Avatar feed
Responses: 6
LTC Stephen F.
6
6
0
Edited 2 y ago
6bf5228e
I know all of the above.
Image: Mary Stuart with her son, later James I
Background from {[biography.com/royalty/mary-queen-of-scots]}
Mary, Queen of Scots; Biography
(1542–1587)
In 1542 the Scottish throne went to Mary, Queen of Scots, a controversial monarch who became France's queen consort and claimed the English crown. She was executed by Queen Elizabeth I in 1587.

Mary, Queen of Scots
December 8, 1542
February 8, 1587
Mary, Queen of Scots became Queen of Scotland at six days old.
In her lifetime, Mary married three times — her final husband causing her downfall.
Her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I held her captive for 18 years and eventually executed.
United Kingdom Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire,

Who Was Mary, Queen of Scots?
Mary, Queen of Scots, also known as Mary Stuart, was the queen of Scotland from December 1542 until July 1567. The death of Mary’s father, which occurred just days after her birth, put her on the throne as an infant. She briefly became queen consort in France before returning to Scotland. Forced to abdicate by Scottish nobles in 1567, Mary sought the protection of England's Queen Elizabeth I, who instead had her arrested. Mary spent the remainder of her life in captivity until her 1587 execution.

Early Years
Mary Stuart was born on December 8, 1542, in Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian, Scotland. Mary’s father died when she was only six days old, making her queen of Scotland.
Mary was the daughter of King James V of Scotland and his second wife, Mary of Guise. Mary’s great-grandfather was Henry VII, making Henry VIII her great uncle. Elizabeth I was Mary's cousin.
Given that Mary was only an infant, her great-uncle Henry VIII made a bid for control. Her mother, however, ended up acting as regent on Mary's behalf.
Mary was initially betrothed to Henry VIII's son, Prince Edward of England, who eventually became King Edward VI. Scottish Catholics, however, objected to this plan, since England had separated from the Catholic Church. When the match was annulled, England attacked Scotland in raids that became known as "The Rough Wooing."
At the age of 5, Mary was sent to France, where she grew up in the luxurious French court. Mary's mother was French, and the Scots had a longstanding alliance with France, so Mary was betrothed to the 4-year-old French heir.

A portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (left) with Mary, Queen of Scots.
Photos: DeAgostini/Getty Images; National Galleries Of Scotland/Getty Images
Spouses
Mary was married three times, with the last union eventually leading to her downfall.
Francis II, King of France

In 1558, Mary married Francis, the eldest son of French King Henry II and Catherine de Medicis. In 1559, Mary's husband was crowned Francis II, making Mary both the queen of Scotland and France's queen consort. Unfortunately, Francis died from an ear infection the year after he ascended to the throne, leaving Mary a widow at age 18.
Henry Stewart, Earl of Darnley
In 1565 Mary gave into infatuation and married her cousin, Henry Stewart, Earl of Darnley. Mary's new husband was a grandson of Margaret Tudor; Mary uniting with a Tudor infuriated Elizabeth Tudor. Her marriage to Darnley also turned Mary's half-brother against her.
Shortly after their marriage, Darnley’s ruthless ambition caused problems. In 1566 Darnley and a group of Protestant nobles viciously murdered David Rizzio, Mary's Italian secretary, stabbing him 56 times as a pregnant Mary looked on. Though she gave birth to their son a few months later, she no longer wished to be married to Darnley.
When Darnley was mysteriously killed following an explosion at Kirk o' Field, outside Edinburgh, in February 1567, foul play was suspected. Mary's involvement is unclear.
James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell
In May 1567 Mary consented to marry James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell — the main suspect in her previous husband Darnley’s murder. Over the years, Bothwell had become a close confidant of Mary and was said to exert great influence over her. He also had his own ambitions to become king, and he had abducted Mary and held her captive in Dunbar Castle.
Mary’s scandalous marriage with Bothwell, just three months after Darnley’s murder, made the Scottish nobility rise against her. Bothwell went into exile, where he was ultimately arrested and held captive until his death. Meanwhile, in July 1567, Mary was compelled to abdicate the throne in Scotland in favor of her infant son. She was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle.
On June 19, 1566, Mary gave birth to the future James VI of Scotland and James I of England. James was Mary’s one and only child, conceived with her second husband, Henry Stewart.

Reign

Children
On June 19, 1566, Mary gave birth to the future James VI of Scotland and James I of England. James was Mary’s one and only child, conceived with her second husband, Henry Stewart.

Reign
Mary was the Queen of Scotland from her father’s death in December 1542 until she was forced to abdicate the throne to her infant son James in July 1567.

