including
John Knox, were horrified because she had Mass in her own chapel,
and the Roman Catholics were worried about her lack of zeal for
their cause. For the next few years Mary tried to placate the
Protestants and befriend Elizabeth while at the same time negotiating
a Catholic marriage with Don Carlos, the son of Philip II of Spain.
When refusals came on both the English succession and the Spanish
marriage Mary accepted a marriage of love rather than a purely
political match. She married her first cousin Henry Stewart, Lord
Darnley on 29th July 1565.
Scotland: The Final Years
This marriage was unacceptable to the Protestants, and Moray,
with the aid of other nobles, raised a rebellion which Mary quickly
suppressed. Nevertheless she felt betrayed by her Protestant advisors
and withdrew some of her support from the Reformed church. Her
marriage with Darnley soured and she refused him the right to
succeed if she died without issue. Alone and disappointed, Mary
turned to her Italian secretary, David Rizzio, for comfort and
advice. The Protestant lords disliked Rizzio's influence because
they suspected him of being a papal agent, and Darnley openly
stated that the Italian was too intimate with the Queen. On 9th
March 1566 a group of Protestant lords, acting with the support
of Darnley, murdered Rizzio in Mary's presence at Holyrood Palace.
Mary, who was six months pregnant, survived the horrible ordeal.
In Edinburgh Castle on 19th June 1566, estranged from her husband
and his allies, she gave birth to a son James (later James I of
England). By the end of 1566 Mary had befriended James Hepburn,
Earl of Bothwell, and was seeking a way to dissolve her marriage
with Darnley. Various schemes were concocted; it seems unlikely,
however, that Mary was aware of the actual plot to eliminate her
husband. On 10th February 1567 Darnley was murdered at Kirk o'
Field; the circumstances of his death to this day remain a mystery.
At the time, Bothwell was believed to be the chief instigator.
Nevertheless he was acquitted after an all too brief trial. In
April, Mary went off with Bothwell (perhaps a victim of abduction);
early in May he obtained a divorce from his wife, and on 15th
May 1567 he and Mary were wed according to the Protestant rite.
These events alienated even some of Mary's closest supporters.
The nobles, many of whom disliked Bothwell, banded together to
face Mary and her new husband at Carberry. The Queen was forced
to surrender, and Bothwell fled. Mary was imprisoned at Lochleven
Castle and on 24th July 1567, she was compelled to abdicate in
favour of her son who became King James VI of Scotland. With the
help of a few brave friends, Mary escaped from the castle and
immediately rallied a large force behind her. They engaged in
battle at Langside on 13th May 1568, and were soundly beaten by
the army led by the Protestant lords. At this point Mary decided
to leave Scotland and go to England to beg support from her cousin
Elizabeth.
England: The Captive Years
Mary crossed the Solway into England and nearly 19 years of captivity;
she never returned to Scotland. While she was incarcerated in
England, numerous plots by English Roman Catholics and foreign
agents evolved around her. These plots were frustrated by English
agents, but serious alarm was raised concerning the safety of
Elizabeth. The Babington plot, which called for the assassination
of Elizabeth, was formed to trap Mary. Mary was found guilty of
complicity and sentenced to be beheaded. Although reluctant to
execute her cousin, Elizabeth gave the order that was carried
out at Fotheringhay Castle on 8th February 1587. Mary was buried
first at Peterborough; in 1612, after he had ascended the English
throne, her son James had her interred in Westminster Abbey.
