Mary I (1542–1567)


Mary, Queen of Scots, was six days old when her father died and she acceded to the throne. She spent most of her childhood in France while Scotland was ruled by regents, and in 1558, she married the Dauphin of France, Francis. Mary was queen consort of France from his accession in 1559 until his death in December 1560. Widowed, Mary returned to Scotland and four years later, she married her half-cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, and in June 1566 they had a son, James. In February 1567, Darnley's residence was destroyed by an explosion, and he was found murdered in the garden. James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, was generally believed to have orchestrated Darnley's death, but he was acquitted of the charge in April 1567, and the following month he married Mary. Following an uprising against the couple, Mary was imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle. On 24 July 1567, she was forced to abdicate in favour of her one-year-old son. After an unsuccessful attempt to regain the throne, she fled southward seeking the protection of her first cousin once removed, Elizabeth I of England. Mary was considered the legitimate sovereign of England by many English Catholics. Perceiving Mary as a threat, Elizabeth had her confined in various castles and manor houses in England. After over eighteen years in custody, Mary was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth in 1586, and was beheaded the following year at Fotheringhay Castle. (Wikipedia).

BNJ References:

J. K. R. Murray,             ‘The Scottish coinage of 1553’, 37 (1968), 98-109, pl.

J. E. L. Murray,              ‘The first gold coinage of Mary Queen of Scots’, 49 (1979), 82-86

J. E. L. Murray and J. K. R. Murray,  ‘Notes on the VICIT LEO testoons of Mary Queen of Scots’, 50 (1980),  81-90, pl.

R. B. K. Stevenson,     ‘The bawbee issues of James V and Mary’, 59 (1989), 120-56, 4 pls.


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