PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY

            PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY

PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY WAS BORN IN 1749  AT THE PALAZZO CARIGNANO IN TURIN, ITALY.  SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF PRINCE LOUIS VICTOR OF CARIGNANO.

AT THE AGE OF 18 YEARS, SHE MARRIED THE PRINCE OF LAMBALLE OF THE HOUSE OF BOURBON, WHO WAS HEIR TO THE GREATEST FORTUNE IN FRANCE.

SADLY SHE BECAME A WIDOW A YEAR LATER WHEN HER HUSBAND DIED UNEXPECTEDLY.

SHE INHERITED HIS LARGE FORTUNE AND BECAME A PROMINENT ARISTOCRATIC PRESENCE AT THE COURT OF VERSAILLES, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS LA LAMBALLE.

SHE BEFRIENDED MARIE ANTOINETTE, WHO WAS THE DAUGHTER OF EMPRESS MARIE THERESE OF AUSTRIA, EVEN BEFORE MARIE ANTOINETTE BECAME QUEEN OF FRANCE.

WHEN KING LOUIS XVI WAS STILL HEIR TO THE FRENCH THRONE, HE WAS KNOWN AS DAUPHIN WHILE HIS WIFE MARIE ANTOINETTE'S TITLE WAS DAUPHINE OF FRANCE.

PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY BECAME A VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF MARIE ANTOINETTE.

WHEN THE DAUPHINE MARIE ANTOINETTE BECAME QUEEN OF FRANCE, SHE APPOINTED PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY AS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE QUEEN'S HOUSEHOLD,

WHICH WAS THE HIGHEST POSITION FOR A LADY-IN-WAITING AT THE COURT OF VERSAILLES.

    PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY IN SERVICE TO QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE OF FRANCE

THE CLOSE AND INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP OF QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE AND PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY WAS THE SUBJECT OF GOSSIP AT THE COURT OF VERSAILLES AND THE COMMON PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR ACCUSED THE QUEEN AND THE PRINCESS OF CONDUCTING A LESBIAN LOVE AFFAIR.

                                 MARIE ANTOINETTE

                               LA LAMBALLE

WHEN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION ERUPTED, PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY DUTIFULLY AND CAPABLY SERVED THE QUEEN AS LIASON BETWEEN THE MONARCHY AND THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARIES.

SHE ALSO TRAVELED TO ENGLAND AND TRIED TO CONVINCE THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER WILLIAM PITTS TO COME TO THE RESCUE OF THE FRENCH MONARCHY. 

WILLIAM PITTS WAS NONCOMMITTAL, GIVING ONLY VERBAL SUPPORT TO THE BELEAGUERED KING LOUIS XVI AND QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE.

        WILLIAM PITTS   BRITISH PRIME MINISTER

SENSING INCREASING DANGER IN FRANCE, QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE TRIED TO DISCOURAGE PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY FROM RETURNING BACK TO FRANCE.

SHE WROTE TO HER DEAR FRIEND SEVERAL LETTERS ADVISING HER TO STAY IN ENGLAND.

IN THE YEAR 1791, SHE WROTE

"DO NOT RETURN. THERE WOULD BE TOO MUCH TO GRIEVE YOU IN THE PRESENT STATE OF OUR AFFAIRS. I KNOW WELL THAT YOU ARE A GOOD AND TRUE FRIEND AND FROM THE DEPTH OF MY OWN AFFECTION I FORBID YOU TO RETURN HITHER. ADIEU MY DEAR LAMBALLE AND BELIEVE THAT MY TENDER FRIENDSHIP FOR YOU WILL END ONLY WITH MY LIFE."

IN ANOTHER LETTER, THE QUEEN WROTE

"NO, I REPEAT IT, MY DEAR LAMBALLE, DO NOT RETURN TO US AT PRESENT. MY FRIENDSHIP FOR YOU IS TOO GREATLY ALARMED. AFFAIRS DO NOT APPEAR TO BE TAKING A BETTER TURN NOTWITHSTANDING  THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CONSTITUTION ON WHICH I COUNTED. STAY WITH THE GOOD MONSIEUR DE PENTHIEVRE WHO HAS SUCH NEED OF YOUR ATTENTION.

.....GOD GRANT THAT TIME MAY BRING ABOUT A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER BUT THE WICKED HAVE SPREAD ABOUT SO MANY COLUMNIES THAT I RELY MORE ON MY COURAGE THAN ON EVENTS. ADIEU THEN MY DEAR LAMBALLE. BE CERTAIN THAT WHETHER YOU ARE HERE OR FAR AWAY, I LOVE YOU AND AM CERTAIN OF YOUR AFFECTION."

