Mary I Stewart Queen of Scotland
Alias:<ALIA> Mary Queen of /Scots/
"The Auld Alliance" Scotland and France:Betrothed to the Dauphin
François, at the age of five Mary left Scotland forthe court of Henri
II.
Mary grew up and was educated in France; probably the happiest time of
her life. Together with subjects ranging widely from Philosophy and
poetry to drawing and needlework, she learned Latin, Greek, Italian,
Spanish and English, although her preferred language for the rest of her
life was French. Her mentor was the poet Ronsard (1524-85) with whom
she corresponded to the end of his life. Popular and admired at court,
she travelled with the royal entourage on progress between the great
châteaux of the time: Le Louvre, Fontainebleau, Blois, Anet, Chenonceau
and Chambord (a great hunting lodge, has over 400 rooms). She learned to
love falconry and hunting in the vast forests around these châteaux. The
Dauphin's aunt, Marguerite de Navarre (1492-1549) used to say "Hawking
causes us to forget a thousand foolish thoughts...." In 1558 she
married the Dauphin at Notre Dame in Paris, and when his father, Henri
II, was killed in a jousting accident she unexpectedly found herself
Queen of France at the age of 17. Only two years later she was widowed
when the young François died of an ear infection. On the 14th August
1561 Mary set sail for Scotland. Five days later she had arrived back in
Edinburgh and taken up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse as Queen
of Scotland.
On the night of February 9th 1567, a trail of gunpowder was litin the
cellar of a house in the backstreets of Edinburgh. The explosion reduced
the house to rubble and Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of
Scots, was murdered. Ever since, historians have debated whether Mary was
involved and only recently has incriminating new evidence come to light.
At the heart of the mystery lies treacherous politics of the Scottish
Court and love letters written by Mary to her secret paramour, James
Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell.
Mary left Scotland when she was just five to be betrothed to the four
year-old Dauphin, Francis. She was already Queen of Scotland because her
father, James V, had died when she was just six days old, leaving her
French Catholic mother, Mary of Guise, acting as Regent. She eventually
married Franciswhen she was 15 years old. A year later, following his
father's untimely death in a jousting accident, Francis became King of
France and she his Queen. But a year after that, Francis died of a brain
tumour and his young widow had no option but to return to Scotland.
Her ill-fated rule began in August 1561,she was just 18 and already
widowed, a petted princess of the French court who knew nothing of her
native country. The Scottish court was much smaller than its French
counterpart, then the most sophisticated in Europe, and Scotlandwas
generally less appealing with its wild weather, harsh landscape and
tribal politics. She spoke mostly French and was fond of typical courtly
pursuits like dancing, masking, music and embroidery. She was also an
expert rider,courageous, spirited and headstrong - some said frivolous -
and used to getting her own way. But she knew little of the affairs of
state and had neitherthe temperament nor training for rule.
Mary's greatest handicap, however, washer religion: she was a Catholic
in a country that was officially Protestant.The leading Protestant lord
was Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray, whohad deposed her mother in
1559. Moray was the bastard son of James V and could never be King of
Scotland. Instead he became Regent and Scotland became Protestant. So
when Mary arrived, she was surrounded by enemies, not least JohnKnox,
the fiery Protestant preacher, who made regular attacks on her from the
pulpit, calling her a jezebel and a heretic, and denouncing her loose
French ways. Yet, for the first two years of her pers
Mary I Stewart Queen of Scotland
Alias:<ALIA> Mary Queen of /Scots/
"The Auld Alliance" Scotland and France:Betrothed to the Dauphin
François, at the age of five Mary left Scotland forthe court of Henri
II.
