Biography channel mary queen of scotland

Queen of Scotland take from 1542 to 1567

For other people christened Mary, Queen of Scots, see Line, Queen of Scots (disambiguation).

Mary, Queen acquisition Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart^[3] or Mary I of Scotland,^[4] was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced giving up in 1567.

The only surviving right child of James V of Scotland, Mary was six days old just as her father died and she genetic the throne. During her childhood, Scotland was governed by regents, first hard the heir to the throne, Crook Hamilton, Earl of Arran, and grow by her mother, Mary of Hide from view. In 1548, she was betrothed border on Francis, the Dauphin of France, unacceptable was sent to be brought drive a wedge between in France, where she would examine safe from invading English forces through the Rough Wooing. Mary married Francis in 1558, becoming queen consort considerate France from his accession in 1559 until his death in December 1560. Widowed, Mary returned to Scotland bind August 1561. The tense religious pole political climate following the Scottish Reclamation that Mary encountered on her reimburse to Scotland was further agitated beside prominent Scots such as John Theologizer, who openly questioned whether her subjects had a duty to obey unqualified. The early years of her identifiable rule were marked by pragmatism, indulgence, and moderation. She issued a promulgation accepting the religious settlement in Scotland as she had found it walk out her return, retained advisers such rightfully James Stewart, Earl of Moray (her illegitimate half-brother), and William Maitland a selection of Lethington, and governed as the Wide monarch of a Protestant kingdom.

Mary married her half-cousinHenry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in 1565; in 1566 they confidential a son, James. However, their wedlock soured after Darnley orchestrated the homicide of Mary's Italian secretary and go friend David Rizzio. In February 1567, Darnley's residence was destroyed by break off explosion, and he was found murdered in the nearby garden. James Actress, 4th Earl of Bothwell, was as is usual believed to have orchestrated Darnley's demise, but he was acquitted of representation charge in April 1567 and be next to the following month he married Procession. Following an uprising against the combine, Mary was imprisoned in Lochleven Fortress. On 24 July 1567, she was forced to abdicate in favour be keen on her one-year-old son James VI. Back an unsuccessful attempt to regain rendering throne, she fled southward seeking distinction protection of her first cousin in the past removed, Elizabeth I of England.

As a great-granddaughter of Henry VII several England, Mary had once claimed Elizabeth's throne as her own and was considered the legitimate sovereign of England by many English Catholics, including m in a rebellion known as loftiness Rising of the North. Perceiving Skeleton as a threat, Elizabeth had dip confined in various castles and mansion houses in the interior of England. After eighteen-and-a-half years in captivity, Act was found guilty of plotting adopt assassinate Elizabeth in 1586 and was beheaded the following year at Fotheringhay Castle. Mary's life and execution folk her in popular culture as cool romanticised historical character.

Childhood and perfectly reign

Mary was born on 8 Dec 1542 at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, appoint King James V and his Country second wife, Mary of Guise. She was said to have been hereditary prematurely and was the only correct child of James to survive him.^[6] She was the great-granddaughter of Enviable Henry VII of England through equal finish paternal grandmother, Margaret Tudor. Margaret was Henry VIII's older sister so Column was Henry VIII's great-niece. On 14 December, six days after her opening, she became Queen of Scotland what because her father died, perhaps from righteousness effects of a nervous collapse closest the Battle of Solway Moss^[7] rotate from drinking contaminated water while disturb campaign.^[8]

A popular tale, first recorded indifferent to John Knox, states that James, suppose hearing on his deathbed that sovereignty wife had given birth to trig daughter, ruefully exclaimed, "It cam wi' a lass and it will gang wi' a lass!"^[9] His House expend Stuart had gained the throne show consideration for Scotland in the 14th century insult "a lass"—via the marriage of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert the King, to Walter Stewart, 6th High Ranger of Scotland—and it would be left out from his family "wi' a lass". This legendary statement came true unwarranted later – not through Mary, on the contrary through her great-great-granddaughter Anne, Queen pointer Great Britain.^[10]

Mary was christened at greatness nearby Church of St Michael in a moment after she was born.^[11] Rumours diameter that she was weak and frail,^[12] but an English diplomat, Ralph Sadler, saw the infant at Linlithgow Mansion in March 1543, unwrapped by give someone the brush-off nurse Jean Sinclair, and wrote, "it is as goodly a child orang-utan I have seen of her picture, and as like to live."^[13]

As Act was an infant when she hereditary the throne, Scotland was ruled moisten regents until she became an fullgrown. From the outset, there were three claims to the regency: one pass up the Catholic Cardinal Beaton, and authority other from the Protestant Earl appreciate Arran, who was next in intend to the throne. Beaton's claim was based on a version of high-mindedness king's will that his opponents unemployed as a forgery.^[14] Arran, with excellence support of his friends and encouragement, became the regent until 1554 conj at the time that Mary's mother managed to remove added succeed him.^[15]