THIS SECOND LETTER WAS RECEIVED WHEN PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY HAD ALREADY DISEMBARKED FROM THE SHIP THAT RETURNED HER TO FRANCE. 

KNOWING THAT HER LIFE WAS IN DANGER, SHE MADE HER LAST WILL AND RETURNED TO THE SERVICE OF HER BELOVED QUEEN, STAYING WITH HER WHILE SHE AND HER ROYAL HUSBAND WERE IMPRISONED AT LE TEMPLE PRISON.

IN SEPTEMBER OF THE YEAR 1792, PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY WAS FORCIBLY SEPARATED FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY AND PLACED IN LA FORCE PRISON. 

SHE WAS BROUGHT BEFORE A TRIBUNAL WHERE THE FOLLOWING CONVERSATION WAS RECORDED.

TRIAL OF PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY

"WHO ARE YOU?"

"MARIE THERESE LOUISE, PRINCESS OF SAVOY."

"YOUR EMPLOYMENT?"

"SUPERINTENDENT OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF THE QUEEN."

"HAD YOU ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE PLOTS OF THE COURT ON THE 10TH OF AUGUST?"

"I KNOW NOT WHETHER THERE WERE ANY PLOTS ON THE 10TH OF AUGUST BUT I KNOW THAT I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THEM."

"SWEAR TO LIBERTY AND EQUALITY AND TO HATRED OF THE KING AND QUEEN."

"READILY TO THE FORMER BUT I CANNOT TO THE LATTER.  IT IS NOT IN MY HEART."

HER LAST WORDS WERE  CONSIDERED INSOLENT AND ANGERED MEMBERS OF THE TRIBUNAL. HER FATHER-IN-LAW THE DUC DE PENTHIEVRE HAD SENT SEVERAL MEN TO PROTECT HER AT THE TRIBUNAL. ONE MAN IMMEDIATELY WHISPERED TO HER.

DUC DE PENTHIEVRE   FATHER -IN-LAW OF PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY

"SWEAR, IF YOU DO NOT YOU ARE A DEAD WOMAN."

THE PRINCESS RAISED HER HANDS TO HER HEAD, WALKED TOWARD THE DOOR AND SAID

"I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY. IT IS INDIFFERENT TO ME IF I DIE A LITTLE EARLIER OR LATER. 

I HAVE MADE THE SACRIFICE OF MY LIFE."

WHEREUPON THE JUDGE OF THE TRIBUNAL SAID

"LET MADAME BE SET AT LIBERTY."

THE WORDS OF THE JUDGE WERE OMINOUS. 

TO BE SET AT LIBERTY MEANS TO BE RELEASED TO THE MURDEROUS CROWD WAITING OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.

PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY WAS LED OUT OF THE BUILDING BY TWO GUARDS. 

THE MEN OF DUC DE PENTHIEVRE FOLLOWED. ONE TOLD HER TO CRY ALOUD "VIVE LA NATION" IN THE HOPE THAT THE CROWD WOULD SPARE HER LIFE BUT HIDEOUS DRUNKEN MEN ARMED WITH PIKES AND SWORDS IMMEDIATELY ATTACKED AND KILLED TWO OF THE MEN OF DUC DE PENTHIEVRE AND CAUSED THE OTHERS TO FLEE. 

MURDER OF PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY

THEY THEN PLUNGED THEIR PIKES INTO HER BODY AND STABBED HER REPEATEDLY WITH THEIR SWORDS.  AS THE PRINCESS LAY DEAD ON THE PAVEMENT, HER DRESS WAS COMPLETELY REMOVED, HER BREASTS WERE AMPUTATED AND HER HEART RIPPED OUT OF HER CHEST.

THEY THEN PROCEEDED TO DECAPITATE HER AND PLACE HER HEAD ON TOP OF A LONG POLE. HER HEART WAS ALSO DISPLAYED AT THE END OF ANOTHER PIKE. BOTH HER HEAD AND HER HEART WERE PARADED THROUGH THE STREETS OF PARIS.

WHEN THESE MURDEROUS COMMONERS PASSED THE SHOP OF THE HAIRDRESSER OF THE PRINCESS, THEY FORCED HIM TO DRESS HER GOLDEN HAIR AND TO PUT ROUGE ON HER LIPS AND CHEEKS. THEN THE HEAD WAS PARADED UNDER THE WINDOWS OF THE PRISON WHERE KING LOUIS XVI AND QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE WERE HELD. THE CROWD CHANTED FOR QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE TO OPEN THE WINDOW AND KISS THE LIPS OF HER LESBIAN LOVER THE PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY.

