Elizabeth I

Mary Queen of Scots

Mr C. A. McGuinnesswww.SchoolHistory.co.uk

Mary Queen of Scots

• Elizabeth and Mary were cousins.• If Elizabeth had no children - Mary had a

good claim to the Throne of England.• Mary was Elizabeth’s heir.• Mary was a Catholic. Problem?

Yes England could become CATHOLIC again.

Marriage 1

• Mary’s first husband was Francis II.

• When he died she returned to Scotland.

• Better to be Queen of Scotland than an ex-Queen of France.

• But Scotland is now mainly Protestant.

Marriage 2

Darnley become Mary’s second Husband.

They marry in secret.

Scottish Lords do not like it - he and Mary are Catholics.

Lord Darnley v David RizzioDarnley.• Mary’s second Husband• Tall and handsome but..• Drank a lot, weak,• Big Headed, Bad-temper• He was Catholic.• He wanted to be king

of Scotland.

Rizzio.• Mary’s secretary.• Italian.• Amusing.• Charming.• Mary’s Lover.

He had to go!!

Murder 1- Rizzio

• Darnley and friends grab Rizzio and drag him outside.

• He clings to Mary, 6 months pregnant.

• Rizzio is stabbed 56 times.

• He is dead!!!

Mary ‘no more tears now, I will think of revenge’

Baby James

June 1566 James is Born.

Murder 2-Darnley - Kirk O’Field

• February 9th 1567.• Mary leaves to go to

a party.• 2.00am House

Blown up• Darnley is strangled.• Bothwell’s servant is

at the scene.

Marriage 3

•Husband number 3 Lord Bothwell.

•Married just 3 months after Kirk O’field.

•Bothwell is Protestant and has divorced his wife.

•REBELLION - MARY FLEES TO ENGLAND.

Prisoner

• Why not send Mary back to Scotland?

• Mary may be put to Death.

• Set free in England?• No - she claimed the

English Throne.• Catholics were plotting to

replace Elizabeth with Mary.

• Mary held prisoner for 19 years.

Spy in the Camp

WalsinghamElizabeth’s

Chief Minister

Agents1570 Pope

LettersBabington Plot

Made it possible for Mary to write to her friends.

Written in code but Walsingham knew what she was writing.

Babington and 6 others planned a foreign invasion.

Mary agreed to it.

Told Catholics it was OK to get rid of Elizabeth.

Execution

February 1587 Fotheringay Castle

Wearing Red as a sign of dying for her faith.

Delay

Babington was executed in September 1586,5 months before Mary - why?

•Elizabeth could not bring herself to kill her cousin who she had never met.

•Elizabeth did not want to kill one of God representatives on Earth.

•Mary was a foreign monarch Elizabeth had no right.