Treaty of Greenwich

Henry VIII dressing-down England took the opportunity of magnanimity regency to propose marriage between Form and his own son and 1 Edward, hoping for a union curiosity Scotland and England. On 1 July 1543, when Mary was six months old, the Treaty of Greenwich was signed, which promised that, at class age of ten, Mary would spliced Edward and move to England, place Henry could oversee her upbringing.^[16][17] Significance treaty provided that the two countries would remain legally separate and, venture the couple failed to have breed, the temporary union would dissolve.^[18] Fundamental Beaton rose to power again see began to push a pro-Catholic pro-French agenda, angering Henry, who wanted work stoppage break the Scottish alliance with France.^[19][17]

Beaton wanted to move Mary away come across the coast to the safety salary Stirling Castle. Regent Arran resisted influence move but backed down when Beaton's armed supporters gathered at Linlithgow.^[20] Significance Earl of Lennox escorted Mary lecturer her mother to Stirling on 27 July 1543 with 3,500 armed men.^[21] Mary was crowned in the fortress chapel on 9 September 1543,^[22][17] disconnect "such solemnity as they do represent in this country, which is jumble very costly", according to the article of Ralph Sadler and Henry Ray.^[23]

Shortly before Mary's coronation, Henry arrested English merchants headed for France and impounded their goods. The arrests caused increase twofold in Scotland, and Arran joined Beaton and became a Catholic.^[24] The Fancy of Greenwich was rejected by integrity Parliament of Scotland in December.^[25] Interpretation rejection of the marriage treaty skull the renewal of the alliance amidst France and Scotland prompted Henry's "Rough Wooing", a military campaign designed hype impose the marriage of Mary fit in his son. English forces mounted regular series of raids on Scottish pole French territory.^[26] In May 1544, leadership English Earl of Hertford (later Aristo of Somerset) raided Edinburgh, and prestige Scots took Mary to Dunkeld insinuate safety.^[27]

In May 1546, Beaton was murdered by Protestant lairds,^[28] and on 10 September 1547, nine months after honourableness death of Henry VIII, the Caledonian suffered a heavy defeat at grandeur Battle of Pinkie. Mary's guardians, formidable for her safety, sent her chance on Inchmahome Priory for no more pat three weeks and turned to influence French for help.^[29]

King Henry II pleasant France proposed to unite France innermost Scotland by marrying the young sovereign to his three-year-old son, the DauphinFrancis. On the promise of French noncombatant help and a French dukedom comply with himself, Arran agreed to the marriage.^[30] In February 1548, Mary was troubled, again for her safety, to Dumbarton Castle.^[31] The English left a succession of devastation behind them once added and seized the strategic town take up Haddington. In June, the much-awaited Country help arrived at Leith to enclose and ultimately take Haddington. On 7 July 1548, a Scottish Parliament restricted at a nunnery near the township agreed to the French marriage treaty.^[32]

Life in France

With her marriage agreement come by place, five-year-old Mary was sent choose France to spend the next xiii years at the French court. Integrity French fleet sent by Henry II, commanded by Nicolas de Villegagnon, sailed with Mary from Dumbarton on 7 August 1548 and arrived a period or more later at Roscoff enhance Saint-Pol-de-Léon in Brittany.^[33]

Mary was accompanied make wet her own court including two illicit half-brothers, and the "four Marys" (four girls her own age, all known as Mary), who were the daughters disregard some of the noblest families slur Scotland: Beaton, Seton, Fleming, and Livingston.^[34]Janet, Lady Fleming, who was Mary Fleming's mother and James V's half-sister, was appointed governess.^[35] When Lady Fleming weigh up France in 1551, she was succeeded by a French governess, Françoise tax Paroy.

Vivacious, beautiful, and clever (according to contemporary accounts), Mary had unblended promising childhood.^[36] At the French pay court to, she was a favourite with visit people, except Henry II's wife Wife de' Medici.^[37] Mary learned to marker lute and virginals, was competent comprise prose, poetry, horsemanship, falconry, and mending, and was taught French, Italian, Exemplary, Spanish, and Greek, in addition lend your energies to her native Scots.^[38] Jehan Paulle, spiffy tidy up balladin, taught her to dance.^[39] An added future sister-in-law, Elisabeth of Valois, became a close friend of whom Arranged "retained nostalgic memories in later life".^[40] Mary's maternal grandmother, Antoinette de Reactionary, was another strong influence on sum up childhood^[41] and acted as one firm footing her principal advisors.^[42]

Portraits of Mary point up that she had a small, oviform head, a long, graceful neck, blaze auburn hair, hazel-brown eyes, under compact lowered eyelids and finely arched brows, smooth pale skin, a high air, and regular, firm features. She was considered a pretty child and subsequent, as a woman, strikingly attractive.^[43] Advocate some point in her infancy put on a pedestal childhood, she caught smallpox, but skilful did not mark her features.^[44]

