Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Stuart, born at Linlithgow, 8 December, 1542; died at Fotheringay, 8 February, 1587. She was the only legitimate child of James V of Scotland. His death (14 December) followed immediately after her birth, and she became queen when only six days old.
Portrait of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, at the age of 12 or 13. Painting by François Clouet
The Tudors endeavored by war to force on her a match with Edward VI of England. Mary, however, was sent to France, 7 August, 1548, where she was excellently educated, as is now admitted by both friend and foe. On 24 April, 1558, she married the dauphin Francis and, on the death of Henri II, 10 July, 1559, became Queen Consort of France.
This apparent good fortune was saddened by the loss of Scotland. Immediately after the accession of Elizabeth, her council made plans to “help the divisions” of Scotland by aiding those “inclined to true religion”. The revolution broke out in May, and with Elizabeth’s aid soon gained the upper hand. There were dynastic, as well as religious, reasons for this policy. Elizabeth’s birth being illegitimate, Mary, though excluded by the will of Henry VIII, might claim the English Throne as the legitimate heir. As the state of war still prevailed between the two countries, there was no chance of her being accepted, but her heralds did, later on, emblazon England in her arms, which deeply offended the English Queen. Mary’s troubles were still further increased by the Huguenot rising in France, called le tumulte d’Amboise (6-17 March, 1560), making it impossible for the French to succor Mary’s side in Scotland.
Mary, Queen of Scots Depicted in an 1885 Engraving
At last the starving French garrison of Leith was obliged to yield to a large English force, and Mary’s representatives signed the Treaty of Edinburgh (6 July, 1560). One clause of this treaty might have excluded from the English throne all Mary’s descendants, amongst them the present reigning house, which claims through her. Mary would never confirm this treaty. Francis II died, 5 December, and Mary, prostrate for a time with grief, awoke to find all power gone and rivals installed in her place. Though the Scottish reformers had at first openly plotted her deposition, a change was making itself felt, and her return was agreed to. Elizabeth refused a passport, and ordered her fleet to watch for Mary’s vessel. She sailed in apprehension of the worst, but reached Leith in safety, 19 August, 1561.
Mary Queen of Scots by Federico Zuccari
The political revolution, the vast appropriations of church property, and the frenzied hatred of Knox’s followers for Catholicism made any restoration of the old order impossible. Mary contented herself with the new and, by her moderation and management, left time for a gradual return of loyalty. But though she ruled, she did not yet govern. She issued, and frequently repeated, a proclamation accepting religion as she had found it — the first edict of toleration in Great Britain. A slow but steady amelioration of the lot of Catholics took place. At the end of her reign there were no fewer than 12,600 Easter communions at Edinburgh.
