The Trial of Mary Queen of Scots

The treason trial and execution of Mary Queen of Scots in 1586 constitutes a crucial moment in English history. This brief history with documents uses the conflict between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth Tudor, Queen of England, and its violent outcomes to explore a variety of important themes in English history including religion, nationality, sovereignty, gender, and the legitimacy of female rule. An extensive introduction discusses the trial and the events that precipitated it and offers relevant background on the political and religious history of sixteenth-century England. Nine primary documents--including treatises on the legitimacy of female rule, trial records, Elizabeth's speeches to parliament, letters between Mary and Elizabeth, and accounts of the trial by contemporaries--immerse the reader in debates and controversies surrounding the two queens and the trial.