Biography
Early Life and Time in France
Mary Stuart was born on December eighth of 1542 in Linlithgow Palace, Scotland. Her parents were Mary of Guise, who was French, and James V, King of Scots. Soon after her birth, Mary's father died, and she became the Queen of Scots - she was not even two weeks old. When Mary was still a baby, it was arranged that she would later be married to Henry VIII's son Edward. However, the arrangement was discontinued when the Scots believed that Henry VIII would want to make Scotland part of England.
Then, when Mary was five years old, it was decided that she was to marry Francis, the dauphin of France, and she was sent to that country to be raised in court. In 1558, she married Francis, and in 1559, King Henry II (Francis' father) died. Francis was then made King Francis II, and Mary became the Queen Consort of France. However, when Francis died a year later, Mary had to step down, because women were not allowed to rule. She returned to Scotland in 1561.
Then, when Mary was five years old, it was decided that she was to marry Francis, the dauphin of France, and she was sent to that country to be raised in court. In 1558, she married Francis, and in 1559, King Henry II (Francis' father) died. Francis was then made King Francis II, and Mary became the Queen Consort of France. However, when Francis died a year later, Mary had to step down, because women were not allowed to rule. She returned to Scotland in 1561.
Time in Scotland
While the Catholic Mary was in France, Scotland become a Protestant country. Although Mary permitted Protestants to remain as such, they resented being ruled by a Catholic queen.
In 1565, Mary married the English Lord Darnley, who is also known as Henry Stuart. Two year later, in 1567, Mary's husband died when the house in which he was staying (Kirk-o'-Field, outside of Edinburgh) exploded. Although the Earl of Bothwell arranged for the killing of Darnley, it was suspected that Mary assisted in the matter. After all, she had been the one to persuade her husband to stay in Kirk-o'-Field.
Later in that same year, Mary was married to the Earl of Bothwell, which action caused the Scots to rebel. They captured Mary near Edinburgh and forced her to descend from her throne. (Her son, James, who was born in 1566, was named ruler in her place.) She was then taken to Lochleven Castle and held prisoner there until her escape in 1568. However, at the Battle of Langside, Mary was forced to surrender to her enemies, seek refuge in England (which was ruled by her cousin, Elizabeth I), or join her relatives in France. Mary chose flight to England.
In 1565, Mary married the English Lord Darnley, who is also known as Henry Stuart. Two year later, in 1567, Mary's husband died when the house in which he was staying (Kirk-o'-Field, outside of Edinburgh) exploded. Although the Earl of Bothwell arranged for the killing of Darnley, it was suspected that Mary assisted in the matter. After all, she had been the one to persuade her husband to stay in Kirk-o'-Field.
Later in that same year, Mary was married to the Earl of Bothwell, which action caused the Scots to rebel. They captured Mary near Edinburgh and forced her to descend from her throne. (Her son, James, who was born in 1566, was named ruler in her place.) She was then taken to Lochleven Castle and held prisoner there until her escape in 1568. However, at the Battle of Langside, Mary was forced to surrender to her enemies, seek refuge in England (which was ruled by her cousin, Elizabeth I), or join her relatives in France. Mary chose flight to England.
Arrest, Imprisonment, and Execution
Mary entered England in 1568. Elizabeth distrusted her cousin, who, being the granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister, had a claim to the English throne, so she had Mary arrested on the premise that she could not be given protection and freedom until it was certain that she had not been involved in the death of her husband. Mary's innocence was not proven, and she was imprisoned.
Later, when Mary had been in captivity for some years, the Bond of Association was formed, possibly in part by Cecil, who was one of Elizabeth's advisers. "The idea was to form into an association men who would pledge themselves, when they subscribed to it, to kill not only anyone who plotted against Elizabeth, but also anyone in whose favour such plots should be directed." In other words, blame for all plots to make Mary the monarch of England would be attributed, not only to the conspirators, but to Mary herself.
In 1586, Mary was arrested for treason, because English spies were said to have found that she was involved in the Babington Plot, the aim of which was to overthrow Elizabeth and replace her with Mary. (The only evidence of this was in Mary's letters - which had passed through the hands of Englishmen working with Cecil, and thus against Mary; however, she could not give concrete evidence that she had not been involved in the plot.) Elizabeth, concerned for her own safety, was willing that her cousin should be put to death, although she preferred that the event be kept quiet, rather than being a public execution. Then, on February 8th of 1587, after over fifteen years of imprisonment, Mary Stuart was executed at Fotheringhay Castle in England.
Later, when Mary had been in captivity for some years, the Bond of Association was formed, possibly in part by Cecil, who was one of Elizabeth's advisers. "The idea was to form into an association men who would pledge themselves, when they subscribed to it, to kill not only anyone who plotted against Elizabeth, but also anyone in whose favour such plots should be directed." In other words, blame for all plots to make Mary the monarch of England would be attributed, not only to the conspirators, but to Mary herself.
In 1586, Mary was arrested for treason, because English spies were said to have found that she was involved in the Babington Plot, the aim of which was to overthrow Elizabeth and replace her with Mary. (The only evidence of this was in Mary's letters - which had passed through the hands of Englishmen working with Cecil, and thus against Mary; however, she could not give concrete evidence that she had not been involved in the plot.) Elizabeth, concerned for her own safety, was willing that her cousin should be put to death, although she preferred that the event be kept quiet, rather than being a public execution. Then, on February 8th of 1587, after over fifteen years of imprisonment, Mary Stuart was executed at Fotheringhay Castle in England.
Why Mary Stuart?
I chose to create a website about Mary Stuart because I once read an interesting (although fictitious) book about her, Jane Yolen's Queen's Own Fool, and I thought it would not be too difficult to find information about her.