The betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots Elizabeth I and her greatest rival

Kate Williams, 1974-

Book - 2018

A history of Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I, two women struggling for supremacy in a man's world, describes how their bonds of friendship sustained them until jealousy and antipathy turned them into enemies.

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Subjects
Genres
Biographies
Published
New York : Pegasus Books 2018.
Language
English
Main Author
Kate Williams, 1974- (author)
Edition
First Pegasus Books hardcover edition
Physical Description
viii, 407 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 359-392) and index.
ISBN
9781643130002
  • List of Illustrations
  • Prologue
  • Introduction
  • 1. 'Conducted by the Winds'
  • 2. 'It Will End with a Lass'
  • 3. 'Rough Wooing'
  • 4. 'A Princess on This Earth'
  • 5. 'Marvellous in Our Eyes'
  • 6. 'A Thousand Deaths'
  • 7. 'Excluded and Banned'
  • 8. 'A Calm Mind'
  • 9. 'Not of Ladies' Capacity'
  • 10. Queen of All Realms
  • 11. 'A Rash and Hazardous Young Man'
  • 12. 'I Will Never See You Again'
  • 13. 'A Stone of Marble'
  • 14. 'Malicious Talk'
  • 15. 'To Use Me as Her Sister or Daughter'
  • 16. 'The Scots Proclaim Much But Their Threats Are Not Carried Out'
  • 17. 'I Would Have Taken My Husband's Dagger and Stabbed Him with It!'
  • 18. Looking Through Their Fingers
  • 19. 'So Horrible and Strange'
  • 20. The Mermaid
  • 21. 'Whether She Would or Would Not'
  • 22. 'So Wearied and Broken'
  • 23. 'They Have Robbed Me of Everything I Have in This World'
  • 24. The Conspiracy for Her Husband's Murder'
  • 25. 'Forced Out of My Kingdom'
  • 26. 'Pain and Peril Seem Pleasant to Her'
  • 27. 'With Her Own Hand'
  • 28. 'You Have Promised to Be Mine'
  • 29. 'Unnatural Sister'
  • 30. 'No One Can Cure This Malady as Well as the Queen of England'
  • 31. 'That Devilish Woman'
  • 32. 'Green Ribbons'
  • 33. 'I Am a True Queen'
  • 34. 'Shipwreck of My Soul'
  • 35. 'We Princes Are Set upon Stages'
  • 36. 'I Am Ready'
  • 37. 'An Abundance of Tears'
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
  • Index
  • Acknowledgements
Review by Booklist Review

Poor Mary Stuart. At a young age, she seemed to be on top of the world. She was queen regnant of Scotland, queen consort of France, and in Catholic eyes, the rightful queen regnant of England rather than her Protestant cousin, Elizabeth Tudor. But, as the title of Williams' refreshing, engaging biography indicates, Mary Stuart's life trajectory trended downward as her husband, the king of France, died early, and her return to Scotland set her against the Scottish lords who had gained in power during Mary's absence in France. Her greatest setback, which marked a precipitous fall from illustrious heights, came at the hands of the English queen, who, once Mary fled her Scottish enemies and fell into Elizabeth's clutches, had her executed. Tudor-Stuart enthusiasts will, of course, recognize the major characters and events that Williams writes about, but they will appreciate the greatly vibrant tone in this account by the best-selling author of Young Elizabeth (2015) and CNN royal historian.--Brad Hooper Copyright 2018 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In this sharp new history of two adversarial monarchs, Williams (Becoming Queen Victoria) tells the story of a monarch who "tried to be as autocratic as a king," but was thwarted by conspiracy and female disempowerment. She begins with a basic but skillful recounting of how Mary came to Scotland's throne in 1542 while her cousin Elizabeth I established her rule in England. Mary contended with significant threats to her reign and her authority; from within, aristocrats jostled for power, and, across the border, Elizabeth maneuvered to prevent Mary from claiming the English crown. According to Williams, Mary's downfall stemmed from her attempt to claim her rightful power and rule on her own terms. The Scots nobility regarded Mary as a woman first, queen second, and they conspired to control her by exploiting her body: as Williams renders in chilling detail, Mary was raped by and consequently forced to marry the Earl of Bothwell. Williams's analysis of this episode, unlike historians who have "judged her complicit" because she did not escape, is informed by contemporary insights into sexual assault. Forced to abdicate, Mary fled to England hoping for assistance from Elizabeth, who instead detained her and subsequently ordered her execution. Though parts of the story may be well-known to readers of royal history, Williams injects enough fresh viewpoints to make it a satisfying whole. Illus. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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