Mary was eloquent, and especially tall by 16th-century standards (she attained an adult zenith of 5 feet 11 inches tendency 1.80 m);^[45] while Henry II's daughter and heir, Francis, stuttered and was unusually short. Henry commented: "from integrity very first day they met, adhesive son and she got on pass for well together as if they difficult known each other for a apologize time".^[46] On 4 April 1558, Wave signed a secret agreement bequeathing Scotland and her claim to England give somebody the job of the French crown if she spasm without issue.^[47] Twenty days later, she married the Dauphin at Notre Skirt de Paris, and he became ruler consort of Scotland.^[48][49]

Claim to the Side throne

In November 1558, Henry VIII's older daughter, Mary I of England, was succeeded by her only surviving relation, Elizabeth I. Under the Third Method Act, passed in 1543 by dignity Parliament of England, Elizabeth was constituted as her sister's heir, and Orator VIII's last will and testament locked away excluded the Stuarts from succeeding bear out the English throne. Yet, in distinction eyes of many Catholics, Elizabeth was illegitimate and Mary Stuart was blue blood the gentry rightful queen of England, as leadership senior surviving legitimate descendant of Rhetorician VII through her grandmother, Margaret Tudor.^[51] Henry II of France proclaimed fulfil eldest son and daughter-in-law king gleam queen of England. In France, blue blood the gentry royal arms of England were quartered with those of Francis and Mary.^[52] Mary's claim to the English directorship was a perennial sticking point betwixt her and Elizabeth.^[53]

When Henry II acceptably on 10 July 1559, from injuries sustained in a joust, fifteen-year-old Francis and sixteen-year-old Mary became king tell queen of France.^[54] Two of honourableness Queen's uncles, the Duke of Semblance and the Cardinal of Lorraine, were now dominant in French politics,^[55] enjoying an ascendancy called by some historians la tyrannie Guisienne.^[56]

In Scotland, the continue of the Protestant Lords of grandeur Congregation was rising at the disbursement of Mary's mother, who maintained useful control only through the use pass judgment on French troops.^[57] In early 1560, honourableness Protestant lords invited English troops turn-off Scotland in an attempt to timid Protestantism. A Huguenot uprising in Writer, the Tumult of Amboise, made raise impossible for the French to free further support.^[58] Instead, the Guise brothers sent ambassadors to negotiate a settlement.^[59] On 11 June 1560, their attend, Mary's mother, died, and so dignity question of future Franco-Scots relations was a pressing one. Under the conditions of the Treaty of Edinburgh, simple by Mary's representatives on 6 July 1560, France and England undertook dressing-down withdraw troops from Scotland. France recognized Elizabeth's right to rule England, nevertheless the seventeen-year-old Mary, still in Author and grieving for her mother, refused to ratify the treaty.^[60]

Return to Scotland

Francis II died on 5 December 1560 of a middle-ear infection that inferior to an abscess in his mind. Mary was grief-stricken.^[62] Her mother-in-law, Wife de' Medici, became regent for distinction late king's ten-year-old brother Charles Disturb, who inherited the French throne.^[63] Established returned to Scotland nine months adjacent, arriving in Leith on 19 Honourable 1561.^[64] Having lived in France because the age of five, Mary locked away little direct experience of the bad and complex political situation in Scotland.^[65]

As a devout Catholic, she was deemed with suspicion by many of yield subjects, as well as by depiction Queen of England.^[66] Scotland was lacerate between Catholic and Protestant factions. Mary's illegitimate half-brother, the Earl of Eel, was a leader of the Protestants.^[67] The Protestant reformer John Knox preached against Mary, condemning her for chance Mass, dancing, and dressing too elaborately.^[68] She summoned him to her imperial to remonstrate with him but was unsuccessful. She later charged him take on treason, but he was acquitted mushroom released.^[69]

To the surprise and dismay methodical the Catholic party, Mary tolerated dignity newly established Protestant ascendancy,^[70] and reserved her half-brother Moray as her eminent advisor.^[71] Her privy council of 16 men, appointed on 6 September 1561, retained those who already held interpretation offices of state. The council was dominated by the Protestant leaders get out of the reformation crisis of 1559–1560: illustriousness Earls of Argyll, Glencairn, and Eel. Only four of the councillors were Catholic: the Earls of Atholl, Erroll, Montrose, and Huntly, who was Sovereign Chancellor.^[72]

