Junior Rasmussen
Mary, Queen of Scots, married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in July 1565. The marriage proved to be a disastrous union, with Darnley's dissolute lifestyle and sexual impropriety angering Mary. Despite this, the couple had one child together, the future James VI of Scotland and I of England. Less than two years after their wedding, Darnley was murdered, and Mary was suspected of involvement. Mary, however, went on to marry Bothwell, a decision that led to her abdication and flight to England.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Mary's Husband | Lord Darnley, Henry Stuart |
| Mary's Title | Queen of Scots |
| Date of Wedding | 29 July 1565 |
| Wedding Details | Mary wore black mourning clothes for her late husband, Francis II. |
| Mary and Darnley were seated together at the same table, signifying equal status. | |
| Darnley's attendants wore sleeveless cloth-of-gold coats. | |
| The married couple threw coins and tokens to the crowd. | |
| Darnley was made a knight, Lord of Ardmanoch, and Earl of Ross before the wedding. | |
| Darnley was made Duke of Albany in Holyrood Abbey before the wedding. | |
| Darnley was heir apparent to the Earldom of Lennox. | |
| Darnley had a reputation for sexual impropriety and a dissolute lifestyle. | |
| Darnley was involved in the murder of David Rizzio, Mary's private secretary. | |
| Darnley was nominally Catholic, which alarmed Scotland's Protestant lords. |
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What You'll Learn
- Mary, Queen of Scots, married Lord Darnley in July 1565
- Lord Darnley was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots
- Lord Darnley was involved in the murder of David Rizzio, Mary's private secretary
- Lord Darnley was nominally Catholic, which alarmed Scotland's Protestant lords
- Mary and Lord Darnley's wedding was described by English diplomat Thomas Randolph
Mary, Queen of Scots, married Lord Darnley in July 1565
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, was a Catholic and a descendant of both James II of Scotland and Henry VII of England. He was also Mary's half-cousin, and as such, they were both claimants to the English throne. Their children would inherit an even stronger combined claim, which threatened Elizabeth's rule. Elizabeth tried to prevent the marriage by requesting that Darnley and his father return to Scotland, but it was too late. Mary and Darnley were married on 29 July 1565 at Holyrood Palace, and Darnley was proclaimed King of Scots the following day, without the consent of Parliament.
The marriage caused Mary's half-brother, the Protestant Earl of Moray, to lead an attempt to overthrow her, as he feared that her marriage to a Catholic threatened the Reformation. Moray was forced to flee to England, where he sought asylum with Elizabeth. Mary's marriage to Darnley also angered the other nobles, as Darnley was unpopular due to his arrogant, unreliable, and violent nature. Mary refused to grant Darnley the Crown Matrimonial, which would have made him the successor to the throne if she died childless.
Less than a year after the wedding, Darnley became involved in the murder of Mary's private secretary and close friend, David Rizzio. Darnley was jealous of Mary's friendship with Rizzio, who was rumoured to be the father of her child. In March 1566, Darnley and a group of conspirators stabbed Rizzio to death in front of a pregnant Mary. This incident caused the marriage to sour, and Mary's decision to marry Darnley ultimately led to her downfall.
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Lord Darnley was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots
Lord Darnley, born Henry Stuart, was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of Matthew Stewart, the 4th Earl of Lennox, and his wife, Lady Margaret Douglas, who was a niece of King Henry VIII. This connection gave him a claim to the English throne, as did his descent from King Henry VII of England, a relation he shared with Mary.
Mary and Darnley first met at the French court where Mary grew up. They were reintroduced at Wemyss Castle in February 1565, and their courtship began. Mary, a widow, was in need of an heir, and Darnley was a strong Catholic match with a claim to the English succession. Despite warnings from her nobles and the displeasure of Queen Elizabeth I, Mary wed Darnley in July 1565. The marriage was celebrated according to the Roman Catholic rite, offending Scotland's Protestant ministry.
The marriage soon turned disastrous. Darnley's dissolute lifestyle and childish behaviour angered Mary. He was also jealous of Mary's secretary, David Rizzio, and in March 1566, Darnley was involved in Rizzio's murder. Darnley was also rumoured to be trying to force Mary to cede the Crown Matrimonial. Mary no longer trusted her husband, and he became a disgrace in the kingdom.
In June 1566, Mary gave birth to their only child, James, the future King James VI of Scotland and I of England. Darnley was not present for the birth of his son and was murdered less than a year later, in 1567.
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Lord Darnley was involved in the murder of David Rizzio, Mary's private secretary
Mary, Queen of Scots, married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in July 1565. Darnley was violent, ambitious, and jealous of Mary's private secretary, David Rizzio. Mary and Rizzio shared interests in music and poetry, and Darnley did not like that Mary trusted Rizzio and listened to his opinions.
