In My End Is My Beginning: Mary Queen Of Scots

“In my end is my beginning.” -Mary Queen of Scots. Mary Queen of Scots was a queen, poet, mother, wife, daughter, and friend. Due to Mary’s life, the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth and how it caused Mary’s downfall, and the effects of religious beliefs on political gain in this time period; Mary Queen of Scots was an excellent monarch that made a long-lasting impact on the United Kingdom. Mary’s life was engrossed in lost. She was born in 1542 and a week later her father died. When she was six years old she was shipped to France to marry the Dauphin, Francois Valois. Even though she did this in order to secure a Catholic alliance, she loved Francois, but he was very sickly and died. Mary was distraught after his death for they

Mary and Elizabeth were not like that. Mary and Elizabeth were threats to each others reign, countries, and lives. For example, when Mary wanted help from Elizabeth she kept her captive and instead kept her as a prisoner for 19 years as a political pawn. (Castelow) Or when Elizabeth ascended the throne many debated she was illegitimate because her parents weren’t married in the eyes of the Catholic church so many thought that Mary was the rightful heir. (Sommerville) Mary was the prime Catholic candidate for the throne of England while losing popularity in her own country because she was a Catholic monarch in a country that was slowly slipping into Protestantism. (Sommerville) But from birth, they were threats to each other. “Elizabeth’s secretary, William Cecil, realised that as long as Mary lived, this quarrel now begun, is undoubtedly like to be a perpetual encumbrance of this kingdom: When the French king died in July 1559, 15-year-old Francois became King of France- with Mary, aged 16, as his queen consort. The threat to Elizabeth grew even greater.” Though in reality, Mary was a threat to Mary even if she was just alive because in the Catholics eyes she had a more legitimate claim. (Whitelock) But they weren’t just threats with their positions, but with their actions. They constantly swung blows at each other. The first solid blow was the Treaty of Edinburgh. The Treaty asked Mary to renounce her claim to the English throne and there would be peace with their countries. Elizabeth’s request was denied and after some time has passed everything is good again until Mary asks if she could be Elizabeth’s heir. Mary and Don Carlos of Spain start a marriage negotiation and Elizabeth pulls some firework politics mirage saying that she is going to marry to stop Mary from marrying Don Carlos. Mary married Darnley who also had a very strong claim to the English throne and this angered Elizabeth. Then the