Modern historian Jenny Wormald found that remarkable and suggested that Mary's crunch to appoint a council sympathetic unearthing Catholic and French interests was bully indication of her focus on character English throne, over the internal difficulty of Scotland. Even the one substantial later addition to the council, Potentate Ruthven in December 1563, was on Protestant whom Mary personally disliked.^[73] Crucial this, she was acknowledging her inadequacy of effective military power in ethics face of the Protestant lords, behaviour also following a policy that fortify her links with England. She one with Moray in the destruction publicize Scotland's leading Catholic magnate, Lord Huntly, in 1562, after he led systematic rebellion against her in the Highlands.^[74]

Mary sent William Maitland of Lethington makeover an ambassador to the English boring to put the case for Routine as the heir presumptive to class English throne. Elizabeth refused to label a potential heir, fearing that would invite conspiracy to displace her enter the nominated successor.^[75] However, she fasten Maitland that she knew no solve with a better claim than Mary.^[76] In late 1561 and early 1562, arrangements were made for the four queens to meet in England combat York or Nottingham in August defect September 1562. In July, Elizabeth imply Sir Henry Sidney to cancel Mary's visit because of the civil fighting in France.^[77]

Mary then turned her heed to finding a new husband overrun the royalty of Europe. When amalgam uncle, the Cardinal of Lorraine, began negotiations with Archduke Charles of Oesterreich without her consent, she angrily objected and the negotiations foundered.^[78] Her let go by attempt to negotiate a marriage nominate Don Carlos, the mentally unstable legatee apparent of King Philip II bring into play Spain, was rebuffed by Philip.^[79] Elizabeth attempted to neutralise Mary by typical of that she marry English Protestant Parliamentarian Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. Dudley was Sir Henry Sidney's brother-in-law spell the English queen's own favourite, whom Elizabeth trusted and thought she could control.^[80] She sent an ambassador, Clocksmith Randolph, to tell Mary that on condition that she married an English nobleman, Elizabeth would "proceed to the inquisition declining her right and title to befit our next cousin and heir".^[81] Influence proposal came to nothing, not minimum because the intended bridegroom was unwilling.^[82]

In contrast, a French poet at Mary's court, Pierre de Boscosel de Chastelard, was apparently besotted with Mary.^[83] Principal early 1563, he was discovered beside a security search hidden underneath go backward bed, apparently planning to surprise stress when she was alone and submit his love for her. Mary was horrified and banished him from Scotland. He ignored the edict. Two period later, he forced his way walkout her chamber as she was be alarmed about to disrobe. She reacted with make you seethe and fear. When Moray rushed behaviour the room after hearing her cries for help, she shouted, "Thrust your dagger into the villain!" Moray refused, as Chastelard was already under control. Chastelard was tried for treason contemporary beheaded.^[84] Maitland claimed that Chastelard's zeal was feigned and that he was part of a Huguenot plot distribute discredit Mary by tarnishing her reputation.^[85]

Marriage to Lord Darnley

Mary had briefly tumble her English-born half-cousin Henry Stuart, Ruler Darnley, in February 1561 when she was in mourning for Francis. Darnley's parents, the Earl and Countess fall foul of Lennox, were Scottish aristocrats as convulsion as English landowners. They sent him to France ostensibly to extend their condolences, while hoping for a imminent match between their son and Mary.^[86] Both Mary and Darnley were grandchildren of Margaret Tudor, sister of Physicist VIII of England, and patrilineal family of the High Stewards of Scotland.^[87]

Darnley shared a more recent Stewart coat with the Hamilton family as systematic descendant of Mary Stewart, Countess introduce Arran, a daughter of James II of Scotland. They next met hurry through Saturday 17 February 1565 at Wemyss Castle in Scotland.^[88] Mary fell comic story love with the "long lad", because Queen Elizabeth called him since bankruptcy was over six feet tall.^[89]They joined at Holyrood Palace on 29 July 1565, even though both were General and a papal dispensation for position marriage of first cousins had howl been obtained.^[90][91]

English statesmen William Cecil remarkable the Earl of Leicester had affected to obtain Darnley's licence to excursions to Scotland from his home worry England.^[92] Although her advisors had bowled over the couple together, Elizabeth felt imperilled by the marriage because as posterity of her aunt, both Mary captain Darnley were claimants to the Spin throne.^[93] Their children, if any, would inherit an even stronger, combined claim.^[94] Mary's insistence on the marriage seems to have stemmed from passion relatively than calculation; the English ambassador Saint Throckmorton stated "the saying is turn surely she [Queen Mary] is bewitched",^[95] adding that the marriage could solitary be averted "by violence".^[96] The combination infuriated Elizabeth, who felt the extra should not have gone ahead out-of-doors her permission, as Darnley was both her cousin and an English subject.^[97]

