Mary, Queen of Scots By: Kelly Key Mrs.Eckman Wissler CP British Literature October 30, 2016

Essential Question Did religion play a big role in why Mary, Queen of Scots was abdicated and soon after executed?

Birth Mary Stuart was born on December 8, 1542 in Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian, Scotland. She was an only child to her father and mother, there were two miscarriages of boys before her. She was crowned Queen of Scots before she was even a year old. Her father died when she was 6 days old.

Early Years - She was betrothed originally to Prince Edward of England. But Scottish noble didn’t approve because of the difference in religion. - She grew up in the French courts because they were a Catholic country. - She spent her childhood in the Royal French families house. - She was taught the finer things so that she could one day be a ruler.

Religion Mary was a faithful Catholic. Her betrothal to the Prince of England was cut off because his family was Protestant. She was than betrothed to the Prince of France because he was Catholic as well. When she was older and returned to Scotland they had converted religions from Catholicism to Protestant and that is why they no longer sided with Mary. At her execution she was mocked and not given a Chaplain to bless her before she was killed. (She refused a minister.)

Queen of France When Mary married the Crown Prince of France, they together became the King and Queen of France. She was still the Queen when Francis died but she no longer want to live in France. She was both Queen of Scotland and Queen of France. The French liked Mary for her kindness, mercy, and grace. She was not given ladies-in-waiting from Scotland because they were seen as barbaric.

Return to Scotland When Mary’s first husband died she returned to Scotland. By then the religion of Scotland had been changed from Catholicism to Protestant. The Scottish nobility didn’t stand by her side as much because of her faith. They eventually held Mary captive because of her choice in husband. Mary had to flee from Scotland to England.

1st Marriage: Francis ll Was the sickly son of the Queen and King of France. They were married when Mary was 17 and Francis was 15. Since she was still the Queen of Scotland and Francis was not yet the King of France he became the King consort of Scotland until he became the King of France and Mary became his Queen. Francis died of an ear infection a year later. Mary was left a widow at 18.

2nd Marriage: Henry Stewart, earl of Darnley He was Mary’s cousin. He was her second husband and the only husband to give her a child. He viciously killed Mary’s Italian secretary in front of her while she was pregnant. After this she no longer wanted to be married to him. He was mysteriously killed following an explosion at Kirk O’ Field. The Scottish nobile were very suspicious of how he died.

3rd Marriage: James Hepburn, earl of Bothwell He was not liked at all by the Scottish nobility. He was thought to have been involved in the murder of Mary’s second husband. She married him only three months after the death of her second husband The Scottish nobility rose up against him and Queen Mary. He was exiled from Scotland and Mary was locked in Lochleven Castle.

Fleeing to England The Scottish nobility was not pleased with her marriage to her third husband. Mary was imprisoned until she agreed to give up her throne to her infant son in July 1567. She made and army to fight the Scottish nobility and lost which led her to flee to England. She went to England expecting help from her cousin Queen Elizabeth. Elizabeth was a reigning Protestant Monarch and Mary was a Catholic Monarch Elizabeth did not like that Mary had a son with the Tudor bloodline making her son in line for the English throne.

Execution She was kept prisoner by Elizabeth for 19 years. There were numerous attempts where she tried to lead an uprising to get her out of imprisonment. Finally Mary’s name could be put to a plot and Elizabeth tried her with treason and had he executed. She was not allowed to have a Chaplain at her execution and they offered her a minister instead but she refused. Mary’s son calmly accepted the execution and when Elizabeth died he took the throne as the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Works Cited - Biography.com Editors. “Mary, Queen of Scots Biography.” The Biography.com website. A&E Television Networks. n/a. Web. November 1, 2016. - Cavendish, Richard. “The Marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots.” History of the Renaissance Period. Volume 58. 4. History Today. April 2008. Web. November 1, 2016. - “The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, 1587.” Eyewitness to History. 2005. Web. November 1, 2016.

Pictures cited http://www.biography.com/people/mary-queen-of-scots-9401343 http://englishhistory.net/tudor/relative/mary-queen-of-scots/