This article aims to explore Mary’s life from her birth in Scotland to her execution in England, analyze the turbulent politics that shaped her destiny, and reflect on why her story continues to captivate scholars, writers, and audiences to this day.
A Queen from the Cradle
Mary Stuart was born on December 8, 1542, at Linlithgow Palace in Scotland. She was the only legitimate child of King James V of Scotland and his French wife, Mary of Guise. Just six days after her birth, her father died following the disastrous Battle of Solway Moss against England, leaving the infant Mary as Queen of Scots.
This meant Scotland fell under the regency of competing nobles, with her mother, Mary of Guise, playing a pivotal role as the de facto ruler. Given Scotland’s traditional alliance with France—the “Auld Alliance”—it was no surprise that by the age of five, young Mary was betrothed to the French dauphin, Francis. In 1548, she was sent to the French court, where she received a dazzling education and was raised amid the splendor of Renaissance France. shutdown123