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Book Review:
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I am a Queen Elizabeth I NUT! I have read at least 3 books about her. I have watched as many movies and mini-serieses (is that a word?) as I can get my hands on. From Elizabeth R to Orlando, I've watched it, loved it, and CONSUMED it.
I didn't know that much about Mary Queen of Scots, but I knew a lot about her indirectly from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. So I thought I'd read this book (I think I wandered past it in the bookstore and it caught my eye).
I learned a lot about the "other side of the story", so to speak. I'd always looked at things from Queen Elizabeth I's point of view (as best I could, obviously). But this book walked me through
- her birth and crowning in Scotland
- her rapid exile to France
- her betrothal at a young age to the King of France
- her eventual marriage to the King of France
- her becoming Queen Consort of France (her second "Queen-hood")
- her becoming Queen of England, on paper at least, for political reasons and pressure (her third "Queen-hood")
- her widowhood (again rapid)
- her trip back to Scotland (nearly falling into Queen Elizabeth I's hands, foreshadowing? ;-)
- her reign in Scotland while being hemmed in by Protestants
- her awful marriage to an Englishman, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (who pretty much everyone said at the time and in all the histories I've read and shows I've watched, was a total loser)
- the birth of her son
- the death/assassination (was it really ;-) of her husband
- her falling in love with (at least according to the book) James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, and marrying him
- her exile to England (what was she thinking?! Mary's claim to the throne of England was--at least--as valid as Queen Elizabeth I's (they were both granddaughters of King Henry VIII), it's NOT a happy thing for a monarch to have someone like that around) as well as Bothwell's exile
- her detioriating imprisonment in England (she got moved around a lot, and each place was worse)
- the crowning of her son as King of Scotland (you're not supposed to do that unless the previous monarch dies or abdicates, right?)
- her almost escapes from imprisonment
- her "treason(s)" against Queen Elizabeth I
- her trial for treasons Queen Elizabeth I
- her execution on the order of Queen Elizabeth I (who, by the way, was NOT happy to be signing that order, was pissed off and distraught about it for years, and felt she was tricked into it by her advisors)
For someone who, on paper at least, was the Queen of not one, not two, but THREE realms, she had a tough go of it. From the inauspicious beginning to the ignoble end, the book takes the reader through it all. Mind you, her--not very loyal--son DID become King of England (he was already King of Scotland before she died) after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, thereby uniting England and Scotland into one kingdom.
I found the book large, but very readable. It was a great way to learn the history of Mary I of Scotland. Margaret George is very good at researching her subjects and then blending all the facts she can get her hands on with a story that is captivating and easy to read.
If you'd like to buy the book, click here.
As an aside, Mary Queen of Scots is NOT the same as "Bloody Mary". That "honor" goes to the immediate predecessor of Queen Elizabeth I on the throne of England (what a b*tch SHE was, she earned the title, and the drink keeps her in mind :-).
I haven't had as much time as I'd like to really go on about this, but if you find this interesting, click here and I'll try and get more information put up.
Some other resources from Wikipedia:
- Mary, Queen of Scots
- Queen Elizabeth I of England (Mary's cousin)
- Mary's son, King James VI of Scotland and King James I of England (aren't titles fun?)
Posted May 27, 2007.
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