Mary Stuart Mary Stuart early life Mary Stuart

Mary Stuart

Mary Stuart – early life • Mary Stuart was born in 1542 to the King James V of Scotland his French wife Marie of Guise. Her mother was strict Catholic and Mary was Catholic all her life too. • James V died 6 days after her birth - Mary acceded the throne • When she was 6 months old Henry VIII started to negotiate the engagement to his son Edward on Mary. • Henry VIII wanted to unit the both kingdoms England Scotland. He also wanted Scots to break their traditional alliance with France. Mary’s mother did not agree with the marriage of Mary and Edward and she hid her in Stirling castle.

Mary Stuart – early life 2 • At the age of nine months Mary was coronated Queen of Scotland. • The King Henry VIII insisted on marriage of his son and Mary • Henry VIII made many millitary actions on Scotland - this is called the “rough wooing”. • When Scots suffered a defeat at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1546, Mary was sent to France and she was engaged to the French prince

Mary Stuart – early life 3 • At the age of five, Mary started to live at the French court. She was very well educated here • In 1558 she married the French Prince Francois II and Mary Stuart • Francois was coronated the French King in 1559 • Her husband died afer one year of his rule and Mary returned to Scotland.

Claim to the English throne • Under the ordinary laws of succession, Mary was next in line to the English throne after her cousin, Queen Elisabeth I. , who was childless • In the eyes of many Catholics Elizabeth was illegitimate, making Mary the true heir. Elisabeth I

The second marriage • In 1560 Mary Stuart married lord Darnley. • Darnley was jealous of Mary's friendship with her private secretary, David Riccio • Mary and Darnley didn‘t live together Lord Darnley • Darnley with his men killed David Riccio. Then Mary became a prisoner of her husband in her own castle. • She escaped and started to live in her other castle Dunbar

The third marriage • In 1566 Mary’s son James was born. • In 1567 her husband Darnley was assisinated by Earl of Bothwell and his men. Earl of Bothwell • When Mary was going to visit her son James to Stirling, she was abducted by Earl Bothwell and taken to Dunbar Castle. • One month later Bothwell and Mary got married. Scotland was shocked, because he was Protestant and he also was generally believed to be guilty of the assassination of Mary’s former husband.

Imprisonment • After the marriage of Mary and Bothwell the Scottish nobility turned against them and raised an army. • The Lords who were against Mary, imprisoned her in Loch Leven Castle, situated on an island in the middle of Loch Leven. • In this imprisonment Mary miscarred the twins.

Abdication and Escape to England • On July 24 1567, Mary was forced to abdicate the Scottish throne in favour of her one-year-old son James. • In 1568 Mary escaped from Loch Leven and managed to raise a small army. After her army's defeat at the Battle of Langside she escaped to England.

Life in England • Mary wanted to meet with Elizabeth I-her cousin, but she refused her. • Elizabeth knew, that would be better to hold Mary in England so she imprisoned her until she could clear herself of the accusations of Lord Darnley's murder. • Mary had been in prison for nineteen years before she was executed.

Babington plot • In early 1587, Catholic supporters of Mary managed the assassination of Elizabeth I so Mary could take her rightful seat at the throne. Mary was involved in it and it was fateful to her. • A long series of Roman Catholic plots against Elisabeth, culminating in this plot, led to Elisabeth's ministers demanding Mary's execution.

The execution • In the morning of 8 February 1587 Mary was executed. • She was executed at the age of 44 and buried fistly at Peterborough Cathedral and then in Westminster Cathedral. • All of Europe was schocked

Mary‘s son James • James VI of Scotland • He ruled in Scotland as James VI from James VI of Scotland 1567, when he was one year old. In 1603, as James I, he succeeded the last Tudor- Elizabeth I. • He ruled England, Scotland Ireland for 22 years.

Pictures of Mary Stuart Miniature portrait of Mary by Francois Clouet, 1558 Miniature of Mary 1558

Sources • <http: //sweb. cz/royal-history/m. html • <http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Mary_I_of_Sc otland • <http: //www. marileecody. com/maryqosima ges. html • <http: //departments. kings. edu/womens_hist ory/marystuart. html

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