HEAD OF PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY PARADED THROUGH THE STREETS OF PARIS

QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE FAINTED AND KING LOUIS XVI WAS FORCED TO GO TO THE WINDOW AND LOOK AT THE HEAD OF PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY. THAT NIGHT HER DAUGHTER SAID THE HER ROYAL MOTHER "DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO SLEEP. SHE SOBBED AND SIGHED ALL NIGHT."

PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY DIED IN THE YEAR 1792 AT THE AGE OF 42 YEARS.

FOLLOWING THE MURDER OF HER BELOVED AND FAITHFUL FRIEND, QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE WAS LEFT ALONE TO CONTINUE HER FIGHT AGAINST THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONARIES AND THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY. 

HER ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN THE POWER OF THE MONARCHY WERE DEFEATED AT EVERY TURN AND IN THE END, HER ROYAL HUSBAND KING LOUIS XVI WAS SENT TO THE GUILLOTINE.

                                 EXECUTION OF KING LOUIS XVI OF FRANCE

THE SAME FATE BEFELL HER ON OCTOBER 16,1793 WHEN SHE TOO WAS GUILLOTINED AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 37 YEARS.

              PRINCESS MARIE LOUISE OF SAVOY

                  QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE OF FRANCE AND THE GUILLOTINE

, 

ANNE BOLEYN QUEEN OF ENGLAND

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                         QUEEN ANNE BOLYN

ANNE BOLEYN WAS BORN INTO HIGH BRITISH NOBILITY. HER FATHER  THOMAS BOLEYN WAS THE FIRST EARL OF WILTSHIRE AND HER MOTHER LADY ELIZABETH HOWARD WAS LADY-IN-WAITING OF QUEEN ELIZABETH OF YORK, WIFE OF KING HENRY VII AND QUEEN CATHERINE OF ARAGON, FIRST WIFE OF KING HENRY VIII.

                   THOMAS BOLEYN

          LADY ELIZABETH HOWARD

         QUEEN ELIZABETH OF YORK

      QUEEN CATHERINE OF ARAGON

ANNE BOLEYN AND HER OLDER SISTER MARY BOLEYN BOTH FOLLOWED THEIR MOTHER'S FOOTSTEPS AND WERE LADIES-IN -WAITING TO QUEEN CLAUDE, WIFE OF KING FRANCIS I OF FRANCE.

         QUEEN CLAUDE DE FRANCE

BEING LADY-IN-WAITING TO THE QUEEN OFTEN MEANS BEING MISTRESS OF THE KING AND MARY BOLEYN WAS CONSIDERED BY KING FRANCIS I OF FRANCE TO BE " MY BRITISH MARE"

"A GREAT WHORE, THE MOST INFAMOUS OF ALL"

                     MARY BOLEYN

ANNE BOLEYN HERSELF WAS KNOWN TO POSSESS GREATER MORAL RECTITUDE THAN HER OLDER SISTER.

WHEN THEY BOTH RETURNED TO THE ENGLISH COURT OF KING HENRY VIII AND MARY BOLEYN BECAME THE ROYAL MISTRESS, KING HENRY VIII ALSO FELL IN LOVE WITH ANNE AND PURSUED HER RELENTLESSLY.

                   KING HENRY VIII

ANNE'S REJECTION OF THE KING'S ADVANCES SERVED ONLY TO INCREASE THE ROMANTIC ARDOR OF HENRY VIII WHO BECAME DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD DIVORCE QUEEN CATHERINE OF ARAGON AND ELEVATE ANNE BOLEYN TO QUEEN OF ENGLAND.

WHEN THE POPE CLEMENTE VII IN ROME REFUSED TO ALLOW THE REQUESTED DIVORCE, KING HENRY VIII RENOUNCED THE ROMAN CATHOLICI CHURCH AND ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ANGLICANISM AS THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF THE ENGLAND. 

HE THEN MARRIED ANNE BOLEYN AND ELEVATED HER TO QUEEN OF ENGLAND.

                     POPE CLEMENTE VII

THE SPANISH CATHERINE OF ARAGON WAS BANISHED FRON THE ROYAL PALACE AND FORCED TO LIVE THE REMAINDER OF HER LIFE IN KIMBOLTON CASTLE WHERE SHE EVENTUALLY DIED IN 1536 AT THE AGE OF 50 YEARS.

