Mary, Queen of Scots, was born on December 8, 1542 at Linlithgow Palace. She became queen just six days after the death of her father James V, spending her childhood in France and marrying three husbands (read about Mary’s husbands here), before being forced to abdicate in favor of her son. james vi.
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Mary fled to England and was imprisoned for 19 years on the orders of Elizabeth I, before being executed for treason after being implicated in a plot to assassinate the Queen of England.
But there is much more to Mary’s life than these facts. With so many books available about Mary, Queen of Scots, how can you decide which one to read? Our recommendations were written by some of the best historians and scholars in the country and give you an insight into the life and times of Queen Stewart, regardless of your level of knowledge.
1. best for: an unflinching appraisal of mary’s reign
mary queen of scots: a study in failure by jenny wormald
This updated version of historian Jenny Wormald’s study of Mary Queen of Scots brings this study, first published 30 years ago, to a new audience. With a foreword by Anna Groundwater, the book aims to portray Mary not as the romantic heroine of the public imagination, but as a woman whose downfall was brought about by her inability to deal with the problems and challenges she faced as a Renaissance monarch. . /p>
The author seeks to present Mary’s reign within its Scottish and longer-term context, separating it from the debate between the adulteress and the innocent martyr that can so often cloud our understanding of Mary and her life.
2. best for: the book that inspired the movie mary queen of scots
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my heart is mine: the life of mary, queen of scots by john guy
john guy’s my heart is my own inspired the movie mary queen of scots, with the author of the book acting as writer. Originally published in 2004, the book explores the relationship between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth I of England; two queens on an island who were destined never to meet.
The book is billed as a “dramatic reinterpretation” of the life of Mary and is based on years of research by one of the foremost historians of the Renaissance period. my heart is my own received the whitbread biography award and the marsh biography award.
3. best for: an exploration of contemporary records
mary queen of scots: an illustrated life by susan doran
an illustrated biography that differs from other books about mary by its illustrations of mary and the people associated with her, as well as contemporary documents that help tell the story of the queen’s life and reign. many of these records are transcribed and explained with the help of extended subtitles.
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mary queen of scotland by retha warnicke
The realities of being a female monarch in the 16th century are at the heart of this biography by Retha Warnicke, an expert on Tudor royalty. The author thoroughly explores the challenges Mary faced and the forces that were arrayed against her, most notably the limitations placed on Mary by the restrictions of her sex.
one of warnicke’s key arguments is that mary was forced to accept her third forced marriage to the earl of bothwell, as the author believes the queen faced the possibility of accusations that she had provoked Bothwell’s attack on herself.
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5. best for: a classic biography
mary queen of scots by antonia fraser
written in 1969 and awarded the james tait black memorial prize that same year, this largely compassionate biography of mary seeks to debunk the myths and legends surrounding the queen’s life and explore the circumstances surrounding the queen’s death. Death of Mary’s second husband, Lord Darnley.
bonus!
rival queens: the betrayal of mary queen of scots by kate williams
One of the most recent releases on the life and reign of Mary is Rival Queens, which explores the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth I. Kate Williams explains the basis of the rivalry between the two monarchs and discovers why these two kindred spirits embarked on a collision course that would end in Mary’s execution at the hands of the English Queen.
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