Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-87), Queen of Scotland, b. Linlithgow, West Lothian.

Mary Stuart was only one week old when her father, James V, died and she became Queen of Scotland.

She lived in stormy times. Not only was Scotland constantly in danger from England, but there was trouble inside the country between Catholics and Protestants.

Mary was a Catholic. She married the Catholic King Francis II of France but he died and she went back to Scotland, a widow at the age of eighteen.

In the years that followed, plot and counter plot came one after another in Mary's life.

She married Lord Darnley but he committed a murder before her eyes and was afterwards murdered himself. The Duke of Bothwell was suspected of killing Darnley and later Mary married him. At this, the nobles of Scotland rose against her. Bothwell fled to Denmark and Mary was imprisoned and her baby son was crowned King James VI of Scotland.

After a year Mary escaped, and went for help to Queen Elizabeth I in England. But Mary had a claim to the throne of England and Elizabeth kept her a prisoner for nineteen years.

During this time, many plots were made against Elizabeth and finally Mary was found guilty of taking part in one of them. She was beheaded at Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire, in 1587.

See Antonia Fraser Mary Queen of Scots