Mary Queen of Scots - 1542-1587

Mary Queen of Scots is also known as Mary Stuart. Perhaps the most famous and intriguing of Scotland’s monarchs, Mary has many associations with the Trossachs area.

As a child, Mary was sent for safety to Inchmahome Priory, on an island in the Lake of Menteith, before her departure for France. Her father King James V of Scotland died when she was 6 days old; she was crowned nine months later as Queen Regent of Scotland till 1567.

At 16 she married Francis, Dauphin of France & was Queen consort of France until his death in 1560. Later, after the death of the Dauphin, her first husband, she returned from France to Scotland arriving at Leith in Edinburgh.

Returning home she married her 1st cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (an unhappy union). From this point onwards Mary's life was a turbulant one. In 1567, Darnley was found dead & she married James Hepburn (believed to be Darnley's murderer). Following an uprising against them she was imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle & abdicated in favour of her 1 year-old son, James VI. After failing to regain the throne she fled to England seeking the protection of Queen Elizabeth I; she perceived her as a threat & held her in custody for 19 years in a number of castles and manor houses finally executing Mary for treason.

The life of Mary Queen of Scots was depicted well in the Hollywood movie of the same name in 1971, with Venessa Redgrave playing Mary. Places in Stirling associated with her include the Church of the Holy Rude, where Mary worshipped and her son was crowned. Also Darnley's House (no 16-18 Bow Street) where Mary's second husband was supposed to have lived while Mary used Stirling Castle. To the west, Doune Castle has 'Queen Mary's apartments' above the kitchen - noted for their early form of central heating!

Further information on Mary Queen of Scots on Wikipedia.