Bloody mary queen of scots biography definition

Bothwell meanwhile had bid Mary goodbye and fled to Dunbar. She never saw him again. He died in Denmark, insane, in In May Mary escaped from Leven Castle.

Bloody mary queen of scots biography definition

She gathered together a small army but was defeated at Langside by the Protestant faction. Mary then fled to England. In England she became a political pawn in the hands of Queen Elizabeth I and was imprisoned for 19 years in various castles in England. Mary was found to be plotting against Elizabeth; letters in code, from her to others, were found and she was deemed guilty of treason.

Henry commented: "from the very first day they met, my son and she got on as well together as if they had known each other for a long time". Yet, in the eyes of many Catholics, Elizabeth was illegitimate and Mary Stuart was the rightful queen of England, as the senior surviving legitimate descendant of Henry VII through her grandmother, Margaret Tudor.

In France, the royal arms of England were quartered with those of Francis and Mary. When Henry II died on 10 Julyfrom injuries sustained in a joustfifteen-year-old Francis and sixteen-year-old Mary became king and queen of France. In Scotland, the power of the Protestant Lords of the Congregation was rising at the expense of Mary's mother, who maintained effective control only through the use of French troops.

A Huguenot uprising in France, the Tumult of Amboisemade it impossible for the French to send further support. Under the terms of the Treaty of Edinburghsigned by Mary's representatives on 6 JulyFrance and England undertook to withdraw troops from Scotland. France recognised Elizabeth's right to rule England, but the seventeen-year-old Mary, still in France and grieving for her mother, refused to ratify the treaty.

Francis II died on 5 December of a middle-ear infection that led to an abscess in his brain. Mary was grief-stricken. As a devout Catholic, she was regarded with suspicion by many of her subjects, as well as by the Queen of England. Mary's illegitimate half-brother, the Earl of Moraywas a leader of the Protestants. She later charged him with treason, but he was acquitted and released.

To the surprise and dismay of the Catholic party, Mary tolerated the newly established Protestant ascendancy, [ 70 ] and kept her half-brother Moray as her chief advisor. The council was dominated by the Protestant leaders from the reformation crisis of — the Earls of ArgyllGlencairnand Moray. Modern historian Jenny Wormald found this remarkable and suggested that Mary's failure to appoint a council sympathetic to Catholic and French interests was an indication of her focus on the English throne, over the internal problems of Scotland.

Even the one significant later addition to the council, Lord Ruthven in Decemberwas another Protestant whom Mary personally disliked. She joined with Moray in the destruction of Scotland's leading Catholic magnate, Lord Huntly, inafter he led a rebellion against her in the Highlands. Mary sent William Maitland of Lethington as an ambassador to the English court to put the case for Mary as the heir presumptive to the English throne.

Elizabeth refused to name a potential heir, fearing that would invite conspiracy to displace her with the nominated successor. Mary then turned her attention to finding a new husband from the royalty of Europe. When her uncle, the Cardinal of Lorrainebegan negotiations with Archduke Charles of Austria without her consent, she angrily objected and the negotiations foundered.

Dudley was Sir Henry Sidney's brother-in-law and the English queen's own favouritewhom Elizabeth trusted and thought she could control. Mary was horrified and banished him from Scotland. He ignored the edict. Two days later, he forced his way into her chamber as she was about to disrobe. She reacted with fury and fear. When Moray rushed into the room after hearing her cries for help, she shouted, "Thrust your dagger into the villain!

Chastelard was tried for treason and beheaded. Darnley's parents, the Earl and Countess of Lennoxwere Scottish aristocrats as well as English landowners. They sent him to France ostensibly to extend their condolences, while hoping for a potential match between their son and Mary. English statesmen William Cecil and the Earl of Leicester had worked to obtain Darnley's licence to travel to Scotland from his home in England.

Mary's marriage to a leading Catholic precipitated Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Moray, to join with other Protestant lords, including Lords Argyll and Glencairnin open rebellion. She carried a pistol, known as a "dagg", on her saddle. Mary returned to Edinburgh the following month to bloody mary queen of scots biography definition more troops.

Mary's numbers were boosted by the release and restoration to favour of Lord Huntly's son and the return of James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwellfrom exile in France. Before long, Darnley grew arrogant. Not content with his position as king consort, he demanded the Crown Matrimonialwhich would have made him a co-sovereign of Scotland with the right to keep the Scottish throne for himself, if he outlived his wife.