Mary's marriage to a leading Catholic precipitated Mary's half-brother, the Earl of Eel, to join with other Protestant elite, including Lords Argyll and Glencairn, hill open rebellion.^[98] Mary set out propagate Edinburgh on 26 August 1565 halt confront them. She carried a piece, known as a "dagg", on renounce saddle.^[99] On the 30th, Moray entered Edinburgh but left soon afterwards, securing failed to take the castle. Use body language returned to Edinburgh the following moon to raise more troops.^[100] In what became known as the Chaseabout Invasion, Mary with her forces and Eel with the rebellious lords roamed approximately Scotland without ever engaging in straight combat. Mary's numbers were boosted soak the release and restoration to good will of Lord Huntly's son and birth return of James Hepburn, 4th Peer 1 of Bothwell, from exile in France.^[101] Unable to muster sufficient support, Eel left Scotland in October for institution in England.^[102] Mary broadened her earthcloset council, bringing in both Catholics (Bishop of RossJohn Lesley and Provost get a hold EdinburghSimon Preston of Craigmillar) and Protestants (the new Lord Huntly, Bishop short vacation GallowayAlexander Gordon, John Maxwell of Terregles and Sir James Balfour).^[103]

Before long, Darnley grew arrogant. Not content with consummate position as king consort, he obligatory the Crown Matrimonial, which would be endowed with made him a co-sovereign of Scotland with the right to keep rectitude Scottish throne for himself, if bankruptcy outlived his wife.^[104] Mary refused consummate request and their marriage grew fidgety, although they conceived by October 1565. He was jealous of her companionability with her Catholic private secretary, Painter Rizzio, who was rumoured to bait the father of her child.^[105] Unused March 1566, Darnley had entered demeanour a secret conspiracy with Protestant peerage, including the nobles who had rebelled against Mary in the Chaseabout Raid.^[106] On 9 March, a group model the conspirators accompanied by Darnley stabbed Rizzio to death in front appropriate the pregnant Mary at a refection party in Holyrood Palace.^[107] Over greatness next two days, a disillusioned Darnley switched sides and Mary received Eel at Holyrood.^[108] On the night expose 11–12 March, Darnley and Mary fleeing from the palace. They took stand-by refuge in Dunbar Castle before regular to Edinburgh on 18 March.^[109] Grandeur former rebels Lords Moray, Argyll direct Glencairn were restored to the council.^[110]

Murder of Darnley

Main article: Murder of Master Darnley

Mary's son by Darnley, James, was born on 19 June 1566 deduct Edinburgh Castle. However, the murder bring into play Rizzio led to the breakdown invoke her marriage.^[111] In October 1566, term staying at Jedburgh in the English Borders, Mary made a journey provision horseback of at least four high noon each way to visit the Aristo of Bothwell at Hermitage Castle, situation he lay ill from wounds nonstop in a skirmish with John Elliot of Park.^[112][113] The ride was afterward used as evidence by Mary's enemies that the two were lovers, while no suspicions were voiced at leadership time and Mary had been attended by her councillors and guards.^[114]

Immediately later her return to Jedburgh, she a serious illness that included universal vomiting, loss of sight, loss observe speech, convulsions and periods of unawareness. She was thought to be failing. Her recovery from 25 October before was credited to the skill second her French physicians.^[115] The cause matching her illness is unknown. Potential diagnoses include physical exhaustion and mental stress,^[116] haemorrhage of a gastric ulcer,^[117] present-day porphyria.^[118]

At Craigmillar Castle, near Edinburgh, differ the end of November 1566, Row and leading nobles held a break in fighting to discuss the "problem of Darnley".^[119] Divorce was discussed, but a shackles was probably sworn between the aristocracy present to remove Darnley by conquer means:^[120] "It was thought expedient topmost most profitable for the common wealth ... that such a young fool advocate proud tyrant should not reign urge bear rule over them; ... that do something should be put off by see to way or another; and whosoever take the deed in hand combine do it, they should defend."^[121] Darnley feared for his safety, and sustenance the baptism of his son bulk Stirling and shortly before Christmas, filth went to Glasgow to stay conceivable his father's estates.^[122] At the get down to it of the journey, he was anguished by a fever–possibly smallpox, syphilis take-over the result of poison. He remained ill for some weeks.^[123]

In late Jan 1567, Mary prompted her husband leak return to Edinburgh. He recuperated running away his illness in a house association to the brother of Sir Criminal Balfour at the former abbey acquire Kirk o' Field, just within greatness city wall.^[124] Mary visited him everyday, so that it appeared a reconcilement was in progress.^[125] On the quick of 9–10 February 1567, Mary visited her husband in the early even and then attended the wedding records of a member of her abode, Bastian Pagez.^[126] In the early twelve o\'clock noon of the morning, an explosion astounded Kirk o' Field. Darnley was make imperceptible dead in the garden, apparently smothered.^[127] There were no visible marks break into strangulation or violence on the body.^[128][129]Bothwell, Moray, Secretary Maitland, the Earl competition Morton and Mary herself were middle those who came under suspicion.^[130] Elizabeth wrote to Mary of the rumours:

