One of the last rulers of an independent Scotland, Mary, Queen of Scots’ tumultuous reign and tragic end have made a figure of controversy in the centuries after her death.
Was she a scheming villainess, an innocent martyr, or an ineffectual ruler surrounding by conniving noblemen?
Was she complicit in the murder of her second husband, Lord Darnley?
Did she willingly marry her second husband’s murderer or was she the victim of a forced marriage?
To what extent did she plot against her cousin Elizabeth, if at all, during the long years of her imprisonment?
Maybe you’ll form your own opinions as you follow in the footsteps of Mary, Queen of Scots!
Table of Contents
Who was Mary, Queen of Scots?
Mary was born December 8, 1542, the only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scotland. A mere six days later, James was dead and Mary became queen.
Early in childhood, Mary was taken to France, where she grew up and eventually married the French king. Widowed at just 18 years old, Mary returned to Scotland.
By the time of Mary’s return, her country was experiencing the full throes of the Protestant Reformation. Devoutly Catholic Mary was treated with suspicion by the Protestant populace, while Catholic and Protestant noblemen vied for power. The young queen, largely a stranger in her own land, had trouble maintaining the delicate balance of power.
As queen, Mary was expected to marry and produce an heir. Her marriage to her second husband, the charming but arrogant Lord Darnley, quickly soured, especially after Mary refused to give her husband the Crown Matrimonial, which would have allowed him to rule Scotland if she died.
In one of their most infamous incidents, a disgruntled Darnley, accompanied by a group of noblemen, stormed in on Mary one evening and murdered her friend and secretary, David Rizzio, in front of the pregnant queen.
Despite the traumatic incident, Mary gave birth to Darnley’s son, James, in 1566.
A year later, Darnley was dead, possibly smothered after the house he was staying was blown up. Rumors abounded that Mary was involved in the killing. The fact that she married the alleged murderer, the Earl of Bothwell, shortly afterwards didn’t exactly help her reputation.
Mary was eventually imprisoned and forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her infant son. She fled south to England, but was caught and spent the rest of her life as a prisoner of her cousin, Elizabeth I of England. (Being a great-granddaughter of Henry VII of England, Mary also had a claim to the English throne.)
For years Elizabeth dithered about executing Mary, who was implicated in various treasonous plots, although some of the evidence was almost certainly fabricated.
After being suspected of involvement in yet another plot, Mary was sentenced to death. She was beheaded, aged 44, on February 8, 1587.
Her son James would later succeed to the throne of England, the first king of a united England and Scotland. Through him, Mary is an ancestor of the present king, Charles III.
Associated Places
Linlithgow Palace
Location: Linlithgow, Scotland
Association with Mary: Her birthplace
A bit about: Linlithgow Palace started out as a fortress. After it was partially destroyed by a fire, King James I turned it into a palace fit for a king. Over the next couple of centuries, it was a favored residence of Scottish royalty.
Mary was born at Linlithgow in 1542, becoming Queen of Scots here just a few days later. She was baptized at the nearby St. Michael’s Church.
She visited often as an adult, although her main residence was in Edinburgh.
Travel tip: Now ruined, Linlithgow Palace makes an easy day trip from Edinburgh.
Stirling Castle
Location: Stirling, Scotland
Association with Mary: Where she was crowned; where she had her son baptized
A bit about: The castle was one of the main residences for Scottish royalty until the union with England. A number of kings were born or died here.
One of the most important battles in Scottish history, the Battle of Bannockburn, took place within sight of the castle in 1314.
Most of the buildings found in the castle today date from the fifteenth to sixteenth century. As an infant, Mary was brought here and was crowned in the chapel. She visited frequently as an adult. It was at Stirling that she had her infant son James baptized.
Travel tip: Stirling Castle makes an easy day trip from either Edinburgh or Glasgow. I took this tour, which I highly recommend. (It also visits Loch Lomond.)
A former military barracks, Stirling remains the headquarters of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, whose regimental museum is housed within the castle, so be sure to check that out as well.
Dumbarton Castle
Location: Dumbarton, Scotland
Association with Mary: Where she set out for France
A bit about: A strategically important site for many centuries, Dumbarton’s history goes all the way back to the Iron Age. Merlin himself was said to have stayed in the ancient fortress.
It continued to be used by royals and fought over for the next several centuries.
The young Mary set out for France from Dumbarton Castle in 1548. She wasn’t the only Scottish monarch to do so; a couple of centuries earlier, King David II left for exile in France, also from Dumbarton Castle.
Travel tip: An easy day trip from Glasglow, one thing to keep in mind when visiting is that the site as a lot of stairs – over 550.
Holyrood Palace
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Association with Mary: Where she primarily lived while resident in Scotland
A bit about: The Palace of Holyroodhouse was built by Mary’s grandfather, James IV, next to an important abbey which is now in ruins, and expanded by his son, James V, Mary’s father. It is still the official residence of the monarch in Scotland to this day.
Mary came to live in Holyrood Palace after her return to Scotland in 1561. She would remain until her forced abdication some six years later.
Several major events of Mary’s life took place at Holyrood: She married her second and third husbands at the palace; she debated the religious reformer John Knox; heavily pregnant, she witnessed the murder of her servant David Rizzio.
