Was Mary Queen of Scots guilty of her crimes, or was she just a pawn in William Cecil's plans to rid the realm of Catholicism?
Contemporary drawing of the Trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, 14–15 October 1586
The Scottish queen had become the focus for Catholic plots to end the life of Elizabeth, Queen of England, but of her actual involvement there was no evidence to back any of these accusations, however in 1586 a letter was discovered in which Mary corresponded with Anthony Babington who was actively planning to depose Elizabeth, it was this letter, that was beginning of the end for Mary.
It was intercepted by Elizabeth's spymaster Francis Walsingham and therefore Elizabeth had no choice but the have Mary tried for treason on the 14th of October 1586, she was condemned to death eleven days later.
Cecil knew that as a queen it would be difficult to have Mary executed, to most people, her royal rank would have excused her from any blame, it would be asked 'Would an anointed queen plan the murder of another anointed queen?' Cecil knew this all too well, she was condemned to death as "Mary Stuart, commonly called Queen of Scotland". Elizabeth too had a problem with queen-ship, she could not bring herself to execute a reigning queen and put off signing the death warrant. The signing of the death warrant is another incident in the death of Mary that is questioned. Did Elizabeth sign of her own choice or was she tricked by William Cecil? Either way sign it she did and Mary went to her death on this day in February 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle.
It was intercepted by Elizabeth's spymaster Francis Walsingham and therefore Elizabeth had no choice but the have Mary tried for treason on the 14th of October 1586, she was condemned to death eleven days later.
Cecil knew that as a queen it would be difficult to have Mary executed, to most people, her royal rank would have excused her from any blame, it would be asked 'Would an anointed queen plan the murder of another anointed queen?' Cecil knew this all too well, she was condemned to death as "Mary Stuart, commonly called Queen of Scotland". Elizabeth too had a problem with queen-ship, she could not bring herself to execute a reigning queen and put off signing the death warrant. The signing of the death warrant is another incident in the death of Mary that is questioned. Did Elizabeth sign of her own choice or was she tricked by William Cecil? Either way sign it she did and Mary went to her death on this day in February 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle.
Her beautiful face can be seen here in her death mask, the colour of her skin is paint and the hair was added later and here too is a depiction, by a Dutch artist. Of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots where we can see Mary laying her head on the scaffold but if you look to the left of the picture, you can see an image of a bonfire on which the queens possessions are being thrown, this, of course, was to prevent them from being made into relics by her followers, another order of Cecil's?
Evidence had been found to convict Mary, it was the cause of the sad end to a life that had been full of tragedies and more than a few foolish actions.
Evidence had been found to convict Mary, it was the cause of the sad end to a life that had been full of tragedies and more than a few foolish actions.
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