Rizzio had arrived in Scotland from Italy some years before the marriage, as a musician and diplomat. He remained at the Scottish court as a lute player and singer, and eventually became Mary's assistant and private secretary. He was also an ally of Darnley, helping with plans for his marriage to Mary.
However, after the marriage, rumours began that Mary was having an affair with Rizzio. Darnley was led to believe that Rizzio was sleeping with his wife, and felt betrayed by his former lover. As a result, he began plotting against Mary, with his father, Matthew Stuart, and William Maitland. The plan was to gain the support of exiled Lords in England, who would grant Darnley the 'crown matrimonial', making him lawfully King of Scots. In return, Darnley would switch sides, recall the exiles, pardon them, and forbid the confiscation of their estates.
On 9 March 1566, Darnley and a group of around 80 conspirators made their way to the Queen's supper chamber, where she was dining with Rizzio and some friends. Rizzio was then stabbed multiple times, with the final blow delivered by Darnley's dagger. Darnley later claimed that Rizzio was to blame for the problems in their marriage.
Less than a year after Rizzio's murder, Darnley was killed in mysterious circumstances. Mary then married one of the chief suspects, the Earl of Bothwell, leading to rebellion in Scotland and her eventual abdication and execution.
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Lord Darnley was nominally Catholic, which alarmed Scotland's Protestant lords
Mary, Queen of Scots, married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in 1565. Lord Darnley was nominally Catholic, having been raised in the Catholic faith, but later in life, he was influenced by Protestantism. This alarmed Scotland's Protestant lords, who were already concerned about the potential Catholic succession in both Scotland and England.
Lord Darnley's family were also Catholic. His father, Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, was third in line to the Scottish throne, and his mother, Margaret Douglas, was a niece of Henry VIII and a potential successor to the English throne. As such, their Catholic beliefs posed a threat to the Protestant succession in both countries.
Mary's marriage to Lord Darnley caused concern for Queen Elizabeth I of England, who was already facing a succession crisis. Elizabeth tried to prevent the marriage by requesting that Lord Darnley and his father return to England, but her efforts were unsuccessful. The marriage was celebrated according to Roman Catholic rites, which offended the Scottish Protestant ministry and its spokesman, John Knox.
The marriage of Mary and Lord Darnley, with their combined claims to the English throne, presented a direct challenge to Elizabeth's rule. The complex interrelationships between the royal families of England and Scotland, as well as their religious differences, contributed to the political intrigue and tension surrounding the marriage.
Furthermore, Lord Darnley's behaviour caused concern among the Scottish nobles. He was described as vain, arrogant, unreliable, and unpopular, with a violent streak that was aggravated by his drinking. His involvement in the murder of Mary's private secretary, David Rizzio, further damaged his reputation and his relationship with Mary.
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Mary and Lord Darnley's wedding was described by English diplomat Thomas Randolph
Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, were married on 29 July 1565. The wedding was a Roman Catholic ceremony conducted by John Sinclair, Dean of Restalrig, in Mary's private chapel at Holyrood. The couple was related and so required a dispensation from the Pope to marry as Catholics.
The details of the wedding are known from a report written by English diplomat Thomas Randolph for the Earl of Leicester. In his letter, Randolph describes Mary arriving at the palace chapel early in the morning dressed in black mourning clothes for her late husband, Francis II. She was escorted by the Earl of Lennox and the Earl of Atholl and waited until the same lords brought Darnley to the chapel. After the ceremony, the married couple threw coins and tokens to the crowd, and they were seated together at the same table in the great hall, signifying their equal status. Randolph also listed the lords who served the couple at the wedding banquet.
Randolph also reported on the events surrounding the wedding. He mentions that Darnley did not attend the nuptial Mass but continued to attend services at St. Giles afterward. He also noted that Darnley went hunting with a hawk after the wedding while Mary went to Mass. In his letter describing the day, Randolph wrote that "after the marriage followeth commonly cheer and dancing", and that "after dinner they dance awhile". He also mentions that there was some dancing before the couple retired to bed.
Randolph had previously tried to prevent the marriage, as Elizabeth I wanted to see Mary wed to an Englishman. He also reported on a rumour of a marriage in April, writing about a meeting where Mary summoned the Earl of Moray and asked him to sign a band in favour of her marriage to Darnley.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Mary, Queen of Scots, married Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, in July 1565.
Lord Darnley was the second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the second but eldest surviving son of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox, and Lady Margaret Douglas.
Mary wore black mourning clothes for her late husband, Francis II, and was escorted by the Earl of Lennox and the Earl of Atholl. The couple were served at the wedding banquet by several lords, including the Earl of Lennox and the Earl of Atholl. They threw coins and tokens to the crowd, and sat together at a table in the great hall, signifying their equal status.
The marriage soon proved to be a disaster. Darnley's dissolute lifestyle angered Mary, and his nominally Catholic beliefs alarmed Scotland's Protestant lords. Less than a year after the wedding, Darnley became involved in the murder of David Rizzio, Mary's private secretary.