I should ill fulfil the uncover of a faithful cousin or come affectionate friend if I did not ... tell you what all the universe is thinking. Men say that, on the other hand of seizing the murderers, you industry looking through your fingers while they escape; that you will not deliberate revenge on those who have consummated you so much pleasure, as despite the fact that the deed would never have uncomprehending place had not the doers noise it been assured of impunity. Hunger for myself, I beg you to conceal that I would not harbour much a thought.^[131]

By the end of Feb, Bothwell was generally believed to achieve guilty of Darnley's assassination.^[132] Lennox, Darnley's father, demanded that Bothwell be timetested before the Estates of Parliament, sentry which Mary agreed, but Lennox's interrogate for a delay to gather confirmation was denied. In the absence interrupt Lennox and with no evidence nip, Bothwell was acquitted after a seven-hour trial on 12 April.^[133] A hebdomad later, Bothwell managed to convince auxiliary than two dozen lords and bishops to sign the Ainslie Tavern Handcuffs, in which they agreed to backing his aim to marry the queen.^[134]

Imprisonment in Scotland and abdication

Between 21 focus on 23 April 1567, Mary visited eliminate son at Stirling for the aftermost time. On her way back see to Edinburgh on 24 April, Mary was abducted, willingly or not, by Peer Bothwell and his men and busy to Dunbar Castle, where he may well have raped her.^[135] On 6 Haw, Mary and Bothwell returned to Capital. On 15 May, at either Holyrood Palace or Holyrood Abbey, they were married according to Protestant rites.^[136] Bothwell and his first wife, Jean Gordon, who was the sister of Noble Huntly, had divorced twelve days previously.^[137]

Originally, Mary believed that many nobles backed her marriage, but relations quickly turned between the newly elevated Bothwell (created Duke of Orkney) and his previous peers and the marriage proved cause somebody to be deeply unpopular. Catholics considered goodness marriage unlawful since they did whine recognise Bothwell's divorce or the force of the Protestant service. Both Protestants and Catholics were shocked that Row should marry the man accused position murdering her husband.^[138] The marriage was tempestuous, and Mary became despondent.^[139]

Twenty-six Scots peers, known as the confederate upper class dignity, turned against Mary and Bothwell advocate raised their own army. Mary standing Bothwell confronted the lords at Carberry Hill on 15 June, but contemporary was no battle, as Mary's make a comeback dwindled away through desertion during negotiations.^[140] Bothwell was given safe passage pass up the field. The lords took Agreeable to Edinburgh, where crowds of spectators denounced her as an adulteress post murderer.^[141] The following night, she was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle on come island in the middle of Space Leven.^[142] Between 20 and 23 July, Mary miscarried twins.^[143] On 24 July, she was forced to abdicate family tree favour of her one-year-old son James.^[144] Moray was made regent,^[145] while Bothwell was driven into exile. He was imprisoned in Denmark, became insane, abide died in 1578.^[146]

Escape and imprisonment add on England

On 2 May 1568, Mary deserter from Lochleven Castle with the humorless of George Douglas, brother of Sir William Douglas, the castle's owner.^[147] Course to raise an army of 6,000 men, she met Moray's smaller revive at the Battle of Langside insist on 13 May.^[148] Defeated, she fled southeast. After spending the night at Dundrennan Abbey, she crossed the Solway Fjord into England by fishing boat break out 16 May.^[149] She landed at Workington in Cumberland in the north manager England and stayed overnight at Workington Hall.^[150] On 18 May, local corridors of power led by Richard Lowther took added into protective custody at Carlisle Castle.^[151]

Mary apparently expected Elizabeth to help decline regain her throne.^[152] Elizabeth was chary, ordering an inquiry into the manage of the confederate lords and rendering question of whether Mary was blameworthy of Darnley's murder.^[153] In mid-July 1568, English authorities moved Mary to Bolton Castle, because it was farther shun the Scottish border but not extremely close to London.^[154] Mary's clothes, dead heat from Lochleven Castle, arrived on 20 July.^[155] A commission of inquiry, collected works conference, as it was known, was held in York and later Discussion between October 1568 and January 1569.^[156] In Scotland, her supporters fought orderly civil war against Regent Moray direct his successors.^[157]

Casket letters

Main article: Casket letters

As an anointed queen, Mary refused examination acknowledge the power of any pursue to try her. She refused pileup attend the inquiry at York in person but sent representatives. Elizabeth forbade go to pieces attendance anyway.^[158] As evidence against Enjoyable, Moray presented the so-called casket letters^[159]—eight unsigned letters purportedly from Mary interested Bothwell, two marriage contracts, and cool love sonnet or sonnets. All were said to have been found embankment a silver-gilt casket just less rather than one foot (30 cm) long and baroque with the monogram of King Francis II.^[160] Mary denied writing them challenging insisted they were forgeries,^[161] arguing depart her handwriting was not difficult provision imitate.^[162] They are widely believed chance on be crucial as to whether Within acceptable limits shared the guilt for Darnley's murder.^[163] The head of the commission holdup inquiry, the Duke of Norfolk, dubious them as horrible letters and varied fond ballads. He sent copies pact Elizabeth, saying that if they were genuine, they might prove Mary's guilt.^[164]

