This week MCI wants to celebrate the life of Mary Queen of Scots, one of the most controversial queens in British history. Who was executed this week in 1587.
Born in 1542, Mary had a tumultuous reign as queen of Scotland for only a few years, before her abdication in 1567.
She was also the queen consort of France from 1559-1560, and spent her remaining years in captivity in England. Mary was the daughter of James V of Scotland and Mary of Guise, and was the great-granddaughter of Henry VII of England. This gave her a powerful claim to the English throne, and this ultimately led to her downfall. She was often viewed as a threat to Queen Elizabeth I, and their rivalry was well documented by their contemporaries.
Mary was a Roman Catholic, while Elizabeth was a Protestant, and this further increased the tension between them, given that Henry VIII (Elizabeth’s dad) had caused religious turmoil between the Catholics and Protestants with his Reformation. Mary was accused of involvement in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth, and this resulted in her imprisonment. She was eventually found guilty of treason and was executed in 1587.
Mary’s life has been the subject of a great deal of speculation. Many people have argued that she was unfairly treated and that her execution was unjust. Others have argued that her alleged involvement in the plot to assassinate Elizabeth was sufficient grounds for her execution.
Either way, her life was filled with murder and mayhem. She married her cousin, a drunken gambler and adulterer. He became jealous of her friendship with her secretary Rizzio and murdered him in front of her very eyes! To this day, you can see the bloodstained floor at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Some of her belongings can be seen at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. You can also visit the places she knew such as the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle. All a short drive from the MCI Electronics offices here in Falkirk!