When was mary queen of scots born
News Story
Crowned Queen of Scots at just nine months old; married, crowned Queen Consort of France and widowed all by the time she was 18 years old: Mary Stewart's life was nothing if not eventful. Let's dig into the facts about her tumultuous life and death.
1542
14 November: Battle of Solway Moss
Devastated by his army's defeat by the English at Solway Moss, James V withdrew to Falkland Palace, Fife. He is reported to have laid down and turned his face to the wall.
8 December: Mary's birth
Mary was born at Linlithgow Palace, to James V, King of Scots, and his French second wife, Marie de Guise. She was the only legitimate child of James to survive him. She was also the great-niece of Henry VIII of England, giving her a claim to the English throne.
14 December: Death of James V
James V of Scots died just six days after the birth of his daughter. In reference to the origins of the Royal Stewart Dynasty, James is supposed to have said: 'It began with a lass and it will gang with a lass.'
1543
1 July: The Treaties of Greenwich
These treaties between Scotland and England included a marriage agreement between Mary and Edward, son of King Henry VIII of England. This was an attempt to gain control of Mary and weaken French influence in Scotland.
9 September: Queen of Scots
Mary was crowned Queen of Scots aged just nine months. The ceremony was conducted in the Chapel Royal of Stirling Castle by Cardinal David Beaton, Archbishop of St Andrews. He was Scotland’s most senior Catholic cleric.
December: The Rough Wooing
The Rough Wooing began when the Earl of Arran, the Regent of Scotland, renounced the Treaties of Greenwich in December 1543. Henry VIII attacked Scotland to force a marriage between Mary and Edward. The Rough Wooing continued until 1550.
1546
1 March: Murder or Martyrdom?
Alarmed by the support for the Protestant Reformation, Cardinal Beaton had the Protestant reformer; George Wishart arrested and burnt at the stake. In retaliation
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until 24 July 1567.
Then she was forced to give up her kingdom (abdicate). She was executed because it was said she had been plotting to assassinate her cousin, Elizabeth I of England.
Early life
[change | change source]Mary was the daughter of King James V of Scotland, who died just after she was born. She was crowned queen when she was only 6 days old. Her grandmother Margaret Tudor was the oldest surviving daughter of Henry VII of England.
Mary went to live in France when she was very young. Scotland would be ruled by regents until she was 18 years old. The first regent was the Earl of Arran. After 1554, the regent was Mary's mother, Mary of Guise.
Life in France
[change | change source]King Henry VIII of England tried to get Lord Arran to agree that Mary would marry his son. This led to a series of battles called the "Rough Wooing". In the end, Lord Arran turned to the French for help. Lord Arran and King Henry II of France agreed that France would protect Scotland if Mary could marry the King's son Francis. When she was 15 years old, Mary married Francis, who was now King Francis II of France. But their marriage was short. Francis became very ill and later died from an ear infection that had spread to his brain. This left Mary a widow shortly before her 18th birthday.
Reign in Scotland
[change | change source]When Mary was born, Scotland was a Catholic country. While she was living in France, Protestant ideas were spreading to Scotland. Her mother tried to stop this but could not. In 1560, the Parliament of Scotland said it wanted Scotland to be a Protestant country.
In 1561, Mary returned to Scotland. She found that she was not popular in her kingdom. She had been brought up as a Catholic, but many people in Scotland had become Protestant. It was difficult for Mary to avoid siding with either
Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots
The tides of peace turned for Queen Elizabeth I when Mary, Queen of Scots arrived in England
Who was Mary, Queen of Scots?
The only surviving legitimate child of King James V. Mary, Queen of Scots was also known as Mary Stuart.
When was Mary, Queen of Scots Born?
Mary Stuart was born in Linlithgow Palace in Scotland on 8th December 1542. She became Queen of Scotland when she was just six days old, and through her marriage to a French heir she became Queen of France when she was 16.
When did Mary, Queen of Scots return to England?
Mary was Elizabeth's cousin and an heir to the English throne through her Tudor grandmother, Margaret, Henry VIII's older sister. With the death of her husband, Francis II of France in 1560, and following the death of Mary of Guise, Regent of Scotland, the 19-year-old Mary reluctantly returned to rule Scotland on 19th August 1561. As reckless and impulsive as Elizabeth was shrewd and careful, Mary made a number of disastrous decisions, embroiling herself in scandal and political intrigue.
Who did Mary, Queen of Scots marry?
Mary was married to Francis, Dauphin of France, from 1558 until he died in 1560. On return to Scotland, Mary married her cousin, Henry Stuart (Lord Darnley) in 1565. He soon became jealous of her affections for David Rizzio, her Italian secretary. Before long Darnley had Rizzio murdered in front of the heavily pregnant Queen.
The following year Darnley was found strangled in his garden. Three months later Mary married the chief suspect in her husband's murder, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. Europe was scandalised and the Scottish nobles forced Mary to abdicate in favour of her infant son, James VI. In 1568, Mary fled to England where she became Elizabeth's unwanted guest and prisoner for the next 19 years.
Mary the Catholic
In England and under house-arrest, Mary reinvented herself as a devout Catholic and a rival legitimate cla
Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Queen of Scots is one of history's true enigmas. Historians know plenty about what she did and where she went during her short life, but the debate on who she was goes on; a selfless martyr, spurred on by passion for her country and devotion to God, or an icy and manipulative adulteress, capable of murder to achieve her political ambitions?
Visit places associated with Mary Queen of Scots
Discover Mary Queen of Scots' connections to a number of incredible historic places.
Falkland Palace
Visit one of Scotland’s finest Renaissance palaces, a place adored by Mary, Queen of Scots.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a world famous icon of Scotland and part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site.
Dumbarton Castle
Dumbarton Castle is located in the ancient capital of Scotland and is spectacularly sited on a volcanic rock overlooking the River Clyde.
Lochleven Castle
Lochleven Castle is a late 14th or early 15th century tower where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1567.
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle is one of Scotland's most historically important sites and was once a favoured residence of the Stewart kings and queens.
Palace of Holyrood House
Visitors can explore 14 magnificent historic and State Apartments and the romantic ruins of the 12th-century Holyrood Abbey
Lennoxlove House
Home of the Duke of Hamilton, dating from 14th century with Mary Queen of Scots' memorobilia.
Scottish National Portrait Gallery
Explore a fascinating overview of Scotland past and present though a wealth of imagery encompassing painting, photography, sculpture and film.
National Museum of Scotland
Fire your imagination at the National Museum of Scotland, one of the UK’s top 10 visitor attractions.