Transcript
Narrator (0:03)
It's the 16th of May, 1568. This is Abbey Burnfort, a Cistercian monastery on the Scottish coast. Down by the water, a fishing boat is lashed to a jetty. Sailors are loading up for a journey from this southernmost point of Scotland, the north of England. The wind whips up waves to make the crossing even more perilous. The fishermen have a secret cargo, a fugitive. A young woman approaches with an entourage of soldiers and attendants and a price on her head. Scooping up her skirts, she steps carefully on board the bucking boat. Aged just 25, she has striking red hair and a dress of finest fabric, although it is muddy and the threads are snagged and torn. Lingering at the gunwale for a last look at the rolling hills, she has no idea when she will see her native Scotland again, or the baby boy she has left behind. Settling herself in the prow, she ignores the rude stares of the sailors. She's accustomed to attention. Not only is she beautiful, but until a year ago, she was their monarch. The woman who was once Mary, Queen of Scots pulls the blankets over herself. Hiding from the blustery weather and spying eyes, the fishermen cast off, unfurling the sails and letting them catch the wind. The pink dotted hills shrink to the horizon. Mary's stomach starts to churn as they sail out into the Solway Firth. But it's not just the sea that is making her doubt her decision. England is a dangerous place. Her anxiety grows until suddenly she throws back the blankets, demanding to go to France instead. The captain, though, shakes his head. The wind is too strong. They cannot turn back now. So on they sail until after four long and cold hours, Mary hears a harbor bell. The boat slides into Workington Dock in the northernmost English county of Cumberland. Once it's tied up to the quay, Mary is manhandled up the stone steps, her sodden skirts clinging to her legs. She's relieved to see the horses ready and waiting. As expected, her nerves settle. Now that she's on dry land and in the carriage. The escape is going to plan. Now she must trust her cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England, to protect her. More than ever, Mary's fate depends on blood ties. After a short ride to Workington Hall, Mary dines in luxury and retires. Her bed is all the more comfortable after many nights living like a wild animal camping on the ground and drinking sour milk. She sleeps deeply, but wakes to a new dawn. Horses and soldiers outside, a military escort for the 30 mile ride to Carlisle Castle. When they arrive, the deposed queen is led across the cobbled yard Then into a stone tower where the wooden door is bolted behind her. As she climbs the steps, her hosts reassure her the security is for her own protection. Then show her to a sparse but comfortable room. But when she turns to ask for refreshments, the door closes and keys turn in the lock. Mary drops to the stone floor as she realizes that for the second time in her short life, she is a prisoner. QUEEN from just six days old, Mary lived a life of dangerous privilege. Born amid the turmoil of 16th century society, she was trapped between Scotland and England, Catholic and Protestant, love and duty. But Mary was also a woman with a burning ambition. Once Queen of France and once Queen of Scotland, the dark obsession with also securing the English throne would define her life and death. So was Mary Stuart, a plotter who would stop at nothing to realize her dreams? Or a wronged woman, used and manipulated by those who would strip her of her power and her freedom? And did her dying father's prophecy about her critical role in Scotland's royal history prove correct? I'm John Hopkins from the Noiser Network. This is a short history of Mary, Queen of Scots. In November 1542, Mary's mother is in the late stages of pregnancy at Linlithgow palace near Edinburgh. But her father, King James V of Scotland, is occupied elsewhere. 100 miles south, his army of Scots is in an area known as the Debatable Lands, the disputed border zone between his country and England. The Scots face the army of King Henry viii. James own uncle Henry, furious that his nephew has refused to break with the Catholic Church and won't enforce the religious reforms he has imposed on the English, has sent an army to make his feelings clear. The two sides meet at Solway Moss. The Scottish are easily defeated, with over a thousand men captured by the English or drowned in the River Esk. Already a sick man, James is not directly involved in the fighting. And now he retreats to Falkland palace in Fife. He takes to his bed. He is only 30, but has a lingering illness, possibly cholera. He's also harrowed by the grief of losing both infant sons. On one day only 18 months ago, on 8th December, he receives news that his wife, Mary of Guise, has given birth safely. The baby is healthy, a daughter also called Mary. But what might be a cause for celebration is in fact a blow from for the king. Though James has numerous illegitimate sons, here, on his deathbed, he learns that his only royal heir is female. Legend has it his dying words are Y camwe alas and El gangwe alas. It started with a girl and it will end with a girl. He's referring to the Stuart clan's hold on the Scottish crown, which began with Marjorie, daughter of the great Robert the Bruce. But if, as James believes, no female leader can stand up to the belligerent nobility that has riven the nation, it follows that the newborn Mary will be the last steward to reign over Scotland. Six days later, the King is dead and his prophecy is put to the test. Tracy Borman is a historian and author of several books, including the Private Lives of the Tudors. She's also a chief curator of the historic royal palaces.