Mary grew up and was educated in France; probably the happiest time of
her life. Together with subjects ranging widely from Philosophy and
poetry to drawing and needlework, she learned Latin, Greek, Italian,
Spanish and English, although her preferred language for the rest of her
life was French. Her mentor was the poet Ronsard (1524-85) with whom
she corresponded to the end of his life. Popular and admired at court,
she travelled with the royal entourage on progress between the great
châteaux of the time: Le Louvre, Fontainebleau, Blois, Anet, Chenonceau
and Chambord (a great hunting lodge, has over 400 rooms). She learned to
love falconry and hunting in the vast forests around these châteaux. The
Dauphin's aunt, Marguerite de Navarre (1492-1549) used to say "Hawking
causes us to forget a thousand foolish thoughts...." In 1558 she
married the Dauphin at Notre Dame in Paris, and when his father, Henri
II, was killed in a jousting accident she unexpectedly found herself
Queen of France at the age of 17. Only two years later she was widowed
when the young François died of an ear infection. On the 14th August
1561 Mary set sail for Scotland. Five days later she had arrived back in
Edinburgh and taken up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse as Queen
of Scotland.
On the night of February 9th 1567, a trail of gunpowder was litin the
cellar of a house in the backstreets of Edinburgh. The explosion reduced
the house to rubble and Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of
Scots, was murdered. Ever since, historians have debated whether Mary was
involved and only recently has incriminating new evidence come to light.
At the heart of the mystery lies treacherous politics of the Scottish
Court and love letters written by Mary to her secret paramour, James
Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell.
Mary left Scotland when she was just five to be betrothed to the four
year-old Dauphin, Francis. She was already Queen of Scotland because her
father, James V, had died when she was just six days old, leaving her
French Catholic mother, Mary of Guise, acting as Regent. She eventually
married Franciswhen she was 15 years old. A year later, following his
father's untimely death in a jousting accident, Francis became King of
France and she his Queen. But a year after that, Francis died of a brain
tumour and his young widow had no option but to return to Scotland.
Her ill-fated rule began in August 1561,she was just 18 and already
widowed, a petted princess of the French court who knew nothing of her
native country. The Scottish court was much smaller than its French
counterpart, then the most sophisticated in Europe, and Scotlandwas
generally less appealing with its wild weather, harsh landscape and
tribal politics. She spoke mostly French and was fond of typical courtly
pursuits like dancing, masking, music and embroidery. She was also an
expert rider,courageous, spirited and headstrong - some said frivolous -
and used to getting her own way. But she knew little of the affairs of
state and had neitherthe temperament nor training for rule.
Mary's greatest handicap, however, washer religion: she was a Catholic
in a country that was officially Protestant.The leading Protestant lord
was Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray, whohad deposed her mother in
1559. Moray was the bastard son of James V and could never be King of
Scotland. Instead he became Regent and Scotland became Protestant. So
when Mary arrived, she was surrounded by enemies, not least JohnKnox,
the fiery Protestant preacher, who made regular attacks on her from the
pulpit, calling her a jezebel and a heretic, and denouncing her loose
French ways. Yet, for the first two years of her pers
Darnley, Henry Stuart or Stewart, Lord, 1545-67, second husband of Mary
Queenof Scots and father of James I of England (James VI of Scotland).
His motherwas Margaret Douglas, the daughter of Archibald Douglas, earl
of Angus, andMargaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England; this made
Darnley a candidate for succession to the English throne after Elizabeth
I. His father was Matthew Stuart, 4th earl of Lennox. Darnley was born
and brought up in England,where his father was in exile. In 1565, at the
age of 19, he was allowed by Queen Elizabeth to follow his father to
Scotland, and within a short time he married Queen Mary. The motives of
the Scottish queen were predominantly political; Darnley was a Catholic
and his right of succession to the English throne reinforced Mary's own.
However, his handsome appearance and courtly mannersmust also have
impressed Mary because at first she was infatuated with him.The
Protestant lords, dismayed at what appeared a Catholic triumph, revolted,
but Mary defeated them easily. Within a short time Darnley had shown
himself to be a vicious and dissipated man, and Mary denied him the crown
matrimonial (which would have given him power equal to Mary's). Wounded
in pride andsuspicious of Mary's relationship with David Rizzio, Darnley
joined a conspiracy against Rizzio. On Mar. 9, 1566, Darnley and a group
of nobles seized Rizzio in the queen's presence and stabbed him to death.
