Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587) was brought up in France and in 1548 married the Dauphin Francis.  His premature death saw Mary return to Scotland, a young and beautiful widow.

 

Mary then married Henry, Lord Darnley, but after political intrigues amongst the Scots' nobles Darnley was murdered.  The Earl of Bothwell was put on trial but was found not guilty and shortly after Mary and Bothwell were married. The nobles didn't approve of the match and Mary found herself imprisoned in Loch Leven Castle where she gave birth to still-born twins.  In May 1568 she escaped and gathered  a small army but was defeated at Langside by the Protestant faction. Mary then fled to England expecting Elizabeth I to shelter her as a fellow monrach.

With a better claim to the English throne than Elizabeth I and a Catholic to boot, Mary was instead imprisoned for 19 years in hard conditions in various castles in England before she was found guilty of treason and executed in 1587.

 

Mary’s son (James VI of Scotland) became James I of England after Elizabeth’s death.  In 1612 he had Mary’s body reburied in a place of honour at Westminster Abbey. At the same time he moved Elizabeth to a  less prominent tomb.