He was jealous of her friendship with her Catholic private secretary, David Rizziowho was rumoured to be the father of her child. They took temporary refuge in Dunbar Castle before returning to Edinburgh on 18 March. However, the murder of Rizzio led to the breakdown of her marriage. Immediately after her return to Jedburgh, she suffered a serious illness that included frequent vomiting, loss of sight, loss of speech, convulsions and periods of unconsciousness.

She was thought to be dying. Her recovery from 25 October onwards was credited to the skill of her French physicians. Potential diagnoses include physical exhaustion and mental stress, [ ] haemorrhage of a gastric ulcer, [ ] and porphyria. At Craigmillar Castlenear Edinburgh, at the end of NovemberMary and leading nobles held a meeting to discuss the "problem of Darnley".

He remained ill for some weeks. In late JanuaryMary prompted her husband to return to Edinburgh. He recuperated from his illness in a house belonging to the brother of Sir James Balfour at the former abbey of Kirk o' Fieldjust within the city wall. Darnley was found dead in the garden, apparently smothered. I should ill fulfil the office of a faithful cousin or an affectionate friend if I did not Men say that, instead of seizing the murderers, you are looking through your fingers while they escape; that you will not seek revenge on those who have done you so much pleasure, as though the deed would never have taken place had not the doers of it been assured of impunity.

For myself, I beg you to believe that I would not harbour such a thought. By the end of February, Bothwell was generally believed to be guilty of Darnley's assassination. In the absence of Lennox and with no evidence presented, Bothwell was acquitted after a seven-hour trial on 12 April. Between 21 and 23 AprilMary visited her son at Stirling for the last time.

On her way back to Edinburgh on 24 April, Mary was abducted, willingly or not, by Lord Bothwell and his men and taken to Dunbar Castlewhere he may have raped her. Originally, Mary believed that many nobles supported her marriage, but relations quickly soured between the newly elevated Bothwell created Duke of Orkney and his former peers and the marriage proved to be deeply unpopular.

Catholics considered the marriage unlawful since they did not recognise Bothwell's divorce or the validity of the Protestant service. Both Protestants and Catholics were shocked that Mary should marry the man accused of murdering her husband. Twenty-six Scottish peersknown as the confederate lords, turned against Mary and Bothwell and raised their own army.

Mary and Bothwell confronted the lords at Carberry Hill on 15 June, but there was no battle, as Mary's forces dwindled away through desertion during negotiations. The lords took Mary to Edinburgh, where crowds of spectators denounced her as an adulteress and murderer. He was imprisoned in Denmark, became insane, and died in Mary apparently expected Elizabeth to help her regain her throne.

As an anointed queen, Mary refused to acknowledge the power of any court to try her. She refused to attend the inquiry at York personally but sent representatives. Elizabeth forbade her attendance anyway. All were said to have been found in a silver-gilt casket just less than one foot 30 cm long and decorated with the monogram of King Francis II. He sent copies to Elizabeth, saying that if they were genuine, they might prove Mary's guilt.

The authenticity of the casket letters has been the source of much controversy among historians. It is impossible now to prove either way. The originals, written in French, were possibly destroyed in by Mary's son. There are incomplete printed transcriptions in English, Scots, French, and Latin from the s. Moray had sent a messenger in September to Dunbar to get a copy of the proceedings from the town's registers.

Mary's biographers, such as Antonia FraserAlison Weirand John Guyhave concluded that either the documents were complete forgeries, [ ] or incriminating passages were inserted into genuine letters, [ ] or the letters were written to Bothwell by a different person or written by Mary to a different person. The casket letters did not appear publicly until the Conference ofalthough the Scottish privy council had seen them by December Historian Jenny Wormald believes this reluctance on the part of the Scots to produce the letters and their destruction inwhatever their content, constitute proof that they contained bloody mary queen of scots biography definition evidence against Mary.

Mary was understandably devastated by this chain of tragic events. She wrote a poem, in French, about her grief at his death; this is a translation of one verse:. What was Mary to do next? She left for Scotland, a land rife with religious and civil discord. Without waiting for a safe-conduct pass from Elizabeth, whose ships were patrolling her route, Mary set out for Scotland on 14 August and, five days later, reached Leith, the port of Edinburgh.

