What is maria stuart?

Maria Stuart, or Mary Queen of Scots, was born on December 8, 1542, in Linlithgow Palace, Scotland. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King James V of Scotland and his second wife, Mary of Guise.

At the age of 6 days old, Maria became queen of Scotland after her father's death. She spent most of her childhood in France, where she was educated in a Catholic environment. In 1558, she married Francis, Dauphin of France, who became king the following year. However, Francis died in 1560, and Maria returned to Scotland after 13 years abroad.

Maria's reign in Scotland was turbulent. She faced opposition from Protestant reformers, and her marriage to Lord Darnley, who was suspected of involvement in the murder of her private secretary, caused further controversy.

In 1567, Darnley was assassinated, and Maria married the suspected murderer, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. Her enemies used this as a pretext to imprison her, and she eventually fled to England seeking the protection of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. However, Elizabeth saw Maria as a threat to her own reign and kept her under house arrest for nearly 19 years.

Maria was eventually tried and convicted for her involvement in various plots against Elizabeth's rule and was executed on February 8, 1587. She is remembered as a tragic figure, one of the most romanticized and controversial monarchs in British history.