Mary Queen of Scots: Why Was She Executed?
Have you ever been judged by your faith? It has happened for centuries, conflict because of different beliefs, even just different denominations of beliefs. Mary Queen of Scots is a great example, growing up in the French court in the mid sixteenth century, Mary was the heir to the Scottish throne. She was also next in line for the English throne, after Elizabeth I (Jackson, 121). Unfortunately Scotland had a rough relationship with England, and the conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism.
This time period was in the middle of the Protestant reformation, so there was much controversy over religion and who should believe what. Mary’s strong faith in Catholicism has been thought to be one of
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He was also Catholic, so his chance for Mary’s hand was greater than many of her other suitors (Pollen). Scotland was in shock when Mary fell in love and married Lord Darnley, and many protestants rose up in arms, with Queen Elizabeth to back them up, but Mary extinguished the rebellion and drove them from Scotland. Mary and Henry then married in 1565, but with this Darnley had changed dramatically, he had become quarrelsome, egotistical, and self centered. He was also jealous of Mary’s secretary, David Rizzio, whom Mary had confided in (Pollen). Darnley conspired with some of Mary’s advisors and together, they seized Rizzio and stabbed him right in front of her, on March 9th, 1566 inside the Palace of Holyroodhouse (Royal.uk). After escaping unscathed, Mary looked towards Lord Bothwell, who is said to have had a hand with her in plotting the murder of Lord Darnley, who died in an explosion at her lodgings in Kirk O’ Field on the night of February 9, 1567 (Stedall). Bothwell was charged with Lord Darnley's murder, but by his peers was found not guilty (Stedall).
In order to marry the Queen of Scotland, Hepburn carried out a scandalous divorce from his wife, Jean Cordon, through both the Protestant and Catholic courts. He then forced Mary into consenting to marriage, so like her previous husband, he gained power (Pollen). Little did she know that this move would lead to her ultimate demise. Queen Elizabeth and the
Mary Surratt’s Execution Mary Surratt should have been executed. Mary should have been executed because she lied to the officials. Mary Surratt lied to the officials. In source 2 it reads, “Mrs. Surratt professed no surprise at the terrible new. Later, when the officials paid the house a second visit, her response was dramatically different, and she appeared shocked.”
Mary Surratt’s Argument Mary Surratt should have been executed. Mary Surratt should be executed because she was still part of the conspiracy.
Mary I was the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. She was claimed illegitimate by her father and was forced to sign papers saying that he had never married her mother (Catherine of Aragon). Mary wasn’t allowed to see her mother and was sent away by Henry VIII. She followed the Catholic ways of her mother and became quite religious. Mary was angered that her father was turning Britain into Protestants. When her father finally died, at the age of 55, Mary tried to convince her 10-year-old brother- Edward- to
Why Mary Surratt should have not been executed. On the night of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, Mary Surratt, who was guilty and hanged for taking part in Abe Lincoln’s assassination. Mary Surratt was guilty, but should not have been hanged. Mary was guilty for lying to the police, and knowing of the kidnapping plot. In source, one, it states that Mary Surratt was guilty for taking place in Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
Though Elizabeth originally was for Mary’s execution, Elizabeth revoked her decision right after writing it but the council still went through with the execution.
Executed for a Reason: Mary Surratt Mary Surratt should”ve been executed. She should’ve been executed for her participation and lying in the assassination plot. Mary Surratt lied to the authorities.
The major cause of the execution was the threat that Mary posed to Elizabeth's rule. Mary was of Tudor decent on both her mothers and fathers side, therefore she was a legitimate Catholic heir to the throne of England. The execution of Mary resulted diminished Catholic sympathy, war with Spain, and James VI inheriting the English throne
The first reason that Mary Surratt received a far worse punishment than she got was because she did not hurt anyone. She got hung for treason, which she didn’t do, according to various websites. Treason is overthrowing the government, according to “dictionary.com”. Surratt did not overthrow the government. The book, Chasing Lincoln’s Killer says, “The soldiers arrested Mary Surratt”. The book never talks about Mary rebelling against the soldiers. This evidence shows that Mary Surratt received a far worse punishment than she got, because she didn’t hurt anyone.
As Mary Surratt walked up the steps of the gallows, knowing that the low hanging noose was about to take her life, she whispered to the soldier “don’t let me fall’. Moments later the thick rope instantly brought Surratt to her last breath. Mary was accused for being involved in the association of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 15th, 1865. Mary Surratt deserved to be executed for holding her tongue during the assassination.
