Marys arrival in England (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes
Mary's arrival in England
Background to Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Queen of Scots possessed a legitimate claim to the English throne and became the focal point of numerous plots aimed at overthrowing Elizabeth I. Understanding her arrival in England in 1568 is crucial to grasping the domestic and international challenges Elizabeth faced during this period.
Mary was Henry VIII's great-granddaughter and Elizabeth's second cousin, which gave her a strong hereditary claim to the English throne. She had been descended from Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII's sister, who had married into the Scottish royal family. This family connection made Mary a significant political figure with genuine royal blood.
Mary's position in the Tudor family line made her one of the most politically significant figures of the 16th century. Her dual heritage as both Scottish Queen and English claimant created a unique set of circumstances that would dominate European politics for decades.
Mary's claim to the English throne
The strength of Mary's claim came from her position in the Tudor family line. As Henry VIII's great-granddaughter through his sister Margaret Tudor, Mary had inherited the Scottish crown when she was just six days old. Her early life was marked by political turmoil - she was married to the French king Francis II and inherited the Scottish crown during this time. When Francis II died in 1560, Mary returned to Scotland where her mother, Mary of Guise, had been ruling as regent.
This royal heritage meant that many people, particularly Catholics, viewed Mary as having a stronger claim to the English throne than Elizabeth herself. The legitimacy of Mary's claim was never seriously questioned, unlike Elizabeth's, whose mother Anne Boleyn's marriage to Henry VIII was seen by Catholics as invalid.
Unlike Elizabeth, whose legitimacy was questioned by Catholics who considered her mother's marriage invalid, Mary's royal bloodline was completely unquestioned. This made her claim particularly dangerous to Elizabeth's rule.
Why Mary posed such a significant threat
Mary's importance as a political figure stemmed from several interconnected factors that made her extremely dangerous to Elizabeth's rule.
First, Mary was Catholic, which meant she had the potential support of many Catholics both within England and internationally. Catholic nobles and common people who felt marginalised under Elizabeth's Protestant rule saw Mary as a legitimate alternative monarch who would restore Catholic practices and beliefs. This religious dimension made Mary a natural rallying point for Catholic opposition to Elizabeth's government.
Second, Mary's claim to the throne was considerably strengthened because there were no serious questions about her legitimacy. While Elizabeth's right to rule was questioned by Catholics who considered her mother's marriage to Henry VIII illegitimate, Mary's royal bloodline was unquestioned. This gave her claim additional weight and made her an even more credible alternative to Elizabeth.
Third, Mary consistently found herself at the centre of Catholic plots and conspiracies against Elizabeth throughout the period. These plots often involved both English Catholics and foreign powers who wanted to see a Catholic monarch restored to the English throne. Her very existence provided these groups with a credible candidate around whom they could organise their opposition to Elizabeth's rule.
Mary represented the perfect storm of threats to Elizabeth: she had an unquestioned claim to the throne, the support of Catholics both domestically and internationally, and served as a focal point for organised opposition to Protestant rule. This combination made her perhaps the greatest single threat Elizabeth would face during her reign.
Mary's departure from Scotland
The events leading to Mary's flight to England began with the controversial circumstances surrounding her personal life in Scotland. After Francis II's death in 1560, Mary had returned to Scotland and married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. This marriage produced an heir, James, but was marked by political intrigue and personal conflict.
The situation became critical when Darnley was murdered in 1567, likely with Mary's involvement or knowledge. The scandal deepened when Mary quickly married the Earl of Bothwell, who was widely suspected of being Darnley's murderer. These events caused outrage among the Scottish nobility and common people.
The Scottish lords rebelled against Mary's rule, viewing her actions as scandalous and potentially treasonous. They successfully imprisoned her and forced her to abdicate the Scottish throne in favour of her infant son James in 1568. Mary managed to escape from her captivity and raised an army, but she was decisively defeated at the Battle of Langside near Glasgow.
The Battle of Langside in May 1568 was the decisive moment that ended Mary's hopes of regaining the Scottish throne. Her defeat left her with only two options: face certain capture and possible execution in Scotland, or flee to England and hope for Elizabeth's protection.
Facing certain capture and possible execution, Mary made the fateful decision to flee across the border into England, seeking protection from her cousin Elizabeth.
Mary's imprisonment in England, 1568
Mary's arrival in England in 1568 created an immediate and complex problem for Elizabeth I. Rather than receiving the royal welcome she might have expected as a fellow queen, Mary was held in comfortable but secure confinement while Elizabeth decided what to do with her.
The Scottish rebels who had forced Mary to abdicate demanded that she be handed over to face trial for Darnley's murder. However, Elizabeth was reluctant to take this step, as it would set a dangerous precedent for how monarchs could be treated. Executing or handing over an anointed queen might encourage similar treatment of other rulers, including potentially Elizabeth herself.
Mary's presence in England posed several significant challenges for Elizabeth's government. By remaining in England, Mary could serve as a focal point for Catholic rebellion, as many English Catholics saw her as their rightful queen. Her presence encouraged plots against Elizabeth and provided foreign Catholic powers with a credible alternative candidate for the English throne.
However, taking action against Mary as an anointed monarch would undermine Elizabeth's own status, power, and authority as a queen. This created a dilemma that would persist throughout Mary's nineteen-year captivity in England, as Elizabeth struggled to balance the security threat Mary posed against the precedent that harsh treatment of a fellow queen might establish.
Elizabeth faced an impossible dilemma: Mary posed a genuine security threat that grew more dangerous with each passing year, but harsh treatment of a fellow anointed queen could undermine the very foundations of royal authority that Elizabeth herself depended upon.
Timeline of key events
- 1560: Francis II of France dies; Mary returns to Scotland
- 1565: Mary marries Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
- 1566: James (future James I of England) is born
- 1567: Lord Darnley is murdered; Mary marries Earl of Bothwell
- 1568: Scottish lords rebel; Mary is forced to abdicate; Battle of Langside; Mary flees to England and is imprisoned
Key Points to Remember:
- Mary Queen of Scots had a legitimate claim to the English throne as Henry VIII's great-granddaughter and Elizabeth's second cousin
- Her Catholic faith made her a natural focal point for Catholic opposition to Elizabeth's Protestant rule
- Mary's arrival in England in 1568 followed her forced abdication in Scotland after the Darnley murder scandal
- Elizabeth faced a difficult dilemma: Mary posed a security threat but was also an anointed queen who deserved royal treatment
- Mary's presence in England would lead to numerous Catholic plots against Elizabeth over the following decades