Several rooms associated with Mary can be visited, including her bedchamber, supper room, and the outer chamber. It is said that the red stain in the outer chamber is David Rizzio’s bloodstains.
Travel tip: Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle are at opposite ends of the Royal Mile, and can easily be visited on the same day.
Want to learn more about the history of Holyroodhouse? Check out the History of Holyrood Palace and Abbey here!
Edinburgh Castle
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Association with Mary: Where she gave birth to her son and successor
A bit about: Edinburgh Castle has a long history that for many centuries was largely entwined with that of Scotland itself.
A royal castle has existed since the 11th century, and several monarchs were resident here. Mary gave birth to the future James VI (and I of England) here, in a small room that you can still see.
The castle has also been of military importance for most of its history. Having been laid siege several times, it later became a military garrison, and some portions of the castle continue to be under the administration of the British army to this day.
Travel tip: Each summer, Edinburgh Castle hosts the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, featuring performances by British, Commonwealth, foreign, and artistic teams. Tickets have been known to sell out months in advance, so be sure to plan accordingly.
Want to know more about visiting Edinburgh Castle? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Visiting Edinburgh Castle!
Lochleven Castle
Location: Kinross, Scotland
Association with Mary: Where she abdicated
A bit about: The castle was probably built in about 1300. The residence of Scottish nobles of the Douglas family, it fell into ruin after it ceased to be used as a home in the 17th century.
Mary spent a year as a prisoner here, shortly after her third marriage. She miscarried twins. While recovering from the loss, she was forced to abdicate the throne on July 24, 1567.
Travel tip: As the castle is situated on an island, the castle is only open during the warmer months (mid-May to October) and is accessible by passenger boat. Space on the boat is limited, so booking in advance is recommended.
Carlisle Castle
Location: Carlisle, England
Association with Mary: Where Mary was first imprisoned after fleeing Scotland
A bit about: The stone castle dates to the early 12th century. Being located near the border with Scotland, Carlisle Castle was besieged many times during its history, including during the Anarchy, the First Scottish War of Independence, the English Civil War, and the Jacobite Rebellion.
After fleeing to England, Mary was taken into custody and brought to Carlisle Castle, making it the first of the many places in England where she was kept prisoner.
Travel tip: Carlisle Castle lies along the Hadrian’s Wall Path, a hiking trail following the Roman Hadrian’s Wall. It would make an easy stop off for those hiking the trail.
Bolton Castle
Location: near Leyburn, England
Association with Mary: Her second place of imprisonment in England
A bit about: Construction on the castle began in the late 1300s; the family still owns the castle today. Some of castle was destroyed during the English Civil War.
It was during her time at Bolton Castle that Mary was taught English (she previously spoke only Latin, French, and Scots). It was also the place where Mary was held when the Casket Letters, which were possibly forgeries, were presented as evidence of her involvement in Lord Darnley’s murder.
Travel tip: Bolton Castle is open to visitors during the warmer months. Here, you can experience falconry, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (although technically not designated an intangible cultural heritage for the UK).
Sheffield Castle
Location: no longer existing, formerly Sheffield, England
Association with Mary: Where she spent most of her years of imprisonment
Mary was held at a number of castles during her nearly twenty years of imprisonment in England. I have highlighted some of the most notable ones in this article, but others include Tutbury Castle, Sheffield Manor Lodge, Wingfield Manor, and Chatsworth House.
A bit about: Formerly one of the largest castles in the north of England, it was destroyed in the English Civil War and ultimately demolished.
Mary spent about a third of her life as a prisoner in the castle.
Travel tip: The castle is no longer in existence, although the University of Sheffield is currently undertaking a project to recover and promote the castle.
Fotheringhay Castle
Location: Fotheringhay, England
Association with Mary: Where she was executed
A bit about: Founded by the Normans, the castle was in possession of Scottish princes before being confiscated by King John of England. It then passed to several powerful English nobles. One of them was Richard, Duke of York, whose son, the future Richard III (yes, that Richard III) was born here.
By Mary’s time, the castle was used as a prison. Mary was tried and convicted of treason here. After spending the night in prayer in the castle’s chapel, she was beheaded in the Great Hall.
Travel tip: Unfortunately, there isn’t much left of the castle, apart from the motte and a few stones. The site might also be difficult to visit without a car.
Westminster Abbey
Location: London, England
Association with Mary: Her burial place
A bit about: Westminster Abbey is one of the foremost historical sites in Britain. Still used as a venue for the coronation of British monarchs and for royal weddings, it is also the resting place of over 3,000 prominent figures, including 18 kings and queens.
A church has been on the site since the 10th century, although the present Gothic building dates from the 13th and 14th centuries. It survived the bombings of WWII, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
After Mary’s execution, she was buried in Peterborough Cathedral. After he acceded to the English throne, her son James had her body exhumed and reburied in Westminster Abbey, opposite her cousin and sometimes rival, Elizabeth I.
Travel tip: Westminster Abbey is located near other major London attractions, including Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Imperial War Museum, and the Churchill War Rooms.
Are you a fan of Mary, Queen of Scots? What’s your assessment of her? Let me know in the comments!
Want to check out more In the Footsteps of? Check out In the Footsteps of Mad King Ludwig!
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