Mary Queen of Scots

Born in Linlithgow in December of 1542, Mary became Queen at the age of one week old. In 1558 she was married to the Dauphin of France, who became King in 1559 but died the following year. Mary returned to Scotland in 1561. Although Roman Catholic, she surrounded herself with Protestant advisers. Her chief minister was her half-brother James Stuart, Earl of Moray.

Mary's marriage in 1565 to her cousin, the Catholic Scottish nobleman Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, was performed with Roman Catholic rites; this upset Protestants and caused an insurrection by Moray and other Scots. The Queen, taking the field in person, quelled the revolt. Not long after her victory, trouble began between her and Darnley. Before Moray's rebellion, Mary's chief minister had been David Rizzo, a court favorite and a Roman Catholic. The King was now persuaded that Rizzio was the obstacle to his designs upon the crown. He caused the murder of Rizzio in 1566. Early in 1567 Darnley's house was blown up by gunpowder, probably by the Scottish nobleman James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, favored of the Queen.

It was felt that Mary herself knew of the plot, because of incriminating letters and sonnets allegedly written by Mary to Bothwell. Bothwell was brought to a mock trial and aquitted; soon afterwards he divorced his wife and married Mary in a Protestant ceremony. This turned the Scottish nobles against Mary. She was able to lead an army against them, but on June 15, 1567, her forces were defeated at Carberry Hill. She was forced to abandon Bothwell and surrender herself to the confederate lords. On July 24, at Lochleven, she was made to abdicate in favor of her son, who was crowned as James VI five days later at Stirling. Escaping from her island prison at Lochleven on May 2, 1568, she assembled an army of 6000 men but was defeated by Moray near Glasgow. Four days later, Mary crossed Solway Firth and sought refuge at the Court of Elizabeth I, Queen of England, only to find herself prisoner to Elizabeth for life. Mary was brought to trial in October 1586. She was sentenced to death on October 25, but Elizabeth did not sign the death warrant until February 1, 1587. Mary was executed one week later.