Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/245

 MARY STUART 233 legitimate heir to the English crown, as de- scended from Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VII., Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII. by Anne Boleyn, having been declared illegitimate. This act was the cause of most of the trouble that afterward befell the Scot- tish queen. Henry II. dying July 10, 1559, Mary was queen of France from that date till the death of her husband, Francis II., Dec. 5, 1560. During his short reign the Guises, who led the Catholic party, ruled the king through their influence over his wife, their kinswoman. Suitors for her hand soon appeared the kings of Sweden and Denmark, and Philip II. of Spain, who wished her to wed his son and heir Don Carlos. She was coldly treated in France, where Catharine de' Medici, never her friend, had control of the government ; and she resolv- ed to return to Scotland. In that country the French Catholic party had been overthrown and the English Protestant party had triumphed, aided by Elizabeth's forces. By the treaty of Edinburgh, July 5 and 6, 1560, it was provided, among other things, that the French should leave Scotland, and that the Scotch sovereigns should cease to bear the arms and title of the sovereigns of England. Mary had eluded the ratification of this treaty. When she re- solved to return to Scotland, she applied to Elizabeth for a safe-conduct through England, but it was refused, unless she would ratify the treaty of Edinburgh. Mary then embarked at Calais, Aug. 14, 1561, and arrived at Leith on the 19th, escaping the English cruisers. She left France with bitter regrets, and was herself much regretted there. Poets expressed the common feeling, and her own chanson bidding adieu to the country is universally known. On her arrival in Scotland, she found the power in the hands of the Protestants, and submitted to what it was impossible to resist. Her chief min- isters were her natural brother, the lord James Stuart, and Maitland of Lethington, who were among the ablest statesmen of the century. She expressed herself favorable to toleration, and asked it for herself, but obtained it with difficulty. Her position was one of great em- barrassment. Sincerely Catholic, she was the sovereign of a people who had accepted the reformation, and who had displayed the ut- most enmity to the old faith. Her joyous modes of life were regarded with abhorrence by most of her subjects, and prepared them to believe the worst that could be alleged against her. Still her reign for some time was pros- perous. Her brother, who was at that time attached to her, counselled her wisely and acted vigorously. The rebellious Gordons were con- quered. A good understanding with Elizabeth was effected, and preparations for a meeting of the two queens were partially made. Cir- cumstances made it advisable that Mary should marry. Elizabeth wished her to marry the earl of Arran, but to this Mary would not con- sent. She desired to become the wife of Don Carlos of Spain, and refused the dukes of Ne- mours and Ferrara ; but the Spanish marriage met with so much opposition, both at home and abroad, that she had to abandon all idea of it. She was urged to accept the hand of the archduke Charles, third son of Ferdinand I. (1563), but the proposition found no favor with her. Elizabeth then (1564) suggested Lord Robert Dudley, better known as the earl of Leicester, which Mary regarded as an insult. Mary finally determined to marry the lord Henry Darnley, son of the earl of Lennox. Darnley was nearly related to both queens, as his mother, the countess of Lennox, was the lady Margaret Douglas, daughter of the earl of Angus and of Margaret Tudor, widow of James IV. of Scotland. He was handsome and ac- complished, but was fickle and his talents were small. The Catholics favored the match, and the Protestants opposed it ; and so powerful were the latter that, headed by the queen's brother, who had been created earl of Murray, and Lethington, they would have triumphed and Mary would have married Leicester, could Elizabeth have been prevailed upon to recog- nize her as her heir. The Scotch statesmen, who were supported by some of the English statesmen, exerted themselves to have this recognition made; but Elizabeth desired that Mary should first accept Leicester. This caused Mary to persevere in her design, which, how- ever, met with much opposition from Murray and others. Murray retired from the court, nor could Mary induce him to return to her service, or to consent to her marriage with Darnley. Elizabeth continued her opposition to the marriage, and sent to propose to Mary to choose either Leicester, the duke of Nor- folk, or the earl of Arundel. But neither her opposition, nor the extreme measures of the church of Scotland, nor the lawless proceed- ings of Murray and others, could now avail to stop the marriage. Darnley had been created lord of Ardmanach and earl of Ross, and on July 20, 1565, he was made duke of Albany; and nine days later the marriage took place. On the previous day Mary had conferred on him the title of king. The alliance must have been popular in Scotland, or Mary could not have triumphed in opposition to so many powerful influences ; but it caused dismay in England. Murray headed a rebellion, relying on English assistance; but Mary's energetic proceedings led to his prompt defeat, and the assertion of the royal authority. Unfortunately, her suc- cess led Mary to entertain the idea of over- throwing Protestantism, whereas she had suc- ceeded only because her subjects had believed her to be upholding the existing system against the designs of a few ambitious and selfish no- bles. She put herself in communication with the courts of France and Spain, and with the pope. From Spain and Rome she received some money, but Philip II. could afford her no military assistance, though he intimated that he might furnish it at a future period. Mary now assumed a high tone toward Elizabeth ;