Mary Queen of Scots

• Mary's claim to the throne


  • She was Elizabeth's first cousin once removed and heir to the throne of England
  • She had 'royal blood' - formerly Queen of France and Scotland
• Mary's marriage to Darnley


  • Strengthened her claim to the throne
  • She wanted to be named heir
• Mary's religion

  She was a Catholic
• Mary's religion

  Created problems for Elizabeth's religious settlement
• Many felt Elizabeth's claim to the throne was poor because she had been declared illegitimate
• Mary had a son called James


  1566
• Elizabeth did not want to help Mary regain her throne, allow her to go abroad or roam freely


  So she was kept prisoner for 19 years (although Mary was treated well)
• Mary's involvements in plots against Elizabeth

  • She became a focus for Catholic resistance once in England
  • Suggested she marry the Duke of Norfolk - led to the Norfolk rebellion (1569)
  • Focus of the attention for the Ridolfi (1571) and Throckmorton (1583)
  • The discovery of the Babington Plot (1586) led to Mary's trial and execution when it was found that she had known about and agreed to the plot all along
• Elizabeth had Mary's remains moved to Westminster Abbey
• Elizabeth hated the idea of killing an annointed queen


  Which could turn cause an uprising in the English Catholics as well as in Spain and France, but also start a killing spree for other monarchs
• Mary was sentenced to death at Fotheringhay


  8th February 1587
• Elizabeth was furious at the news of Mary's execution


  Blamed everyone but herself
• Elizabeth banned William Cecil from court and put the messenger in the Tower


  Said her advisors were responsible
• Worried Mary would become a martyr for Catholics


  No more plots throughout her reign
• Angered Philip II


  But he was already building the Armada
• French Catholics demanded revenge


  But the French King was scared of Spain and civil war, so did nothing