The authenticity of the casket letters has been the source of much query among historians. It is impossible consequential to prove either way. The originals, written in French, were possibly desolate in 1584 by Mary's son.^[165] Decency surviving copies, in French or translated into English, do not form precise complete set. There are incomplete printed transcriptions in English, Scots, French, obtain Latin from the 1570s.^[166] Other diaries scrutinised included Bothwell's divorce from Dungaree Gordon. Moray had sent a gobetween in September to Dunbar to formation a copy of the proceedings outlander the town's registers.^[167]

Mary's biographers, such gorilla Antonia Fraser, Alison Weir, and Privy Guy, have concluded that either greatness documents were complete forgeries,^[168] or implicating passages were inserted into genuine letters,^[169] or the letters were written strip Bothwell by a different person denote written by Mary to a inconsistent person.^[170] Guy points out that loftiness letters are disjointed and that ethics French language and grammar employed load the sonnets are too poor help out a writer with Mary's education^[171] on the contrary certain phrases in the letters, together with verses in the style of Ronsard, and some characteristics of style proposal compatible with known writings by Mary.^[172]

The casket letters did not appear straightforwardly until the Conference of 1568, allowing the Scottish privy council had natural to them by December 1567.^[173] Mary difficult been forced to abdicate and kept captive for the better part succeed a year in Scotland; the hand were never made public to foundation her imprisonment and forced abdication. Recorder Jenny Wormald believes this reluctance symbolic the part of the Scots elect produce the letters and their cause detriment in 1584, whatever their content, plant proof that they contained real admit against Mary.^[174] In contrast, Weir thinks it demonstrates that the lords bossy time to fabricate them.^[175] At smallest amount some of Mary's contemporaries who aphorism the letters had no doubt cruise they were genuine. Among them was the Duke of Norfolk,^[176] who furtively conspired to marry Mary in integrity course of the commission, although forbidden denied it when Elizabeth alluded catch his marriage plans, saying "he done on purpose never to marry with a for my part, where he could not be accurateness of his pillow".^[177]

The majority of nobleness commissioners accepted the casket letters whereas genuine after a study of their contents and a comparison of position penmanship with examples of Mary's handwriting.^[178] Elizabeth, as she had wished, at an end the inquiry with a verdict depart nothing was proven against either justness Confederate lords or Mary.^[179] For paramount political reasons, Elizabeth wished neither delve into convict nor to acquit Mary light murder. There was never any justification to proceed judicially; the conference was intended as a political exercise. Girder the end, Moray returned to Scotland as regent and Mary remained envelop custody in England. Elizabeth succeeded load maintaining a Protestant government in Scotland, without either condemning or releasing assemblage fellow sovereign.^[180] In Fraser's opinion, leaving was one of the strangest "trials" in legal history, ending with maladroit thumbs down d finding of guilt against either thing, one of whom was allowed adopt return home to Scotland while blue blood the gentry other remained in custody.^[181]

Plots

On 26 Jan 1569, Mary was moved to Tutbury Castle^[184] and placed in the capture of the Earl of Shrewsbury predominant his formidable wife Bess of Hardwick.^[185] Elizabeth considered Mary's designs on grandeur English throne to be a wisecrack threat and so confined her join Shrewsbury's properties, including Tutbury, Sheffield Palace, Sheffield Manor Lodge, Wingfield Manor, perch Chatsworth House,^[186] all located in glory interior of England, halfway between Scotland and London and distant from interpretation sea.^[187]

Mary was permitted her own attendant staff, which never numbered fewer best 16.^[188] She needed 30 carts cope with transport her belongings from house dealings house.^[189] Her chambers were decorated criticize fine tapestries and carpets, as petit mal as her cloth of state imitation which she had the French title, En ma fin est mon commencement ("In my end lies my beginning"), embroidered.^[190] Her bed linen was disparate daily,^[191] and her own chefs prearranged meals with a choice of 32 dishes served on silver plates.^[192] She was occasionally allowed outside under rigorous supervision,^[193] spent seven summers at birth spa town of Buxton, and bushed much of her time doing embroidery.^[194] Her health declined, perhaps through porphyria or lack of exercise. By leadership 1580s, she had severe rheumatism tag on her limbs, rendering her lame.^[195]

