Scottish Queen Mary Stuart lived a vibrant life. Her tragic fate still attracts attention.
Childhood and teens
Maria Stewart, Queen of Scotland from an early age, ruler of France (as the wife of Francis II) and one of the pretenders to the throne of England, was born December 8, 1542 in the palace of Linlithgow, the beloved residence of the rulers of the Stuart dynasty.
The daughter of Princess Maria de Guise and the Scottish King James V, a little heiress, lost her father a few days after birth. He died young, at the age of 30. The cause of such an early death was the severe and extremely humiliating defeat of Scotland in a military conflict with England, the betrayal of the barons who sided with the enemy, and the death of two sons.
Since there were no direct and legal heirs after Jacob, only having been born, his daughter was declared the new ruler of Scotland.
Because of her age, Mary, the Scottish queen, could not rule herself, a regent was appointed. They became her closest relative, James Hamilton.
Military conflict with England
The story of Queen Mary of Scotland is full of unexpected twists. Her father sought an alliance with France, and was at war with the English state. Regent James Hamilton, by contrast, began to pursue pro-English politics. An agreement was reached on the marriage of Mary with the heir to the English throne, Edward. By this time, her coronation took place.
Against these plans was the Queen Mother, speaking with a group of Scottish nobles for a new alliance with France. Their actions, as well as the demand of Henry VIII to immediately send little Maria to him, led to a sharp change in the situation in the country. Supporters of France came to power, and England immediately reacted to this. The invasion of British troops into Scotland began. They ravaged villages and cities, destroyed churches. Supporters of Protestantism, advocating rapprochement with England, also intensified. All this led to the fact that the Scottish authorities turned to France for help. An agreement was signed on the marriage of Mary and the heir to the French throne, Francis. After that, the five-year-old Queen of Scotland was taken to France.
Life at the court of Henry II
In the summer of 1548, little Mary arrives in Paris with a small retinue. She was given a very warm welcome at the court of the French king. Here she received a brilliant education: she learned several languages, learned to play the lute and sing.
10 years after arriving in France, Queen Mary of Scotland and Francis married. This alliance, one of the conditions of which was the transfer of France to Scotland in case of the Queen’s childlessness, caused discontent in her homeland.
Queen Mary of Scotland and Francis were together for only two years. After his accession to the throne in 1559, the country was actually ruled by Catherine de Medici, the mother of the king. Weak health Francis died in 1560. His death meant the return of Mary Stuart home.
Mother's regency
The story of Queen Mary of Scotland is like a tragic romance. From infancy, she was drawn into the political games of thrones, lived outside her homeland for many years, and she ruled for a short six years.
In those years when she lived in France, her mother, Maria de Guise, ruled the country instead. It was a difficult time for Scotland. Aristocrats were dissatisfied with the marriage conditions of their queen, Protestants increasingly strengthened their influence, which led to a split in society. Even more problems arose with the accession to the English throne of Elizabeth I. She was illegitimate, and Mary, the Scottish queen, had more rights to inherit the crown of England. She acts as follows: does not prevent Elizabeth from ascending the throne, but does not officially renounce her rights to him. But at the same time, Mary commits a rash act, which forever spoils the relationship between the two rulers. She places the crown of England on her coat of arms, hinting that she is the rightful heir.
The Protestant revolution that began in Scotland at that time forced its supporters to turn to England for help, and Elizabeth I brought troops into the country. Mary, the Scottish queen, could not help her mother because she had no influence, and Catherine de Medici, who actually ruled France, did not want to go into conflict with England.
In the summer of 1560, Maria de Guise dies - she was the last obstacle to the final victory of Protestantism in Scotland. Soon after, Francis II dies .
Homecoming
In 1561, Mary Stuart returned to Scotland. The situation in which the 18-year-old queen fell was extremely difficult. Supporters of the alliance with France were ready to support her in everything. A moderate wing would go over to it only if Protestantism was maintained and oriented toward rapprochement with England. The most radical part of the Protestant aristocracy demanded the immediate separation of the Queen from the Catholic faith and her marriage to one of her leaders - Count Arran. In such circumstances, had to act very carefully.
Board and politics
Queen Mary of Scotland, whose biography is unusually interesting, was careful during her reign. She did not accept Protestantism, but she did not try to restore Catholicism in the country. She relied on a moderate bloc, introducing her half-brother to key posts in the state of William Maitland and James Stewart. The radicals tried to plot against her, but he failed. The Queen officially recognized the Protestant religion, but did not sever ties with Rome. Such a policy brought positive results - during the reign of Mary Stuart, the country was relatively calm.
