Mary Queen of Scots was Elizabeth I's cousin and a thorn in her side for most of her reign. As a Catholic, Mary was recognized by some as the rightful heir to the English throne. The marriage between King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn was not recognised by the Roman Catholic Church and their daughter, Elizabeth, was declared illegitimate. This was further complicated when Henry VIII annulled his marriage to Anne Boleyn. Henry recognised his children as heirs in an Act of Parliament in 1543 but the Pope urged good Catholics to support Mary.
Mary was crowned Queen of Scotland at only 6 days old. Much of her early childhood was spent in France, before her marriage to the dauphin. When he died in 1560, Mary returned to Scotland. She was soon in conflict with her strongly protestant ministers. After several disasters she fled to England where she spent much of her later life as a prisoner. She was implicated in a series of plots to kill Queen Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was at first reluctant to sign the death warrant for a crowned monarch, as she believed in 'the divine right of kings'. Sir Christopher Hatton was one of the commissioners who found Mary guilty and advised William Davidson to forward the warrant for her execution to Fotheringhay. Eventually Elizabeth did sign and Mary was executed on 8th February 1587 at Fotheringhay.
Why not go for a walk round the village and see the site of the old castle?
See also:
1540: Birth of Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor under Elizabeth I