They may have hoped simultaneously to shock the pregnant queen into fatal
illness, but she defeatedthe coup by winning over Darnley and escaping
from her captors to the help ofloyal nobles. Darnley soon found himself
without a friend in either camp. Although Mary made efforts toward
reconciliation after the birth of their son,Darnley remained
intractable, and the council demanded that the queen rid herself of him.
Possibly with Mary's knowledge, there was then formed a plot, one of
whose leaders was the earl of Bothwell. The earl of Morton was later
executed for his part in it, and others may have had a hand. Recovering
from an illness, Darnley arrived in Edinburgh early in 1567 and lodged in
Kirk o' Field, a house just outside the city. On the night of Feb. 9,
after a visit from Mary, the house was blown up by gunpowder. In the
morning the bodies of Darnley and a page were found strangled in an
adjoining garden. Details of themurder remain a historical mystery.
Mary's subsequent failure to punish Bothwell and her hasty marriage to
him led to the revolt that soon dethroned her.
Mary I Stewart Queen of Scotland
Alias:<ALIA> Mary Queen of /Scots/
"The Auld Alliance" Scotland and France:Betrothed to the Dauphin
François, at the age of five Mary left Scotland forthe court of Henri
II.
Mary grew up and was educated in France; probably the happiest time of
her life. Together with subjects ranging widely from Philosophy and
poetry to drawing and needlework, she learned Latin, Greek, Italian,
Spanish and English, although her preferred language for the rest of her
life was French. Her mentor was the poet Ronsard (1524-85) with whom
she corresponded to the end of his life. Popular and admired at court,
she travelled with the royal entourage on progress between the great
châteaux of the time: Le Louvre, Fontainebleau, Blois, Anet, Chenonceau
and Chambord (a great hunting lodge, has over 400 rooms). She learned to
love falconry and hunting in the vast forests around these châteaux. The
Dauphin's aunt, Marguerite de Navarre (1492-1549) used to say "Hawking
causes us to forget a thousand foolish thoughts...." In 1558 she
married the Dauphin at Notre Dame in Paris, and when his father, Henri
II, was killed in a jousting accident she unexpectedly found herself
Queen of France at the age of 17. Only two years later she was widowed
when the young François died of an ear infection. On the 14th August
1561 Mary set sail for Scotland. Five days later she had arrived back in
Edinburgh and taken up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse as Queen
of Scotland.
On the night of February 9th 1567, a trail of gunpowder was litin the
cellar of a house in the backstreets of Edinburgh. The explosion reduced
the house to rubble and Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of
Scots, was murdered. Ever since, historians have debated whether Mary was
involved and only recently has incriminating new evidence come to light.
At the heart of the mystery lies treacherous politics of the Scottish
Court and love letters written by Mary to her secret paramour, James
Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell.
Mary left Scotland when she was just five to be betrothed to the four
year-old Dauphin, Francis. She was already Queen of Scotland because her
father, James V, had died when she was just six days old, leaving her
French Catholic mother, Mary of Guise, acting as Regent. She eventually
married Franciswhen she was 15 years old. A year later, following his
father's untimely death in a jousting accident, Francis became King of
France and she his Queen. But a year after that, Francis died of a brain
tumour and his young widow had no option but to return to Scotland.
Her ill-fated rule began in August 1561,she was just 18 and already
widowed, a petted princess of the French court who knew nothing of her
native country. The Scottish court was much smaller than its French
counterpart, then the most sophisticated in Europe, and Scotlandwas
generally less appealing with its wild weather, harsh landscape and
tribal politics. She spoke mostly French and was fond of typical courtly
pursuits like dancing, masking, music and embroidery. She was also an
expert rider,courageous, spirited and headstrong - some said frivolous -
and used to getting her own way. But she knew little of the affairs of
state and had neitherthe temperament nor training for rule.