                     QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN

ANNE BOLEYN BECAME QUEEN OF ENGLAND IN THE YEAR 1533 AT THE AGE OF 32 YEARS.

HER REIGN AS QUEEN OF ENGLAND WOULD LAST ONLY 3 YEARS UNTIL THE TIME OF HER EXECUTION BY BEHEADING IN THE YEAR 1536.

ANNE BOLEYN AND KING HENRY VIII WERE MARRIED ON JANUARY 25, 1533 AND ON SEPTEMBER 7 OF THE SAME YEAR, A DAUGHTER WAS BORN, WHO WOULD LATER BECOME THE GREAT QUEEN ELIZABETH I.

ANNE BOLEYN STAG HUNTING WITH KING HENRY VIII DURING HER DAYS OF GLORY.

ANNE BOLEYN NURSING HER DAUGHTER WHO WOULD LATER BECOME THE GREAT QUEEN ELIZABETH I OF ENGLAND

HER INABILITY TO PRODUCE A MALE HEIR, COUPLED WITH HER ARGUMENTATIVE NATURE SOON LEAD TO FREQUENT QUARRELS WITH HER ROYAL HUSBAND.

KING HENRY VIII GRADUALLY LOST INTEREST IN HIS NEW QUEEN AND FOCUSED HIS ATTENTION ON A MORE GENTLE AND DELICATE NOBLEWOMAN JANE SEYMORE.

                             JANE SEYMORE

ONE DAY WHEN JANE SEYMORE OPENED AND CLOSED A LOCKET THAT KING HENRY VIII HAD GIVEN TO HER, ANNE BOLEYN WAS OVERCOME BY JEALOUSY AND RIPPED THE LOCKET OFF THE NECK OF JANE SEYMORE SO FORCEFULLY THAT HER FINGERS BLED.

THE LOCKET CONTAINED A MINIATURE PORTRAIT OF KING HENRY VIII.

ON ANOTHER OCCASION, ANNE BOLEYN CHANCED UPON JANE SEYMORE STIITING ON THE LAP OF KING HENRY VIII AND FLEW INTO A RAGE.  KING HENRY VIII HAD TO MOLLIFY HER TEMPER BY SAYING

" PEACE BE SWEETHEART AND ALL WILL BE WELL"

KING HENRY VIII AND ANNE BOLEYN RECONCILING AFTER AN ARGUMENT

EVENTUALLY KING HENRY VIII BECAME COMPLETELY EXASPERATED AND DECIDED TO END HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ANNE BOLEYNE.

HE HAD BECOME INFATAUTED WITH JANE SEYMORE AND DESIRED TO MAKE HER HIS THIRD WIFE AND QUEEN.

IN A CRUEL COURT INTRIQUE, KING HENRY VIII CONSPIRED WITH HIS CHIEF MINISTER THOMAS CROMWELL TO LEVEL FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF ADULTERY, INCEST AND TREASON UPON QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN.

                            THOMAS CROMWELL

QUEEN ANN BOLEYN WAS FALSELY ACCUSED OF COMMITTING ADULTERY WITH A MUSICIAN NAMED MARK SMEATON

                           MARK SMEATON

WITH SIR HENRY NORRIS WHO WAS GROOM OF THE STOOL IN THE PRIVY CHAMBER OF KING HENRY VIII

OTHER NOBLEMEN FALSELY ACCUSED AND CONDEMNED TO DEATH WERE

SIR FRANCIS WESTON GENTLEMAN OF THE KING'S PRIVY CHAMBER

                    SIR FRANCIS WESTON

SIR WILLIAM BRERETON GROOM OF THE KING'S PRIVY CHAMBER

                    SIR WILLIAM BRERETON

AND GEORGE BOLEYN, VISCOUNT ROCHFORD WHO WAS THE BROTHER OF QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN.

GEORGE BOLEYN, THE VISCOUNT OF ROCHFORD WAS ACCUSED OF CONDUCTING SEXUAL ACTIVITY WITH HIS SISTER QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN.  THE CHARGE OF INCEST ALSO CARRIED A DEATH PENALTY.

     GEORGE BOLEYN VISCOUNT ROCHFORD

THE FALSE CHARGE OF INCEST INVOLVING BROTHER AND SISTER WAS LEVELED BECAUSE THE VISCOUNT ROCHFORD HAD BEEN BOASTFUL ABOUT HIS CONQUEST OF WOMEN.

