What is it about Mary?

Many of us know something about Mary Queen of Scots or Mary Stuart - it could be a trickle of knowledge or a fountain of facts ... but was she to be confined to a ‘doomed loch’?  

Her story is tragic but also endearing and fascinating.  It is hard to believe that for the forty four years she lived, her many experiences, as hard to grasp as they are, formed this lady, her history and legacy.

From castles and titles to her ultimate execution, Mary was born in 1542 on the 8th of December. Her premature death at age 44 years left a son ‘James’, whom she had rarely seen. 

Mary’s father died when she was only six days old.  In 1558 Mary married the Dauphin of France and it was thought to be safer for her to live in France due to pressing issues such as religion and politics in Scotland.

Unfortunately by 1561 she was a widow and returned to Scotland where tensions were high. 

Mary would go on and marry again and again and suffered at the hands and unfairness of her husbands. Controversy, rumours, timely deaths from explosions and eventually uprisings all contributed to the downfall of Mary.

Mary, finding herself alone and at risk went to her cousin Elizabeth of England to seek refuge - this would prove to be a mistake as her cousin confined her to many castles and manor houses in England, with a total of eighteen years spent in captivity.

She was found to have been ‘guilty’ of plotting against Elizabeth and was executed as a result…..

The tragedy of her story remains a huge part of Scottish history and culture.  But it seems she was strong willed, determined and a figure which we place high on the scale of Scottish influence.  

Intelligent, eloquent and curious - it is easy to imagine her thriving, gaining popularity and winning the people over however with religion and politics, she was on shaky ground and was targeted by many for her title, credentials and as a person to form links with for future outcomes for various monarchies.

She was basically a stepping stone and unacknowledged for what her contribution could be but then again with her birth right and strong will it is likely that Mary had a few ideas herself with supposedly an eye on the English throne too.

Mary is an example of Scottish strength, stamina and resilience in a world where competing rulers and monarchs stopped at nothing to gain further enhancement to their royal court. 

 All photo credit - pixabay