Mary's greatest handicap, however, washer religion: she was a Catholic
in a country that was officially Protestant.The leading Protestant lord
was Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray, whohad deposed her mother in
1559. Moray was the bastard son of James V and could never be King of
Scotland. Instead he became Regent and Scotland became Protestant. So
when Mary arrived, she was surrounded by enemies, not least JohnKnox,
the fiery Protestant preacher, who made regular attacks on her from the
pulpit, calling her a jezebel and a heretic, and denouncing her loose
French ways. Yet, for the first two years of her pers
Mary I Stewart Queen of Scotland
Alias:<ALIA> Mary Queen of /Scots/
"The Auld Alliance" Scotland and France:Betrothed to the Dauphin
François, at the age of five Mary left Scotland forthe court of Henri
II.
Mary grew up and was educated in France; probably the happiest time of
her life. Together with subjects ranging widely from Philosophy and
poetry to drawing and needlework, she learned Latin, Greek, Italian,
Spanish and English, although her preferred language for the rest of her
life was French. Her mentor was the poet Ronsard (1524-85) with whom
she corresponded to the end of his life. Popular and admired at court,
she travelled with the royal entourage on progress between the great
châteaux of the time: Le Louvre, Fontainebleau, Blois, Anet, Chenonceau
and Chambord (a great hunting lodge, has over 400 rooms). She learned to
love falconry and hunting in the vast forests around these châteaux. The
Dauphin's aunt, Marguerite de Navarre (1492-1549) used to say "Hawking
causes us to forget a thousand foolish thoughts...." In 1558 she
married the Dauphin at Notre Dame in Paris, and when his father, Henri
II, was killed in a jousting accident she unexpectedly found herself
Queen of France at the age of 17. Only two years later she was widowed
when the young François died of an ear infection. On the 14th August
1561 Mary set sail for Scotland. Five days later she had arrived back in
Edinburgh and taken up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse as Queen
of Scotland.
On the night of February 9th 1567, a trail of gunpowder was litin the
cellar of a house in the backstreets of Edinburgh. The explosion reduced
the house to rubble and Lord Darnley, the husband of Mary, Queen of
Scots, was murdered. Ever since, historians have debated whether Mary was
involved and only recently has incriminating new evidence come to light.
At the heart of the mystery lies treacherous politics of the Scottish
Court and love letters written by Mary to her secret paramour, James
Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell.
Mary left Scotland when she was just five to be betrothed to the four
year-old Dauphin, Francis. She was already Queen of Scotland because her
father, James V, had died when she was just six days old, leaving her
French Catholic mother, Mary of Guise, acting as Regent. She eventually
married Franciswhen she was 15 years old. A year later, following his
father's untimely death in a jousting accident, Francis became King of
France and she his Queen. But a year after that, Francis died of a brain
tumour and his young widow had no option but to return to Scotland.
Her ill-fated rule began in August 1561,she was just 18 and already
widowed, a petted princess of the French court who knew nothing of her
native country. The Scottish court was much smaller than its French
counterpart, then the most sophisticated in Europe, and Scotlandwas
generally less appealing with its wild weather, harsh landscape and
tribal politics. She spoke mostly French and was fond of typical courtly
pursuits like dancing, masking, music and embroidery. She was also an
expert rider,courageous, spirited and headstrong - some said frivolous -
and used to getting her own way. But she knew little of the affairs of
state and had neitherthe temperament nor training for rule.
Mary's greatest handicap, however, washer religion: she was a Catholic
in a country that was officially Protestant.The leading Protestant lord
was Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray, whohad deposed her mother in
1559. Moray was the bastard son of James V and could never be King of
Scotland. Instead he became Regent and Scotland became Protestant. So
when Mary arrived, she was surrounded by enemies, not least JohnKnox,
the fiery Protestant preacher, who made regular attacks on her from the
pulpit, calling her a jezebel and a heretic, and denouncing her loose
French ways. Yet, for the first two years of her pers
Alias:<ALIA> /Kate/