MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
1542 - 1587

Mary, also called Mary (not Martha) Stuart, was queen of Scotland from 1542 until 1567. She was first lady in France from 1559 until 1560. People talked about her beauty, which you might or might not find supported by the picture above.

MARY'S FAMILY
Mary's grandmother was Henry VIII's elder sister Margaret Tudor.

Mary's father was King James V of Scotland. Mary's mother was French Mary de Guise.

Mary's first husband was Francis II of France. Her second husband was Henry Stewart, earl of Darnley. Her third husband was James Hepburn, 4th earl of Bothwell. Mary would've kept going but her execution cut her short.

With husband Henry, Mary had a son, James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England.


MARY'S LIFE
Mary's life started on a rather promising note. As a five year old, Mary came to France and grew up at the court of King Henry II and Catherine de Médicis.

Mary's father, King James V of Scotland, died when she was six years old. This event made Mary Queen of the Scots.

In 1558, Mary was married to Francis, son of Henry and Catherine.

In the same year, Elizabeth Tudor became queen of England as Elizabeth I. Mary's stocks went up a 1000% per share right then, because this meant Mary would be next in line for the English throne.

In fact, some decided Elizabeth was illegitimate altogether and Mary was the true queen. Henry II of France saw it that way and claimed the English throne for Mary.

In 1559, Henry died and his son Francis, who was also Mary's husband, became king of France. This was Mary's zenith and for her, it went downhill from there.

In 1560, Husband Francis II died at age 16. He was succeeded by his brother, Charles IX.

It was August of 1561. Mary, Roman Catholic by faith, moved back to Protestant Scotland. She lived now next door to her arch-rival Elizabeth I. Mistake number one.

This was followed by mistake number two in July 1565. Mary married Henry Stewart, the earl of Darnley. This meant a raise in power for the Stewart (Stuart) family and the Lennox family (Henry's father was the 4th earl of Lennox) and shook up the Scottish upper crust.

Instead of bringing about a smooth shift of power within the noble families, struggle and unrest commenced.

Mary thought she was in love with Henry Stewart, but Henry turned out to be the complete airhead with a tendency to violence. Mary became unhappy but not smarter.

DID SHE OR DIDN'T SHE
Mary might or might not have had a liaison with James Hepburn, 4th earl of Bothwell. Furthermore, she might or might not have planned to kill airhead Henry. (Check out the Casket Letters.)

In any event, it followed some action.

On the night of February 9, 1567, Henry's house blew up with him in it. Henry tried to get out of the building but someone wanted the job done properly and strangled him on the doorstep. Who was the merry strangler? We will never know for sure. Some strongly suggest that James Hepburn fit the bill.

Meanwhile in DenseVille Mary decided to dig her own grave. She supported all rumors around her by marrying James Hepburn just three months after the killing of her husband Henry.

The Scots had had it. They exiled James Hepburn and put Mary in prison. In her place, Mary's son James was declared king of Scotland.

Mary's two brain cells celebrated infertility and came up with another good plan. Why not escape and flee to the country to which she was the biggest threat, England.

Off she went and after studying the wallpaper of an English prison for 18 years, Mary was beheaded.