Mary, Queen of Scots' Trial

What happened at the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots?

Mary, Queen of Scots, was put on trial and executed because she was accused of being involved with a plot to assassinate Elizabeth I.

Why was Mary, Queen of Scots, put on trial?

Mary was caught communicating with protagonists in the Babington Plot of 1586, who planned to assassinate Elizabeth and put Mary on the English throne.

What was Mary, Queen of Scots' defence at her trial?

Mary argued her case strongly, claiming she could not be found guilty of treason because she was a foreign queen rather than an Englishwoman.

What punishment was Mary, Queen of Scots, given at her trial?

Mary was sentenced to death on 25th October, 1586.

Why did Elizabeth hesitate to sign Mary, Queen of Scots' death warrant after her trial?

There were two important reasons Elizabeth hesitated over signing Mary's death warrant.

• ❖ She was concerned it might lead to revenge attacks by Mary's son, King James VI of Scotland, or Philip II of Spain.
• ❖ She was also concerned that if she legally killed a queen, it might undermine her own position and put her in danger later.

When was Mary, Queen of Scots, executed after her trial?

Mary was finally executed on 8th February 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. Although Elizabeth had signed the death warrant, she had regrets about her decision.

What were the consequences of Mary, Queen of Scots' trial and execution?

These are the outcomes of Mary's execution:

• ❖ The result of Mary's execution was that there was no longer a Catholic alternative to Elizabeth as queen. However, many Catholics saw Mary as a martyr.
• ❖ The killing of Mary legitimised the idea of executing a queen and gave some of Elizabeth's less loyal subjects an idea.
• ❖ Scottish and French kings expressed their outrage at Mary's execution, although no action was taken.