On This Day

Cardinal Beaton replaces the Earl of Arran as regent for Queen Mary of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567. The...

Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567.

The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scotland, Mary was six days old when her father died and she inherited the throne. During her childhood, Scotland was governed by regents, first by the heir to the throne, James Hamilton, Earl of Arran, and then by her mother, Mary of Guise. In 1548, she was betrothed to Francis, the Dauphin of France, and was sent to be brought up in France, where she would be safe from invading English forces during the Rough Wooing. Mary married Francis in 1558, becoming queen consort of France from his accession in 1559 until his death in December 1560.

Historical Significance

Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567.

Events Before

  1. Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sets sail from the Mexican port of Navidad on the first European voyage to explore the west coas

    Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo sets sail from the Mexican port of Navidad on the first European voyage to explore the west coast of North America for the Spanish Empire

  2. Rabbi Joseph Caro completes his major work, the "Beit Yosef," a voluminous commentary on the "Arba'ah Turim" code

    Rabbi Joseph Caro completes his major work, the "Beit Yosef," a voluminous commentary on the "Arba'ah Turim" code

  3. Princess Mary Stuart succeeds her father James V and becomes Queen Mary I of Scotland at 6 days old

    Mary of Guise (French: Marie de Guise; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was Queen of Scotland from 1538 until 1542, as the second wife of King James V.

  4. English Parliament passes bill of attainder against Queen Katherine Howard

    Catherine Howard (1523 – 13 February 1542) was Queen of England from July 1540 until November 1541 as the fifth wife of King Henry VIII.

  5. Portuguese under Christovão da Gama capture a Muslim-occupied hillfort in northern Ethiopia in the Battle of Baçente

    Portuguese under Christovão da Gama capture a Muslim-occupied hillfort in northern Ethiopia in the Battle of Baçente

Events After

  1. Adrian van Goes becomes land advocate of Holland

    Adrian van Goes becomes land advocate of Holland

  2. Battle at Carignano: French troops under Earl d'Enghien beat Swiss

    Battle at Carignano: French troops under Earl d'Enghien beat Swiss

  3. Italian War of 1542: The Siege of Boulogne begins

    The Italian War of 1542–1546 was a conflict late in the Italian Wars, pitting Francis I of France and Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire against the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Henry VIII of...

  4. Flemish painter Jan Matsys banished from Antwerp for religious beliefs

    Jan Matsys or Jan Massijs (c.1510 – 8 October 1575) was a Flemish Renaissance painter known for his history paintings, genre scenes and landscapes.

  5. German Parliament opens in Worms

    German Parliament opens in Worms

More from the 1540s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 3, 1543?
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scotland, Mary was six days old when her father died and she inherited the throne. During her childhood, Scotland was governed by regents, first by the heir to the throne, James Hamilton, Earl of Arran, and then by her mother, Mary of Guise.
Why is Cardinal Beaton replaces the Earl of Arran as regent for Queen Mary of Scots significant?
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567.

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