IN A POEM, HE WROTE

I forced widows, maidens I did deflower.

All was one to me, I spared none at all,

My appetite was all women to devour

My study was both day and hour.

HIS BOASTFUL WORDS EVENTUALLY LEAD TO HIS OWN EXECUTION AS WELL AS THE EXECUTION OF HIS SISTER QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN.

TAKEN BY BARGE TO THE LONDON TOWER, QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN COLLAPSED AND DEMANDED TO KNOW THE CHARGES AGAINST HER. SHE ALSO INQUIRED ABOUT HER FATHER AND " SWETE BRODER ", KNOWING THAT THEY TOO WOULD BE IN DANGER.

 ANNE BOLEYN IMPRISONED IN THE TOWER OF LONDON

AWARE OF HER UNFORTUNATE FATE, SHE WROTE THIS LETTER TO HER ROYAL HUSBAND, KING HENRY VIII

"Sir,

Your Grace's displeasure, and my imprisonment are things so strange unto me, as what to write, or what to excuse, I am altogether ignorant. Whereas you send unto me (willing me to confess a truth, and so obtain your favour) by such an one, whom you know to be my ancient professed enemy. I no sooner received this message by him, than I rightly conceived your meaning; and if, as you say, confessing a truth indeed may procure my safety, I shall with all willingness and duty perform your demand.

But let not your Grace ever imagine, that your poor wife will ever be brought to acknowledge a fault, where not so much as a thought thereof preceded. And to speak a truth, never prince had wife more loyal in all duty, and in all true affection, than you have ever found in Anne Boleyn: with which name and place I could willingly have contented myself, if God and your Grace's pleasure had been so pleased. Neither did I at any time so far forget myself in my exaltation or received Queenship, but that I always looked for such an alteration as I now find; for the ground of my preferment being on no surer foundation than your Grace's fancy, the least alteration I knew was fit and sufficient to draw that fancy to some other object. You have chosen me, from a low estate, to be your Queen and companion, far beyond my desert or desire. If then you found me worthy of such honour, good your Grace let not any light fancy, or bad council of mine enemies, withdraw your princely favour from me; neither let that stain, that unworthy stain, of a disloyal heart toward your good grace, ever cast so foul a blot on your most dutiful wife, and the infant-princess your daughter. Try me, good king, but let me have a lawful trial, and let not my sworn enemies sit as my accusers and judges; yea let me receive an open trial, for my truth shall fear no open flame; then shall you see either my innocence cleared, your suspicion and conscience satisfied, the ignominy and slander of the world stopped, or my guilt openly declared. So that whatsoever God or you may determine of me, your grace may be freed of an open censure, and mine offense being so lawfully proved, your grace is at liberty, both before God and man, not only to execute worthy punishment on me as an unlawful wife, but to follow your affection, already settled on that party, for whose sake I am now as I am, whose name I could some good while since have pointed unto, your Grace being not ignorant of my suspicion therein. But if you have already determined of me, and that not only my death, but an infamous slander must bring you the enjoying of your desired happiness; then I desire of God, that he will pardon your great sin therein, and likewise mine enemies, the instruments thereof, and that he will not call you to a strict account of your unprincely and cruel usage of me, at his general judgment-seat, where both you and myself must shortly appear, and in whose judgment I doubt not (whatsoever the world may think of me) mine innocence shall be openly known, and sufficiently cleared. My last and only request shall be, that myself may only bear the burden of your Grace's displeasure, and that it may not touch the innocent souls of those poor gentlemen, who (as I understand) are likewise in strait imprisonment for my sake. If ever I found favour in your sight, if ever the name of Anne Boleyn hath been pleasing in your ears, then let me obtain this request, and I will so leave to trouble your Grace any further, with mine earnest prayers to the Trinity to have your Grace in his good keeping, and to direct you in all your actions. From my doleful prison in the Tower, this sixth of May;

 Your most loyal and ever faithful wife, Anne Boleyn"

FOUND GUILTY BY A JURY OF 27 PEERS, ANNE BOLEYN WAS CONDEMNED TO DEATH BY BURNING. KING HENRY VIII EXTENDED HIS KINDNESS BY COMMUTING THR SENTENCE TO DEATH BY BEHEADING AND ORDERED A SWORDSMAN FROM ST.OMER, FRANCE TO CONDUCT THE EXECUTION.

IT WAS REPORTED THAT QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN WAS MOST COURAGEOUS, APPEARING HAPPY TO FACE THE END OF HER LIFE. 

