I took a bit of a fancy to James Hepburn the 4th Earl of Bothwell while still at school and the attraction hasn't waned since seeing him portrayed by Kevin McKidd in the 2004 mini-series Gunpowder, Treason and Plot.
Bothwell was a staunch supporter of the regency under Mary of Guise and his support continued when Mary's daughter arrived from France to take the Scottish throne, however, he was unhappy with her marriage to Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.
Darnley, by all accounts, was a disreputable young man that history describes as a heavy drinker, vain, arrogant, self-centred, egotistical and violent he was also disliked by many of his peers. Both Mary and Bothwell were suspected of being involved, in Darnley's murder - Bothwell was tried but was cleared.
Darnley, by all accounts, was a disreputable young man that history describes as a heavy drinker, vain, arrogant, self-centred, egotistical and violent he was also disliked by many of his peers. Both Mary and Bothwell were suspected of being involved, in Darnley's murder - Bothwell was tried but was cleared.
After Mary was forced to abdicate and incarcerated, it was Bothwell's intention to rescue her, but circumstances forced him to flee to Norway where he was questioned about monies owed to Anna Throndsen, a woman who he had abandoned years earlier. He was held first at Copenhagen Castle and by 1573 he found himself in solitary confinement in Dragsholm Castle
also in Denmark.
also in Denmark.
I still dither in my opinion of him, I'm not sure if he was ambitions and power crazy or a true noble of Scotland who put his country first?
It was at Dragsholm Castle that James Hepburn died on the 14th April in 1578 insane, weakened and degraded allegedly chained to a stone pillar and unable to stand.
In a gruesome end to his tale we find that his mummified remains were displayed in the church in the village of Faarevejle until finally buried some four centuries later.
It was at Dragsholm Castle that James Hepburn died on the 14th April in 1578 insane, weakened and degraded allegedly chained to a stone pillar and unable to stand.
In a gruesome end to his tale we find that his mummified remains were displayed in the church in the village of Faarevejle until finally buried some four centuries later.
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