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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;PaddyB, post: 2829764, member: 40017&quot;]Very nice coin! Congratulations.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>As ever, it is a lot more complicated than that! <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Mary was the legitimate Queen of Scotland (as her title suggests) and actually reigned from 1542 to 1567 - quite a decent period. She was only 6 days old when she acceded and spent most of her childhood in France, Scotland being ruled by Regents in her name. She then married the Dauphin (heir apparent to the French throne) and was Queen consort of France for a short while until her husband died. She returned to Scotland but faced a rebellion and was forced to abdicate in favour of her son, who became James VI of Scotland.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mary fled and sought protection from her cousin Elizabeth I of England. (Mary&#039;s grandmother was sister to Henry VIII of England.) However Mary had a claim to the English throne if Elizabeth died childless, and as she was Catholic she became the focus of those Catholics in England who wanted to end the switch to the Church of England. Elizabeth was forced to imprison her - initially on good terms and for her own protection, but increasingly under stricter control as the English Catholics raised more threats and revolts. Mary was eventually executed for &quot;plotting to assassinate&quot; Elizabeth after 18 years in custody. (It is amazing how many people reach a brutal end once religion gets involved!)</p><p><br /></p><p>Elizabeth did die childless and so Mary&#039;s son - James VI of Scotland - became James I of England, so uniting the thrones for the first time. Scotland and England remained independent until the Act of Union in 1706/1707.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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