The reign of Mary, 1561-67

The Return of Mary

Mary, Queen of Scots returned from France in 1561 following the death of her husband King Francis II.
Catholic-believing Mary inherited a Scotland in the midst of the Protestant Reformation.
She signed undertakings to not change the religion of Scotland but this did not prevent considerable suspicion from her Protestant subjects.
Her personal religion remained an issue throughout her reign as it was seen as potential threat to Protestantism in Scotland.

Mary’s Marriage and Darnley

In 1565 Mary married her cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.
Darnley was an Anglo-Scottish noble with a strong claim to both the Scottish and English throne, but was also known for his arrogant and dissolute behaviour.
Their marriage resulted in immediate political and social disquiet, especially amongst Protestants and led to a brief civil war known as the ‘Chaseabout Raid’.
Darnley’s role in the murder of David Rizzio, Mary’s private secretary in 1566, damaged his relationship with Mary.
Darnley’s murder in 1567, and Mary’s involvement in it, specifically her relationship with James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell whom she married just months after Darnley’s murder, resulted in a loss of support and respect from the nobility and common people.

Abdication and Captivity

In 1567, Mary was imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle, forced to abdicate in favour of her one-year-old son, James VI of Scotland and first cousin and rival claimant, the Earl of Moray was made regent.
Mary escaped from Loch Leven in 1568 but after failing to regain the throne, she fled to England seeking the protection of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
She was kept in confinement for 19 years before her execution in 1587, formally accused of plotting Elizabeth’s assassination.

Impact on Scotland

Mary’s reign saw a deepening of the religious divide in Scotland between Catholics and Protestants.
Her abdication and subsequent claim to the English throne played a huge part in the lead up to the Union of Crowns in 1603, where James VI of Scotland also became James I of England.
Her reign had huge implications for the future of not just Scotland but the British Isles.