Marie Stuart - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. Marie Stuart, also known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was born on December 8, 1542 in Linlithgow Palace, Scotland. She was the only legitimate child of King James V of Scotland and his wife, Mary of Guise.
- 2. Marie Stuart became Queen of Scotland when she was just six days old, after her father King James V died. She was crowned at the age of nine months at the Chapel Royal of Stirling Castle.
- 3. Marie Stuart was betrothed to Francis, the Dauphin of France, when she was just five years old. They were married in 1558 when she was 15 years old, making her the Queen consort of France.
- 4. After the death of her first husband, Francis, in 1560, Marie Stuart returned to Scotland to rule as Queen. She faced opposition from Protestant nobles who resented her Catholicism and her French upbringing.
- 5. Marie Stuart's second marriage was to Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in 1565. Their marriage was tumultuous and marked by infidelity and political intrigue.
- 6. Lord Darnley was murdered in 1567, and Marie Stuart was implicated in his death. She married her third husband, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, who was suspected of being involved in the murder.
- 7. In 1567, Marie Stuart was forced to abdicate the Scottish throne in favor of her infant son, James VI. She fled to England seeking protection from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, but instead was imprisoned for 19 years.
- 8. Marie Stuart was ultimately executed on February 8, 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle in England. She was charged with plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and claim the English throne.
- 9. Marie Stuart's execution was carried out by beheading, and she famously wore a red petticoat as a symbol of her Catholic faith. Her final words were reportedly "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit."
- 10. Marie Stuart's life and tragic fate have been the subject of numerous books, plays, and films, cementing her place in history as a controversial and complex figure. Her legacy continues to be debated by historians and scholars to this day.