In Holyroodhouse

Crest Bothwell

Mary Stuart (1542-1587)
(Part  II)

Scotland was very different from France, and Mary found her native country rather gloomy, she was used to live in wealth; Scotland lacked France’s wealth and it was also much colder. The country was also Protestant. Mary tried her best to govern Scotland well, and initially was successful. She was tolerant with Protestants, listened to the advise given to her by her ministers, and kept at peace with her influential Protestant half-brother, James Stewart, later Earl of Murray, illegitimate son of her father, James V.

Mary was a widow and Elizabeth feared that she would marry a very powerful prince who could help her raise an army to invade England. Elizabeth wanted Mary to marry a man with very little power or influence, so that her Scottish cousin would be less of a threat. Perhaps with this in mind, Elizabeth offered her Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. This was not accepted as he was widely thought to be Elizabeth's lover and a wife-murderer.

Mary perceived it as an insult.  Elizabeth believed that a marriage between them would guarantee the peace of both realms. She believed that Dudley would never conspire against her because of his affection for her, that he would fulfill his ambitions, and Mary would have a husband, and eventually with Elizabeth's blessing, be recognized as heir to her throne. This all made sense to Elizabeth, but the other people involved in her plan had different ideas. Dudley was alarmed at the thought of being sent to Scotland, and did all that he could to prevent the match, he wrote to Mary denying his interest in her hand.  In an attempt to make Dudley more suitable for a Queen, Elizabeth raised him to the nobility in 1564, making him Earl of Leicester and Baron of Denbigh. Although Elizabeth appeared to be sincere in the negotiations, many doubted that she really meant it, as she and Dudley were so close that she could not bear for him to even leave the court. Whatever Elizabeth's motives may have been, the offer was made with all sincerity but Mary didn’t accept it.

Lord Henry Darnley, an English Catholic cousin to Mary who also had a claim to the English crown, was permitted by Elizabeth to travel with his father to Scotland, and Mary, attracted by his person and position, decided to marry him. Mary married for love, the marriage took place at Holyroodhouse Abbey on 29^th July 1565.

Elizabeth was angry because both Darnley and Mary had a joint claim to her throne.  Elizabeth feared that they would have substantial support for trying to depose her. It also emerged that Darnley's mother, Lady Lennox, had been involved in secret negotiations to have Mary and Darnley placed upon the English throne.

It was Mary's life that Lord Darnley made more miserable. Their marriage was certainly not a happy one. Perhaps the only benefit of it, was the birth of Mary's only son, James at Edinburgh Castle, on 19^th June 1566.

Darnley was possessive, jealous, and a drunkard. He did not make Mary's political life easier; he only made it worse. Mary began to rely heavily on her Italian Private Secretary, David Rizzio, who she liked and admired and who was thought to be her lover; and Darnley grew jealous and angry as well as some protestant lords, who believed Rizzio was a papal agent.  With a group of friends Lord Darnley planned to murder him. One March night, 1566, while Rizzio, who was a talented musician, was playing for Mary and her ladies at Holyroodhouse Palace, Lord Darnley and his men forced their way into the room. Rizzio was stabbed 27 times in front of Mary who was 6 months pregnant and who could never forget what had happened that night.

Mary’s attention turned to James Hepburn, Fourth Earl of Bothwell. Bothwell was married. It was probably Bothwell who was largely responsible for the eventual murder of Darnley whose house at Kirk O’Field outside Edinburgh, was blown to pieces on 10^th February 1567.  Everyone thought Mary had convinced Bothwell to kill her husband. Bothwell divorced from his wife and married Mary under the Protestant rite 3 months after Darnley’s death. The marriage ceremony took place at Holyroodhouse Abbey. People were furious and wanted her to abdicate.  

Back to:  Part I  /  Part III

Mary Stuart by Norman Trench

 Holyrood House Palace

 Mary´s Chamber


The bed

 HolyroodHouse Abbey

Copyright Mónica Loreto