Key People, Places and Events in the Life of Mary Queen of Scots

Key People

Family and Royal Figures

• James V of Scotland (1512-1542) - Mary's father, King of Scotland who died six days after her birth, leaving her as infant queen nms+1

• Mary of Guise (1515-1560) - Mary's French mother who served as regent of Scotland during Mary's minority; died while Mary was in France elizabethi+2

• James VI/James I (1566-1625) - Mary's son with Lord Darnley who became King of Scotland at age one after Mary's abdication and later inherited the English throne britannica+1

• Elizabeth I (1533-1603) - Mary's cousin (first cousin once removed) and Queen of England who kept Mary imprisoned for 19 years and ultimately signed her death warrant historyextra+1

Husbands and Romantic Figures

• Francis II of France (1544-1560) - Mary's first husband, the Dauphin of France whom she married in 1558; became King of France in 1559 but died in 1560 nts+2

• Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1545-1567) - Mary's second husband and cousin, father of James VI; murdered at Kirk o'Field in 1567 after becoming increasingly problematic wikipedia+2

• James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell (c.1535-1578) - Mary's third husband, suspected of murdering Darnley; married Mary in controversial circumstances in 1567 britannica+2

Political and Religious Figures

• John Knox (c.1514-1572) - Scottish Protestant reformer and preacher who opposed Mary's Catholic faith and questioned her right to rule historic-uk+2

• James Stewart, Earl of Moray (1531-1570) - Mary's illegitimate half-brother who served as her advisor and later as regent for James VI after Mary's abdication wikipedia+1

• William Maitland of Lethington (1525-1573) - Mary's Secretary of State, known as a skilled diplomat who worked to unite the Scottish and English crowns undiscoveredscotland+2

• David Riccio/Rizzio (1533-1566) - Italian musician who became Mary's private secretary and was brutally murdered by Darnley and Protestant lords in 1566 wikipedia+2

The Four Marys

• Mary Fleming (1542-1584) - One of Mary's four ladies-in-waiting and her cousin; later married William Maitland of Lethington ladyjanegrey+2

• Mary Seton (1542-1615) - The only one of the Four Marys never to marry; remained with Mary throughout her captivity until retiring to a French convent wikipedia+2

• Mary Beaton (1543-1597) - One of the Four Marys, considered the most beautiful; married Sir Alexander  +1

• Mary Livingston (1541-1579) - One of the Four Marys, known as "the lusty"; married John Sempill in 1565 ladyjanegrey+1

Key Places

Scottish Locations

• Linlithgow Palace - Mary's birthplace on 8 December 1542; a Renaissance palace where she spent her first seven months birlinn+2

• Stirling Castle - Where Mary was crowned Queen of Scots at nine months old on 9 September 1543 worldhistory+2

• Holyrood Palace/Holyroodhouse - Mary's main Edinburgh residence where David Riccio was murdered in 1566 postcardsfrommimi+2

• Kirk o'Field - Location in Edinburgh where Lord Darnley was murdered in an explosion on 10 February 1567 nationalarchives+2

• Lochleven Castle - Island fortress where Mary was imprisoned and forced to abdicate in 1567; she escaped from here in 1568 elizabethi+1

• Hermitage Castle - Border stronghold where Bothwell was injured; Mary's dangerous ride here in 1566 nearly cost her life marie-stuart

• Dunbar Castle - Stronghold where Mary fled after Riccio's murder and where she gathered forces undiscoveredscotland+1

French Locations

• Château d'Amboise - One of the Loire Valley châteaux where Mary was educated during her French upbringing thetudortravelguide

• Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris - Where Mary married the Dauphin Francis on 24 April 1558 nts+1

• Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye - Royal palace where Mary spent much of her childhood with the French royal children thetudortravelguide

English Locations

• Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire - Mary's final place of imprisonment where she was tried and executed on 8 February 1587 wikipedia+2

• Chartley Castle - Where Mary was held when the Babington Plot letters were intercepted in 1586 thedudleywomen+1

• Sheffield Castle and Manor - Where Mary spent 15 years (1569-1585) in the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury and Bess of Hardwick thedudleywomen

Key Events

Early Life and French Period

• 8 December 1542 - Birth of Mary at Linlithgow Palace nms+1

• 14 December 1542 - Death of James V; Mary becomes Queen at six days old nms+1

• 9 September 1543 - Coronation of Mary at Stirling Castle elizabethi+1

• 1544-1550 - The "Rough Wooing" - English military campaigns to force Mary's marriage to Prince Edward wikipedia+1

• 7 July 1548 - Treaty of Haddington arranging Mary's betrothal to French Dauphin wikipedia+2

• 7 August 1548 - Mary sails to France at age five with the Four Marys birlinn+1

• 24 April 1558 - Marriage to Dauphin Francis at Notre Dame Cathedral britannica+1

• 10 July 1559 - Mary becomes Queen of France when Francis becomes King britannica+1

• 5 December 1560 - Death of Francis II; Mary loses French crown elizabethi+1

Return to Scotland and Personal Reign

• 19 August 1561 - Mary returns to Scotland as an 18-year-old widow britannica+1

• 29 July 1565 - Marriage to Lord Darnley at Holyrood worldhistory+2

• 9 March 1566 - Murder of David Riccio at Holyrood Palace tudorsociety+2

• 19 June 1566 - Birth of James VI at Edinburgh Castle worldhistory+2

• 10 February 1567 - Murder of Darnley at Kirk o'Field wikipedia+2

• 15 May 1567 - Marriage to Bothwell at Holyrood wikipedia+2

• 15 June 1567 - Defeat at Battle of Carberry Hill worldhistory+1

• 24 July 1567 - Forced abdication in favor of James VI elizabethi+1

Captivity and Execution

• 2 May 1568 - Escape from Lochleven Castle worldhistory+1

• 13 May 1568 - Final defeat at Battle of Langside elizabethi+1

• 16 May 1568 - Flight to England seeking Elizabeth's help worldhistory+1

• 1568-1587 - 19 years of captivity in various English castles wikipedia+1

• 1586 - Implication in Babington Plot to assassinate Elizabeth wikipedia+1

• 14 October 1586 - Trial begins at Fotheringhay Castle bbc+1

• 25 October 1586 - Conviction for treason bbc+1

• 8 February 1587 - Execution at Fotheringhay Castle at age 44 bbc+2

Major Treaties and Political Agreements

• Treaties of Greenwich (1 July 1543) - Arranged Mary's marriage to Prince Edward of England bbc+1

• Treaty of Haddington (7 July 1548) - Arranged Mary's betrothal to French Dauphin and her move to France haddington+2

• Treaty of Edinburgh (6 July 1560) - Ended French involvement in Scotland and established Protestant settlement marie-stuart+1
  
  

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