Charlie Fenton’s Reviews > Mary, Queen of Scots: A Study in Failure > Status Update

‘The extent to which men rallied to her, once she was at liberty, does not entitle us to assume that they regarded her as a successful ruler. It is simply a powerful comment on Scottish attitudes to the authority of the crown. At Hamilton, on 8 May, a bond was made praising God for setting her at liberty, and promising mutual support in restoring her to her throne.’

‘Even before Moray came back to Scotland, the confederate lords had established the legitimacy of their coup d’état by having the thirteen-month-old James crowned in the church of the Holy Rood in Stirling on 29 July, five days after Mary’s enforced abdication. The ceremony was, of course, Protestant.’

‘It was a period when, with one notable exception, nothing happened. Mary’s pro-Catholic approach ended. Relations with Elizabeth became more cordial. Darnley continued to drink and make himself a nuisance. But on 19 June came the one great success of Mary’s queenship. She gave birth to a son, James.’

‘Rizzio had been in Scotland since 1561. In 1564, he was advanced from being one of Mary’s musicians to being her secretary for French affairs, operation within her household... But it was the case that once again Mary created the opportunity for scandal, for it was now Rizzio with whom she sat up late at night. Moreover, his haughtiness and closeness to the queen made him deeply unpopular’

‘And whatever else the marriage involved, it certainly meant the end of Moray’s policy. He had been the great advocate in Scotland of the marriage with Leicester, and had pursued it to the end, with what feelings of bitterness as Elizabeth sabotaged it can only be guessed. Mary’s infatuation with Darnley in April 1565 was accompanied by a breakdown of relations with her half-brother’

‘She did nothing to offset her total failure to advance the restoration of Catholicism in her kingdom, so clearly visible in 1561-2. Not only was there the parliament of 1563 whose legislation benefited only the Protestants, even if it stopped short of ratifying the acts of the Reformation parliament; but she actually imprisoned Archbishop Hamilton and other Catholics‘

‘We do know, however, that Mary Queen of Scots’ council was dominated by the leading Protestants of 1559-60, Argyll, Glencairn, lord James and others. Of the sixteen, only four were Catholics: Huntly, his junior partner in the north, Erroll, another northern earl, Atholl, and the earl of Montrose. We also know that she simply retained those who already held the offices of state’

‘The only direct part she played in the resolution of the conflict between French, English and Scots, which took place less than a month after the death of Mary of Guise, was on the matter of her use of the English arms, which she had promptly assumed on the death of Mary Tudor, thus publicly asserting that Elizabeth, illegitimate in Catholic eyes, had no valid title to the English throne.’

‘Mary of Guise died on 11 June 1560. Mary Queen of Scots returned to Scotland on 19 August 1561. It is highly symbolic that Mary’s personal rule should begun with a vacuum, which lasted for fourteen months; not only was she absent, but throughout that period, as lord James Stewart pointed out to her, she left her kingdom without any legally constituted government at all.’