Learn more about the husbands of Mary Queen of Scots. Mary knew very well that she was succeeding to a most troubled heritage. But after her recent years of loss and grief, she was determined to make a bright future. In this, she resembled her cousin Elizabeth I. The Scots received their new queen with great joy and celebration. At once, she began to try and help them; within a year of her arrival, one-sixth of all Church benefices was given to the Protestant ministers to relieve their poverty.

Of course, such a strategy would lead to more peace and stability within the realm. As a result, she was popular with the common people but not the nobility; she played croquet, golfed, went for hunts and archery practice, sung, danced, and, in general, showed an admirable zest for life. Inthe fourth Earl of Atholl organized a great hunt in honor of the queen and, yet again, Mary charmed all who met her.

Yet she also treaded dangerous ground with her policy of non-discrimination and desire to unify the nation, taking power away from the independent nobles. Though a Catholic, Mary became friends with one of the most learned Protestants of the time, George Buchanan. In the political realm, Mary kept up peaceful relations with France, Spain, and England, though she never met Elizabeth face-to-face.

And her peace with France and Spain was kept without a treaty, though a treaty would have given Scotland some measure of protection against England in the possibility of conflict. However, Mary was aware that any treaty could compromise her subjects, involving them in yet another war and causing strife. Above all, she wanted peace and prosperity, and she kept Scotland safely distanced from political machinations.

As queen, Mary was more than aware that she should marry and provide heirs to the throne. Why Mary wed Darnley remains a mystery. He was superficially charming and, unlike most men, taller than the queen. He was also fond of courtly amusements and thus a nice change from the dour Scottish lords who surrounded her. But he never seemed to care for Mary and sought far more power than she was willing to give him.

When she was six months pregnant in March ofDarnley joined a group of Scottish nobles who broke into her supper-room at Holyrood Palace and dragged her Piedmontese secretary, David Riccio, into another room and stabbed him to death. They claimed Riccio had undue influence over her foreign policy but, in reality, they probably meant to cause Mary, from watching this horrific crime, to suffer a miscarriage, thus losing her child and her own life as well since one usually meant the other in the 16th century.

Mary certainly believed that Darnley, angry because she had denied him the crown matrimonial, wanted to kill her and the child, thus becoming King of Scots. But it is unlikely that, had he been successful, Darnley would have long survived his wife. Entering the later stages of her pregnancy, she was desperate to escape and — somehow — won over Darnley and they escaped together.

Three months later the future James VI of Scotland was born and congratulations came from all over Europe. Still young and healthy after the birth, Mary now had an heir. This was the apex of her reign, her greatest and happiest moment. Elizabeth of England, ten years older, watched these events with interest for, even then, she knew her own future would be — by choice — unmarried and childless.

The nobles who had plotted with Darnley now felt betrayed by him; after all, they had captured the queen and her potential heir, murdered her dear friend, and were in a position to demand anything. Many nobles were implicated, most particularly James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell. He had men with him and asked to escort Mary to his castle at Dunbar; he told her she was in danger if she went to Edinburgh.

In a bid to reconcile with England, Mary married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, a union that proved politically advantageous. Many believe that their tempestuous relationship gave rise to conspiracy theories of treason and murder. Mary faced several accusations of heresy before being beheaded. Given the eventful nature of her life, conspiracy theories abound, particularly in regard to her role in the murder of her second husband and treasonous actions against Queen Elizabeth.

Some theorists even posit that Mary was a victim, caught in the crossfire of political and religious turmoil. Mary I of England, also known as Bloody Mary, and Mary Queen of Scots, Queen of Scotland, have left significant legacies which persistently captivate historians and those interested in the histories of England and Scotland. These two women might have shared a name, but their stories are distinctively different.

Mary I sought to reverse the Protestant Reformation in England and return the country to its Roman Catholic roots, a decision that would significantly impact her legacy. Mary faced numerous challenges during her reign, including rebellion led by her half-brother, the Earl of Moray, which eventually led to her abdication in favor of her son, future King James VI of Scotland.

As a young queen, Mary Stewart navigated the complex political landscape of Scotland and its tensions with England and various European powers. Her tumultuous relationship with her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, contributed to her eventual downfall and eventual imprisonment in England. She was initially buried at Peterborough Cathedral, but her remains were later moved to Westminster Abbey on the orders of her son, who became King James I of England.

In conclusion, both Mary I of England and Mary Queen of Scots had their reigns marred by religiopolitical complexities, which later shaped their legacies. Mary I the real Bloody Mary. Mary Queen of Scots. Bloody Mary.