Mary I of Scotland

Mary I of Scotland (Mary Stuart or Stewart) (December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587), better known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was the ruler of Scotland from December 14, 1542 – July 24, 1567. She is perhaps the best known of the Scottish monarchs, in part because of the tragedy of her life.

Mary's legacy

The two classic film biographies of Mary (neither of them so faithful to history as to get in the way of the story) are the 1936 Mary of Scotland starring Katharine Hepburn and Fredric March and the 1971 Mary, Queen of Scots starring Vanessa Redgrave (Oscar) and Nigel Davenport.

Related Topics:
1936 - Mary of Scotland - Katharine Hepburn - Fredric March - 1971 - Mary, Queen of Scots - Vanessa Redgrave - Oscar - Nigel Davenport

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Mary also inspired the opera Maria Stuarda by Donizetti and the play Maria Stuart by Friedrich Schiller. In Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky's 20 sonnets to Mary Stuart (in Russian) the poet addresses her as an interlocutor. Equally, she inspired the song "To France" by Mike Oldfield.

Related Topics:
Opera - Maria Stuarda - Donizetti - Maria Stuart - Friedrich Schiller - Nobel - Joseph Brodsky - Russian - Mike Oldfield

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Mary's story had been the subject of a number of novels. Recently published novels included: Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles: A Novel by Margaret George and Royal Road to Fotheringhay: The Story of Mary, Queen of Scots by Jean Plaidy, and she features importantly in The Lymond Chronicles by celebrated historical novelist Dorothy Dunnett.

Related Topics:
The Lymond Chronicles - Dorothy Dunnett

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In children's literature, novels on Mary, Queen of Scots include: Queen's Own Fool: A Novel of Mary Queen of Scots and from the Royal Diaries series from Scholastic, Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a County, France, 1553 by Kathryn Lasky.

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Jacobites call her Mary II of England in addition to her title of Queen of Scots, because they consider Elizabeth I illegitimate.

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A play about the life of Mary Stuart following the discovery of the "Casket Letters" opened at the Apollo Theatre, London in October 2005.

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