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Her father died shortly after her birth -

Named Mary Stuart, she was born in 1542, a week before her father, King James V of Scotland, passed away at the age of 30. Mary became queen when she was six days old.

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Initial wedding plans -

It was initially arranged for Mary to marry English King Henry VIII’s son, Prince Edward. However, the Scots didn't accept the agreement.

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This means war! -

Not too pleased by the refusal, King Henry tried to change their minds through a show of force. He then started a war between Scotland and England, also known as the Rough Wooing.

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Heading to France -

In the meantime, Mary was sent to France in 1548 to be the bride of Francis II, and to secure a Catholic alliance against Protestant England.

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Breaking customs -

Contrary to traditional fashion at the time, Mary wore a white robe for her Notre Dame wedding ceremony to Francis II in 1558.

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A young widow -

Francis' health deteriorated in November 1560, and he died the following month at the age of 16. In 1561, Mary reluctantly returned to Scotland as a young widow.

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Reformation -

Scotland was in the throes of the Reformation, with a widening Protestant and Catholic split. For Mary, a Protestant husband would be the best chance at stability.

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Mary tried to preach religious tolerance -

Returning to Scottish soil, a Catholic Mary was detained by Protestant authorities, who had made it unlawful to observe quite a lot of Catholic conventions. She tried to show tolerance to both denominations, but many grew hostile towards the queen.

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She was fluent in Latin -

With native proficiency of French and the Scots dialect of the Lowlands, Mary was also fluent in Latin. Additionally, she was proficient in Italian, Spanish, and Greek.

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She was very tall -

Mary was much taller than the average height for women during her time. As a grown-up, she was listed as being 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm).

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Husband number two -

On her return, Mary fell passionately in love with Henry, Lord Darnley. They married in 1565, but the marriage wasn't a success. He soon became a drunkard, and Mary ruled entirely alone.

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Her second husband murdered her secretary -

Henry became jealous of Mary's favorite secretary, David Riccio, who he murdered in front of her. She was six months pregnant at the time.

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Catholic baptism -

Born in 1566, her son, the future King James VI of Scotland and I of England, was baptized in the Catholic faith. This didn't please the Protestants.

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Henry's death -

Henry died in mysterious circumstances in Edinburgh, when the house he was in blew up one night in 1567. His body was found in the garden after the explosion. But he had been strangled.

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She cherished golf -

Often claimed to be the first woman to play golf, Mary learned the game at an early age during her time in France. However, her love of golf drew harsh criticism. When she was seen enjoying a game just days after her husband Henry's death, it was seen as proof to many that she had conspired to kill him.

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A new love -

Mary was now in love with James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, and rumors spread that she was pregnant by him. He was accused of Henry's murder, but was found not guilty. Shortly after, Mary and James were married.

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First imprisonment -

The Lords of Congregation didn't approve of Mary’s liaison with James. She was therefore imprisoned in Leven Castle, where she gave birth to stillborn twins.

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The abdication -

During her imprisonment, Mary was forced to abdicate in favor of her son James, who was a year old at the time. This ended Mary’s official reign over Scotland.

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The last of James Hepburn -

Meanwhile, James Hepburn was forced into exile in Denmark. He later grew to become insane, and died in 1578.

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The escape -

In May 1568, Mary escaped from Leven Castle with the help of a small army. However, they were defeated, and she then fled to England.

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Years in prison -

In England, she became a political pawn in the hands of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. She was imprisoned for 19 years in various castles throughout England.

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Mary used to clean her face in white wine -

In the 16th century, it was trendy for many who could afford it to wash in white wine. Mary was no exception. During her imprisonment, the Earl of Shrewsbury, to whom she had been entrusted, complained about the costs of her routine.

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A plot against her cousin -

Mary was found to be plotting against Elizabeth. Letters in code, from her to others, were found. She was then deemed guilty of treason.

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The famous letters -

In early 2023, it was announced that 57 encoded letters sent by Mary had been found and deciphered by an international team of cryptographers. Most of the letters were kept in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris.

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The execution -

In 1587, Mary was taken to Fotheringhay Castle, where she was executed. It's been said that after her execution, when the executioner raised her head, it fell, and he was left holding only her wig.

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Ignored burial request -

Following Mary's execution, Elizabeth ignored her request to be buried in France and had her buried instead at Peterborough Cathedral in a Protestant ceremony.

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The new king -

When Elizabeth died childless, Mary's son became James I of England and VI of Scotland, joining the two kingdoms. And even if he didn't have any personal memories of his mother, he did honor her in one way.

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New burial -

In 1612, James had Mary’s body exhumed from Peterborough and reburied in a place of honor at Westminster Abbey.

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Elizabeth got a new spot -

James additionally had Elizabeth I exhumed and reburied in a rather less prominent tomb nearby. The king ruled for over 57 years, the longest reign of any Scottish monarch.

See also: The weirdest royals throughout history

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