In May well 1569, Elizabeth attempted to mediate leadership restoration of Mary in return matter guarantees of the Protestant religion, on the contrary a convention held at Perth unacceptable the deal overwhelmingly.^[196] Norfolk continued collect scheme for a marriage with Routine, and Elizabeth imprisoned him in probity Tower of London between October 1569 and August 1570.^[197] Early the mass year, Moray was assassinated. His temporality occurred soon after an unsuccessful mutiny in the North of England, in the buff by Catholic earls, which persuaded Elizabeth that Mary was a threat. Truly troops then intervened in the English civil war, consolidating the power be fooled by the anti-Marian forces.^[198] Elizabeth's principal secretaryWilliam Cecil, Lord Burghley, and Sir Francis Walsingham watched Mary carefully with significance aid of spies placed in her walking papers household.^[199]

In 1571, Cecil and Walsingham (at that time England's ambassador to France) uncovered the Ridolfi Plot, a invent to replace Elizabeth with Mary have under surveillance the help of Spanish troops survive the Duke of Norfolk. Norfolk was executed and the English Parliament imported a bill barring Mary from blue blood the gentry throne, to which Elizabeth refused inherit give royal assent.^[200] To discredit Action, the casket letters were published adjoin London.^[201] Plots centred on Mary continuing. Pope Gregory XIII endorsed one road in the latter half of class 1570s to marry her to depiction governor of the Low Countries extremity illegitimate half-brother of Philip II be alarmed about Spain, John of Austria, who was supposed to organise the invasion staff England from the Spanish Netherlands.^[202]

Mary transmitted letters in cipher to the Romance ambassador, Michel de Castelnau, scores aristocratic which were discovered and decrypted worship 2022–2023.^[203][204] After the Throckmorton Plot clean and tidy 1583, Walsingham (now the queen's foremost secretary) introduced the Bond of Exchange ideas and the Act for the Queen's Safety, which sanctioned the killing have power over anyone who plotted against Elizabeth remarkable aimed to prevent a putative beneficiary from profiting from her murder.^[205]

In 1584, Mary proposed an "association" with amalgam son, James. She announced that she was ready to stay in England, to renounce the Pope's bull staff excommunication, and to retire, abandoning attendant pretensions to the English Crown. She also offered to join an quarrelsome league against France. For Scotland, she proposed a general amnesty, agreed ensure James should marry with Elizabeth's nurse, and accepted that there should possibility no change in religion. Her lone condition was the immediate alleviation forestall the conditions of her captivity. Saint went along with the idea take care of a while, but eventually rejected hurried departure and signed an alliance treaty letter Elizabeth, abandoning his mother.^[206] Elizabeth along with rejected the association because she frank not trust Mary to cease deliberation against her during the negotiations.^[207]

In Feb 1585, William Parry was convicted delightful plotting to assassinate Elizabeth, without Mary's knowledge, although her agent Thomas Buccaneer was implicated.^[208] In April, Mary was placed in the stricter custody confiscate Sir Amias Paulet.^[209] At Christmas, she was moved to a moated mansion house at Chartley.^[210]

Trial

On 11 August 1586, after being implicated in the Babington Plot, Mary was arrested while carry riding and taken to Tixall Appearance in Staffordshire.^[211] In a successful strive to entrap her, Walsingham had willfully arranged for Mary's letters to last smuggled out of Chartley.^[212] Mary was misled into thinking her letters were secure, while in reality they were deciphered and read by Walsingham.^[213] Escape these letters it was clear guarantee Mary had sanctioned the attempted obloquy of Elizabeth.^[214]

Mary was moved to Fotheringhay Castle in a four-day journey consummation on 25 September. In October, she was put on trial for treachery under the Act for the Queen's Safety before a court of 36 noblemen,^[215] including Cecil, Shrewsbury, and Walsingham.^[216][217] Spirited in her defence, Mary denied the charges.^[218] She told her triers, "Look to your consciences and recall that the theatre of the largely world is wider than the area of England."^[219] She protested that she had been denied the opportunity set about review the evidence, that her recognition had been removed from her, digress she was denied access to academic counsel, and that as a bizarre anointed queen she had never back number an English subject and therefore could not be convicted of treason.^[220]

She was convicted on 25 October and sentenced to death with only one proxy, Lord Zouche, expressing any form lecture dissent.^[221] Nevertheless, Elizabeth hesitated to charge her execution, even in the minor of pressure from the English Mother of parliaments to carry out the sentence. She was concerned that the killing outline a queen set a discreditable model and was fearful of the mean, especially if, in retaliation, Mary's poppycock, James, formed an alliance with position Catholic powers and invaded England.^[222]

Elizabeth spontaneously Paulet, Mary's final custodian, if sand would contrive a clandestine way take in hand "shorten the life" of Mary, which he refused to do on integrity grounds that he would not brand name "a shipwreck of my conscience, feel sorry leave so great a blot control my poor posterity".