Following her first husband Francis’s death, Mary returned to Scotland from France in 1561. By that time, John Knox's influence had changed Scotland's official religion from Catholicism to Protestantism.
As a Roman Catholic raised in France, Mary found herself an outsider. However, with help from her illegitimate half-brother, James, Earl of Moray, Mary managed to rule while creating an atmosphere of religious tolerance.
Mary had now become attracted to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, and rumours abounded at Court that she was pregnant by him. Bothwell was accused of Darnley’s murder but was found not guilty. Shortly after he was acquitted, Mary and Bothwell were married. The Lords of Congregation did not approve of Mary’s liaison with Bothwell and she was imprisoned in Leven Castle where she gave birth to still-born twins.
Bothwell meanwhile had bid Mary goodbye and fled to Dunbar. She never saw him again. He died in Denmark, insane, in 1578.

In May 1568 Mary escaped from Leven Castle. She gathered together a small army but was defeated at Langside by the Protestant faction. Mary then fled to England.
Following the mysterious death of Mary's second husband, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, and her quick marriage to Bothwell, the Scottish nobility rose up against her and compelled her to hand over rule to her son and imprisoned her.

Claim to the English Throne and Imprisonment by Elizabeth I
As the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII, Mary had a strong claim to the English throne. Her French father-in-law, Henry II, made this claim on her behalf. However Mary never became the queen of England.
In November 1558, Henry VIII's daughter, Elizabeth Tudor, became Queen Elizabeth I of England following the death of her sister, Mary Tudor. Many Roman Catholics did not recognize the validity of Henry VIII's marriage to Elizabeth's mother, Anne Boleyn, and they considered Elizabeth's rule to be illegitimate.
In 1568, Mary escaped from Lochleven Castle, where she was imprisoned by the Scottish nobility for her unseemly marriage with Bothwell. She raised an army but was soon defeated. She fled to England, where she sought Elizabeth's protection. Instead of helping her cousin, the queen imprisoned Mary. Mary's captivity would last for the next 18 years.
Meanwhile, English Catholics plotted to get Mary, a Catholic herself, onto the throne by assassinating Elizabeth. Mary corresponded with one such plotter, Anthony Babington.
When Elizabeth's spymaster uncovered the letters in 1586, Mary was brought to trial. She was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death.

Death
After Elizabeth signed her cousin's death warrant for treason, Mary was executed in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, on February 8, 1587. She was 44 years old.
Elizabeth had Mary buried in Peterborough Cathedral. After Mary's son became King James I of England, he moved his mother's body to Westminster Abbey in 1612.

Movies About Mary, Queen of Scots
Centuries after her death, Mary continues to be an object of cultural fascination. The 1971 film Mary, Queen of Scots starred Vanessa Redgrave as Mary and Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth, with Timothy Dalton as Darnley.
In 2013, a Swiss-French movie was made on Mary’s life. And the 2018 movie, Mary Queen of Scots, starred Saoirse Ronan as Mary and Margot Robbie as Elizabeth.
Mary’s life also inspired the 2013 to 2017 television show Reign.

The Downfall of Mary Queen of Scots
The life and legacy of Mary, Queen of Scots, remains intriguing more than 400 years after her passing. Her political scheming and personal hardships were colorful enough to inspire several films, including 2018's Mary Queen of Scots, but the fictionalized version can't compete with the actual events leading to her execution.
After becoming Queen of Scotland when she was just days old, Mary was married into the French royal family. Widowed as a teenager and a stranger to her homeland, Mary seized her birthright and actively ruled Scotland from the early 1560s until she was deposed in 1567. Mary's love life was fodder for Protestant naysayers and political rivals alike, and her relationship with her cousin and fellow female monarch, Elizabeth I, was fraught with tension.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ija5bmpHbmM
Sgt (Join to see) Maj William W. 'Bill' Price COL Randall C. COL Lisandro Murphy MSG Darold R. SSG Jeffrey Leake SSG Michael Noll SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM SFC Dr. Jesus Garcia-Arce, Psy.D CSM (Join to see) LTC (Join to see) SGT Jim Arnold SPC Gary C. SPC Lyle Montgomery SPC (Join to see) SPC Deb Root-White SGT Mary G. SSgt Kelly D. Maj Robert Thornton
(6)
Comment
(0)
SGT Mary G.
SGT Mary G.
2 y
The symbolic mistrustful lingering of religious enmity between England and Scotland of those times surprisingly showed up when Charles was being invested as King - where he was shown signing papers, that were read out loud. Never having seen a change of British Monarchs. It seemed to be about (having heard it only once) insuring the Scotland retained freedom of religions. He looked a little piqued as it was being read which could have been anything - perhaps a "let's get this show on the road" and be finished, look . . .
(2)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM
6
6
0
Thanks for sharing this history nugget of information!
(6)
Comment
(0)
LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
2 y
You are very welcome my friend and brother-in-Christ SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
Lt Col Charlie Brown
5
5
0
and that Queen Elizabeth raised her son James to be her heir to the throne of England and Scotland
(5)
Comment
(0)
LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
2 y
Thank you my friend and sister-in-Christ Lt Col Charlie Brown for responding and letting us know that you know that "Queen Elizabeth raised her son James to be her heir to the throne of England and Scotland."
(2)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close