A Queen at a week old and then executed for treason at the age of 44, the life of Mary, Queen of Scots was married by troubled marriages, betrayal, sickness, rebellion and murder.
As she sought to hold her reign, the castles of Scotland became central to her peace and safety as she sought sanctuary and the loyalty of her supporters. Born at Linlithgow Palace in 1542, here we look at nine other castles central to the story of Scotland’s doomed queen.
1. Stirling Castle
Mary became the most important resident of Stirling Castle when the child queen was crowned here aged just nine months old following the death of her father, James V, in 1542. A new traumatic era of the Stewart dynasty was underway. Photo: John McPake/CC
2. Inchmahome Priory near Aberfoyle
A scenic boat trip across the Lake of Menteith will bring you through this wooded island sanctuary where Mary was brought as a four-year-old to protect her against advancing English forces. The 500-year-old Spanish chestnuts in the grounds are said to have been planted by her. Photo: Andrew Shiva/CC
3. Dumbarton Castle, Dumbarton
Mary landed at Dumbarton in February 1548 aged just five following her betrothal to Dauphin Francis, heir to the French throne. For five months, she lived in royal lodgings nestled between Dumbarton’s twin summits, and in July she boarded a ship sent by the French king. She married in 1558 and returned to Scotland three years later following his death. Photo: Alan Hughes
4. Craigmillar Castle, Edinburgh
In 1556, Mary - a regular visitor to Craigmillar - stayed at the rural retreat for a fortnight with her entourage of lords when discussions were held regarding the future of her second husband, Lord Darnley, the chief suspect in the kiling of her private secretary David Rizzio. Either with or without her knowledge, the lords decided to have Darnley murdered, leading to the so-called Craigmillar Bond. Photo: Iain Campbell/CC/Flickr