Noble Blood — "Husbands of the Scottish Queen"

Podcast: Noble Blood
Host: Dana Schwartz
Episode Date: November 25, 2025
Duration: Approx. 55 minutes

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Dana Schwartz dives into the tumultuous and tragic saga of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. The episode unpacks Darnley’s violent murder, the scandal and suspicion that engulfed both Mary and her powerful courtier James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, and the rapid, disastrous series of political maneuvers that followed—culminating in abduction, assault, and Mary’s fall from power. The narrative explores how the intersection of royal ambition, betrayal, gender, and violence created a maelstrom that forever altered the fate of Mary and the Scottish crown.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Setting the Stage: The Death of Lord Darnley

[04:44]

• In early February 1567, Lord Darnley, estranged husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, is recuperating at Kirk o’ Field, near Edinburgh.
  • An injury and possible illness have kept him from court life and from Mary herself.
  • An ominous raven perches on the roof as he arrives—“It seemed the raven knew something mere mortals didn’t.” (Schwartz, 04:54)
• On February 9th, after Mary departs for court duties, an explosion destroys Darnley’s lodgings in the night.
  • Villagers describe it as “a clap of thunder...like 20 or 30 cannons.” (Schwartz, 05:31)
  • Darnley’s body is found outside, not killed by the explosion but strangled, “with signs of strangulation…he had made it out of the exploded house and been killed anyway.” (Schwartz, 05:49)
• This calculated murder sends shockwaves through Scotland and the international courts.

The Prime Suspect: Bothwell

[07:07]

• Lord Bothwell, Sheriff of Edinburgh and Mary’s close advisor, quickly emerges as the primary suspect for Darnley’s murder—
  • Bothwell is powerful, rumored vengeful (his ally was the murdered secretary Riccio), and has access to the necessary gunpowder.
  • Placards appear in Edinburgh accusing him publicly. English ambassador Sir William Drury reports, “the Earl Bothwell is most suspected.” (Schwartz, 09:15)
  • Even Mary’s own relationship with Bothwell is now under scrutiny—were they lovers? Was Mary a co-conspirator?
• The relationship between Mary and Darnley was contentious, with Darnley described as a “power-hungry, paranoid drunkard,” and abusive—he murdered her secretary David Riccio in front of the pregnant queen. (Schwartz, 07:44)
• Bothwell seems to command Mary’s trust more than anyone, with ambassadors noting, “Bothwell commanded her confidence more than any other man.” (Schwartz, 12:08)

The Sham Trial and Bothwell’s Ascendancy

[17:28]

• Bothwell is put on trial for Darnley’s murder, but the proceedings are a farce:
  • Darnley’s father, the Earl of Lennox, flees for fear of Bothwell’s armed supporters outnumbering his own.
  • No one testifies; Bothwell is acquitted after 7 hours of deliberation in a courtroom “filled with Bothwell’s allies.” (Schwartz, 18:58)
• Days later, Bothwell gathers nobles at Ainslie Tavern, pressuring them to sign a document endorsing his marriage to Mary—increasing speculation about his motives and involvement in Darnley’s death.

The Abduction and Assault of Mary

[23:30]

• Bothwell ambushes Mary on her return journey with 800 men.
  • He convinces her (by force or threat—historians dispute her degree of consent) to accompany him to Dunbar Castle.
  • “Mary may not have really felt like she had a choice at all.” (Schwartz, 29:54)
• That night, Bothwell rapes Mary. Multiple sources and Mary’s own words confirm this: she is quoted as saying Bothwell’s actions were “quite rough and…she had no choice but to make the best of it.” (Schwartz, 31:18)
  • “According to them, Bothwell did a heinous act to break down Mary’s sexual boundaries, but she would have to suffer for it.” (Schwartz, 32:43)
• In early May, Bothwell divorces his wife, manipulates church courts (with threats to the officials), and rapidly marries Mary in a hasty, somber Protestant ceremony. (Schwartz, 36:35)

Political Fallout and Mary’s Imprisonment

[39:12]

• The Scottish nobles (“the Confederates”) turn on Bothwell, raising an army to oppose him and “rescue” Mary.
• After a military standoff at Carberry Hill, Bothwell flees (with Mary’s permission or at her urging), and Mary surrenders, becoming a prisoner herself.
  • She is subjected to public shaming—soldiers yell, “burn the whore,” and gruesome banners are displayed as she is paraded through Edinburgh. (Schwartz, 42:10)
  • Imprisoned at Loch Leven, Mary miscarries, then is compelled to abdicate the throne in favor of her infant son, James, with her half-brother acting as regent.

