Mary was the lady who changed the course of history. Although born and crowned Queen in Scotland as an infant, she was sent off to France at the age of five, and Scotland was ruled by Regents. She married the Dauphin of France on 24 April 1558 when she was fifteen. When he ascended the throne in 1559 as Francis II, Mary became Queen Consort. In December 1560, Mary was widowed and returned to live in Scotland.
A poet gave an account of their wedding: they scattered gold and silver amongst the people (the Scots call it a 'scramble' or 'poor oot' and it was traditional at a Scottish wedding. All the children would run to pick up the coins).
The French always maintained that through her grandmother, Margaret Tudor, she was the rightful Queen of England as well as Scotland. Mary's second marriage was to her cousin, Lord Darnley in February 1565. This was not a happy union. He treated the Queen terribly and his supporters killed her favourite confidante, her Italian teacher, David Rizzo, when Mary was six months pregnant. Unfortunately, she could do nothing about this until her child was born, except lull Darnley into a false sense of security. Mary gave birth to a son, James. Soon after, Darnley was involved in an unfortunate explosion in a house he was staying in. He and his manservant both died.
Her third husband was James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell. This marriage was too much for some of Mary's sympathizers. Bothwell escaped to Norway via the Orkneys, but Mary was imprisoned on Loch Leven where she miscarried twins. In 1567 she abdicated in favour of her infant son, James, who became King James VI of Scotland, and later James I of England.
Mary, Queen of Scots as a young woman. She was eventually beheaded at Fotheringay Castle, it taking two strikes to sever her head.
Charles I with his wife Henrietta and his children.
World History