If it was possible to deal with problems within the country without bloodshed, then foreign policy brought much more difficulties. The Queen of Scotland resolutely refused to recognize Elizabeth I as her heir, hoping to exercise her rights to the English throne. None of them were going to reconcile.
Personal life
Any portrait of Mary Stuart, the Scottish queen, suggests that she was a charming woman. There were many applicants for her hand. After the sudden death of Francis II and the return of the Queen to her homeland, the question of her new marriage was especially acute. Having met young Heinrich Stewart in 1565, she fell in love with him at first sight, and in the same year they were married. This caused strong discontent not only the Queen of England, but also the closest supporters of Mary Stuart. Her marriage meant the collapse of a policy of rapprochement with England. James Stewart began an uprising against the queen, but she managed to find support and was able to expel the conspirator from the country.
The second marriage was unsuccessful. Being a mediocre ruler, Henry tried to take control of the country into his own hands, which Mary resisted. Gradually they moved away from each other. The Queen relied more and more on the help of her secretary, David Riccio, and Henry in revenge became close to the Protestants and took part in a conspiracy against his wife’s favorite. Riccio was killed right in front of the queen. She had to make an effort and even reconcile with her husband in order to destroy the conspiracy against her. But relations with Henry were already completely ruined. This was facilitated not only by the brutal murder of Riccio, but also by the queen's new hobby - the courageous Earl of Botwell. And on the way to her happiness was her husband. He could recognize their newly born son Jacob as illegitimate, and this could not be allowed.
Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, died in the explosion of a powder keg in the house where he was staying, on the night of February 8-9, 1567. He was found murdered in the garden while trying to escape.
In history, Maria’s involvement in a conspiracy against her husband is still considered a controversial issue. Darnley also had other serious enemies, but popular rumor blamed the queen for everything. And for some reason she did nothing to prove Scotland's innocence to the crime. On the contrary, the word teasing everyone, less than a month after the death of her husband, she marries Botwell.
Overthrow
This hasty marriage was the Queen’s tragic mistake. She instantly lost support, and her opponents immediately took advantage of the situation. Gathering strength, they opposed Mary and her new husband. The royal troops were defeated, the queen surrendered, before being able to clear the way for the escaped spouse. In the castle of Lohvelen, she was forced to sign a renunciation of power in favor of her young son.
Escape to England. Unsuccessful attempt to regain power
Not all nobles agreed with the forcible removal of their ruler. The unrest began in the country. Mary, the Scottish queen, managed to take advantage of this and fled from captivity. The attempt to regain power failed. The opposition army was defeated and the ousted queen had to flee to England.
Intrigues against Elizabeth I
The Queen of England was in a delicate position. She could not help the military, send a relative to France either - Maria would immediately begin to make claims to the English throne. Elizabeth began an investigation into the death of her second husband, Maria, and her involvement in this.
Opponents of the queen presented letters (besides her poems, they were fake), from which it supposedly followed that she knew about the conspiracy. As a result of the trial and the unrest that reappeared in Scotland, Mary finally lost hope of regaining power.
While in custody, she acted extremely recklessly, having struck up correspondence with other royal houses. Against Elizabeth, attempts to remove her from the throne did not stop, and Mary remained the main contender for him.
The trial and execution of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots
Her name was attributed to several uncovered conspiracies against Elizabeth, but she hesitated, not daring to go to extreme measures. Only when the rival’s correspondence with one of the leaders of the conspirators fell into her hands, did the Queen of England decide on a court. He sentenced Mary Stuart to death. Elizabeth waited from her cousin for a tearful request for clemency, but in vain.
Mary Stuart, the Scottish queen, whose life story still excites the minds of historians and artists, ascended the scaffold and was publicly executed early in the morning of February 8, 1587, at the age of 44. She was surprisingly courageous, and went up to the block, holding her head high. Stefan Zweig brilliantly described the Queen’s execution in his work on this amazing woman.
Scottish Queen Mary Stuart in art
Her tragic fate and cruel execution were the source of many works of art. Stefan Zweig, Friedrich Schiller and other writers dedicated her works to her. The execution of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, became the motive of many paintings by artists.
Cinema also did not stand aside. A life in which there were ups and downs, love and treachery, hope and betrayal, is reflected in feature films and documentaries.
The name of this outstanding woman is associated with many fictional stories. In the new series “The Kingdom”, the scriptwriters went to the distortion of historical law - Queen Mary of Scotland and Sebastian, the illegitimate son of Henry II and Diana de Poitiers, are presented here as lovers. In fact, such a historical character has never been.
In 2013, the film “Mary the Queen of Scots (Scotland)” was created, which spoke about the amazing fate of this ruler, who bears three crowns on the banner.