Mary Queen of Scots' Downfall: The Life and Murder of Henry, Lord Darnley

by Robert Stedall

Overview

In the early hours of 10 February 1567 a large explosion ripped through the Provosts lodgings at Kirk o' Field, Edinburgh, where Mary Queen of Scotland's consort, Henry Lord Darnley, was staying. Darnley's body was found with that of his valet in a neighboring garden the next morning. The Queen's husband had been murdered and the ramifications for Mary and Scottish history would be far-reaching.

Lord Darnley cuts an infamous figure in Scottish and Tudor history. In life, he proved a controversial character, and his murder at Kirk o' Field in 1567 remains one of British history's great, unsolved mysteries - solving whether Mary was implicated has taxed historians ever since. In this engaging and well-researched biography, Robert Stedall reexamines Darnley's life and his murder. It is not to be missed; his investigation brings new light and compelling conclusions to a story surrounded by political betrayal, murder, falsified evidence and conspiracy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473893313
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	12/05/2017
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

Robert Stedall has made a specialist study of Tudor history and is the curator of the popular www.maryqueenofscots.net. He has also written Men of Substance, on the London Livery Companies’ reluctant part in the Plantation of Ulster.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations ix

Maps xi

Preface xiv

Part 1 The Lennoxes' Background and Scottish Heritage 1

Chapter 1 The Marriage of the Earl of Lennox to Lady Margaret Douglas 2

Chapter 2 Matthew Stuart, 4th Earl of Lennox 5

Chapter 3 Lady Margaret Douglas 11

Chapter 4 Lennox's involvement in English efforts to subsume Scotland under its control 16

Chapter 5 Efforts to secure a Protestant succession for the English throne 24

Chapter 6 The upbringing of Lord Darnley 30

Chapter 7 The Scottish Reformation 33

Part 2 Competing Ambitions to be Recognized as Elizabeth's Heir 43

Chapter 8 Mary's marries the Dauphin and becomes Queen Consort of France 44

Chapter 9 Margaret Douglas's initial efforts to promote Darnley as a husband for Mary 51

Chapter 10 Events following Mary's arrival in Scotland 56

Chapter 11 Rival efforts to be established as Elizabeth's heir 63

Chapter 12 Mary's efforts to find a husband 71

Chapter 13 The impact of Lennox's arrival in Scotland 83

Part 3 Darnley's Arrival in Scotland and Marriage to Mary 87

Chapter 14 The complex scheming that led to Darnley marrying Mary 88

Chapter 15 Moray's rebellion 108

Chapter 16 Mary's efforts to govern with her husband without Moray and Maitland 116

Chapter 17 Riccio's murder 126

Chapter 18 A time for compromise 140

Chapter 19 James's birth and its aftermath 146

Chapter 20 Mary's illness at Jedburgh and convalescence at Craigmillar 158

Chapter 21 The baptism of Prince James 167

Chapter 22 Mary's visit to Glasgow to persuade the king to return to Edinburgh 174

Part 4 King Henry's Murder 185

Chapter 23 The planning of the murder of the king 186

Chapter 24 The demise of the king 191

Chapter 25 A review of what happened 205

Chapter 26 The immediate aftermath of the murder and Mary's reaction to it 216

Part 5 The Conspiracy to Force Mary to Abdicate 227

Chapter 27 Pawns in a game of chess 228

Chapter 28 Bothwell's exoneration and marriage to Mary 240

Chapter 29 The confederate alliance challenges Mary and Orkney 253

Afterword 263

Genealogical tables 276

1 The English succession 276

2 The Scottish succession 278

3 Stewart (Stuart) of Lennox 280

4 Douglas of Angus 282

Bibliography 284

References and endnotes 289

Index 314