English Exile and The Casket Letters

[45:00]

• Mary escapes, briefly raises a loyalist army, but is finally defeated by her half-brother Moray and flees to England.
  • Queen Elizabeth I orders an inquiry into the accusations against Mary—not just whether she murdered Darnley, but whether she is fit to rule.
  • Moray presents the notorious “Casket Letters”—alleged love letters from Mary to Bothwell, which supposedly prove her guilt as Bothwell’s lover and co-conspirator.
    • Most historians see these as forgeries: “Some were entirely invented, while others were probably rewrites of actual letters…The casket letters seemed to damn Mary’s case…but most historians think these letters were forged.” (Schwartz, 50:23)
  • The inquiry ends inconclusively. Mary’s public image, however, is irreparably damaged.

Historical Legacy and Reflection

[52:30]

• Centuries later, historians point to Mary’s story as an illustration of how royal women—even queens—could be powerless, blamed, and brutalized.
  • “A place where even a queen had no power. That’s the tragic story of Mary, Queen of Scots and Bothwell.” (Schwartz, 53:36)

Postscript: Mary’s Prison Embroidery

[52:27]

• In captivity, Mary befriends her keeper’s wife Bess of Hardwick and takes up embroidery.
  • Needlework panels made by Mary and Bess survive, some interpreted as containing secret political messages: “Virtue flourishes by wounding.” (Schwartz, 54:17)
  • The embroidery itself would later be used as “evidence” at Mary’s treason trial in England.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“A raven followed their caravan...an ominous sign. It seemed the raven knew something mere mortals didn’t.”
— Dana Schwartz (04:54)

“His body was found in the back garden with signs of strangulation. He had made it out of the exploded house and been killed anyway. This was a murder.”
— Dana Schwartz (05:49)

“Bothwell commanded her confidence more than any other man.”
— Dana Schwartz (12:08)

“There’s no real evidence that implicates Mary in her husband’s murder. If anything, it seems she had tried to prevent conspiracies against her husband throughout their marriage.”
— Dana Schwartz (21:32)

“Mary may not have really felt like she had a choice at all.”
— Dana Schwartz (29:54)

“Regardless of whether or not she had wanted to marry Bothwell, she had been ravished against her will.”
— Dana Schwartz (31:42)

“Wantons Mary. In the month of May.” (Protest placard at Mary and Bothwell’s wedding)
— Dana Schwartz (38:27)

“[Mary] felt no joy about the wedding and longed for suicide.”
— Dana Schwartz (39:12)

“A place where even a queen had no power. That’s the tragic story of Mary, Queen of Scots and Bothwell.”
— Dana Schwartz (53:36)

“Virtue flourishes by wounding.” (Latin motto on Mary’s embroidery panel)
— Dana Schwartz (54:17)

Timeline of Key Events (Timestamps)

• [04:44] — Mary brings Darnley to Kirk o’ Field for convalescence
• [05:31 - 05:49] — The explosion and Lord Darnley’s murder
• [07:07 - 10:30] — Bothwell emerges as the main suspect; Mary’s relationships scrutinized
• [17:28 - 19:10] — Bothwell’s sham murder trial and acquittal
• [22:45 - 24:40] — The Ainslie Tavern band and Bothwell’s marriage plot
• [29:00 - 31:44] — Bothwell’s abduction and assault on Mary at Dunbar
• [36:32] — Bothwell arranges divorce, threatens officials, marries Mary
• [39:12 - 42:10] — Mary’s depression, public shaming, and imprisonment
• [45:00 - 50:23] — Mary’s escape, exile, and the Casket Letters trial in England
• [53:36] — Reflection: Mary’s tragic legacy
• [52:27 - 54:33] — Postscript about Mary’s prison needlework and hidden messages

Episode Tone & Style

Dana Schwartz delivers the narrative in her signature style—vivid, witty, and historically precise, while not shying away from the dark, tragic elements at the heart of Mary’s story. She blends suspenseful storytelling with empathetic insight, weaving in scholarly debates and memorable historical details to bring the story to life for listeners.

For Listeners

This episode is a compelling and thoughtful retelling of one of history's most dramatic royal scandals. It offers close examination of Mary's marriages, the shifting suspicions and propaganda that doomed her, and a nuanced reflection on victimhood, political power, and the gendered expectations of royalty. Even if you are unfamiliar with the story, you will come away with a sense of the messy, often brutal realities behind the myths of monarchy.

Recommended for listeners interested in:

• Tudor and Stuart history
• Royal scandals and true crime
• Stories of women navigating power and patriarchy
• The intersection of political history and personal tragedy

Content warning: This episode contains frank discussion of murder, sexual assault, and pregnancy loss. (Explicitly warned at [02:44] by the host.)