Mary, Queen of Scots, 1542-1587

Mary Stuart was born on December 8, 1542, at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, to James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise. Her father died shortly after the Battle of Solway Moss, thus at the age of six days old, Mary became Queen of Scotland. Mary’s mother returned to France to raise her, while Scotland was ruled by a Regent. Negotiations between Scotland and England started early for her to marry Henry VIII’s son, the future Edward VI, as Mary had a strong claim to the English throne after Henry’s own children. However, no sooner had the treaty been decided, than the Catholic opposition broke the match and Mary was wed to the French Dauphin, the future Francis II. She was widowed young and returned to Scotland during the Reformation, though she was Catholic. In 1565, she married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, also a Catholic, which provoked the Protestants in both Scotland and England, especially since both Mary and Darnley could make a claim to Elizabeth I’s throne. She was deposed as Queen in 1566, after plotting with James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell, to assassinate him. She escaped her prison in Loch Leven Castle, Fife and went to England, but there Elizabeth I imprisoned her for eighteen years. Mary was executed for being involved in the Catholic Babington Plot against Elizabeth in 1585. She was beheaded on February 7, 1587, leaving the throne of Scotland to her young son, James VI.