Mary immediately started passing acts and reforms to bring back the Catholic religion. She also realized, in order to maintain her power she must get married, and she chose Phillip of Spain to be her husband. Many were apprehensive and upset about her choosing Phillip as a husband, but she argued it would be best not only for her, but also for England. However, in 1554, Sir Thomas Wyatt led a rebellion to prevent their marriage, he thought it would cause England to be controlled by Spain. This rebellion was known as the Wyatt’s Rebellion. During this rebellion, 3000 followers marched from Mainstone to West Minister, but they had to surrender to Mary’s troops. Many of the rebels were arrested for treason and hanged and 300 were burned at the stake. This mass execution is what caused Mary to gain her nickname Bloody Mary. Though Mary thought Elizabeth was involved and came close to executing her half-sister, she instead put Elizabeth in the tower.
The only child of James V of Scotland and his French-born wife Mary of Guise, I was born in December 1542 in the Linlithgow Palace as Mary Stuart. My Father died a six days after my birth, and then I became Mary, Queen of Scots, with my mother acting as a regent in my stead (Source 1). At just five years of age, I was betrothed to Henry VIII’s son, Edward, but my Catholic guardians were opposed to the match, and took me too Stirling Castle, breaking the agreement(Source 1). The Scots betrothed me to the son of Henry II, Francis, the four year old heir to the French crown, and sent me to be raised at his courts (Source 1). I loved him with a strong sisterly affection (Source 4) and he loved me as a brother would love a sister.
Being raised Catholic, many English Catholics considered her to be the rightful English monarch. She was involved in several plots to kill Elizabeth, so she was imprisoned in 1567. Despite her attempts to remove Elizabeth from the throne, she was executed in 1587 after being in prison for almost twenty years.
When going into more detail about the failed attempts at marriage between both Mary and Elizabeth it is basically repeating the same thing. Which would be that Elizabeth tried but eventually said that she did not want to forsake her virginity to anyone so she had declined any request for her hand and stated that she was married to her country. Mary though did not want to be a virgin she did have three marriages that all failed and even died because someone wasn’t happy or someone cheated on someone. According to both sources by Harmon and Warnicke, both Mary and Elizabeth had some bad encounters with some trouble when they were younger. For Elizabeth it was when Elizabeth found out how Mary had come to get her way into the throne, and Elizabeth found out that Mary was working with people that was attempting to either assassinate or kidnap Elizabeth. Elizabeth kept Mary alive for many years moving her around from prison to prison, and eventually she found out that Mary was plotting once again against Elizabeth so she ordered that Mary, be executed even though she really didn’t want to. Mary too had run into some trouble multiple times in her younger days such as she had multiple threats of abductions against her life. According to Warnicke, “noblemen viewed women rulers as naturally subordinate to them and susceptible, like minors, to their authority if
On July 29, 1565, Mary married her second husband. Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley her first cousin and the grandson of Margaret Tudor, was next in line after Mary to the English succession. This marriage united the two nearest claimants to the English throne. After a year or so, Mary began to realize that Darnley, who was both morally and mentally worthless, was not fit to be king. Although she had given him title of king, Darnley had now demanded that the crown be secured to him for life. His main reason was if Mary died without children, the Scottish crown should descend to his heirs. She refused to grant him the crown and turned to David Rizzio for comfort. David Rizzio first came as a musician to the royal court and he was quickly promoted to secretary for Mary’s French affairs. Rumors were spread that he was not just a secretary but
Mary has one motive for murdering her husband. The motive is that she couldn’t accept the fact that her husband was leaving her. He says, “ ‘This is going to be a bit of a shock to you, I 'm afraid,’ he said. ‘But I 've thought about it a good deal and I 've decided the only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you won 't blame me too much...So there it is,’ he added. ‘And I know it 's kind of a bad time to be telling you, bet there simply wasn 't any other way. Of course I 'll give you money and see you 're looked after. But there needn 't really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. It wouldn 't be very good for my job.’ " Although he didn’t say the exact words the reader can infer this when he states “… i’ll give you money and see you 're looked after. But there needn 't really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. It wouldn 't be very good for my job…” Some readers might disagree with her for killing her husband because he was leaving her, but she was truly in love with him