SHE BRAVELY FACED THE ASSEMBLED PUBLIC AND ADDRESSED THE CROWD WITH WORDS OF STRENGTH BEFITTING A QUEEN 

Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.

      QUEEN ANNE BOLEYN BLINDFOLDED

WHEN IT WAS TIME TO DIE, THE DISGRACED QUEEN OF ENGLAND REMOVED HER ERMINE MANTLE AND HER DEADDRESS. SHE TUCKED HER LONG HAIR UNDER A COIF TO EXPOSE HER NECK TO THE SWORDSMAN. A BLINDFOLD WAS PLACED OVER HER EYES BY A WEEPING LADY-IN-WAITING. THE QUEEN DID NOT PLACE HER HEAD ON A WOODEN BLOC ACCORDING TO THE BRITISH WAY OF EXECUTION BUT KNELT STRAIGHT AND UPRIGHT ACCORDING TO THE FRENCH STYLE OF DEATH. A SINGLE STRIKE BY THE EXPERT FRENCH SWORDSMAN ENDED HER GLORIOUS AND TURBULENT LIFE.

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS

                           Mary Queen of Scots

"Dolour of our syde...ane rewme that troublis our head gritalie with a extreme pane, and descendis in the stomack, sa that it makis us lately to laik appetite...vexed by sickness, with a great vomisement...flewme, and colore, the dolour of my syde."

Thus wrote Mary Queen of Scots in the latter part of the sixteenth century regarding her mysterious and recurring ailment.

It caused, as she described, extreme pain in her left side, accompanied by weakness and vomiting.

The attacks occurred at frequent intervals,with symptoms of varying intensity.

A particularly grave crisis struck in 1566 when at the age of 24 years, the young queen suddenly developed excruciating pain in her left side and vomited more that 60 times until the vomitus was pure blood.

She became delirious, then blind and mute, convulsed and slipped into coma.

Yet 10 days later, Mary Queen of Scots woke up and felt perfectly fine.

Court record in 1570 described another distressing episode, the Scottish queen was

"molested with a continewall destillation from her head into her stomack, whereof hath growen such debilitie and weaknes in that part, the she nether hath desire to anie meate, neyther facultie to reteyne that long...

she is troubled also with incessant provocation to vomit...

with a greit inflammation and tension in her left side, under the short ribbes which retchith so farr every waie, that they yet doubt whether it be the inflammation of the stomack, the splene, the wombe, or all of those partes together."

The symptoms described above are characteric of the genetic disease called porphyria. Mary Queen of Scot suffered from porphyria all her life. Yet this brave Scottish queen managed to conduct an eventful and colorful life which ended tragically with her execution at the age of 45 years.

                      MLinlithgow palace where Mary Queen of Scots was born

Mary Queen of Scots was born in 1542 and became Queen of Scotland at the tender age of 6 days,upon the death of her father, King James V.

Engaged at 3 years of age to Prince Francis, heir to the throne of France, she spent her childhood at the French court and married her prince when she was barely 15 years old.

                 Prince Francis of France

Mary Queen of Scots  age12 years at the Court of France

When King Henri II of France sustained severe injury during a jousting match on the day celebrating the royal wedding and died several days later, the little Scottish Queen also became the Queen of France.

                          King Henri II of France

Jousting injury that killed King Henri II of France on the day celebrating the marriage of Prince Francis to Mary Queen of Scots

Mary Queen of Scots and Queen of France

age15 years with 14 year old King husband

Her glory was however short lived.  Her 14 year old  husband, King Francis II, who had during childhood suffered from multiple bouts of ear infection, developed mastoiditis the following year and died.

The widowed queen returned to Scotland where she later married her first cousin Lord Darnley.

The marriage was unfortunately devoid of compatibility and bliss.

Lord Darnley

Mary Queen of Scots 

Lord Darnley was considered an imbecile and drunkard and generally rejected by the Scottish nobility, especially when he tried to elevate his position from royal consort to cosovereign of Scotland.

Not trusting her incompetent husband with the affairs of the state, the young queen surrounded herself with numerous male secretaries.

One particular favorite, David Rizzio, provoked such jealousy that Lord Darnley had him murdered in front of the pregnant queen.

                         David Rizio

The vengeful queen in turn arranged the assassination of her husband through the Earl of Bothwell, who managed to forcefully smother Lord Darnley to death.

                                               Earl of Bothwell

The Earl of Bothwell then abducted Mary Queen of Scots, confined her in his Dunbar castle where he raped her repeatedly until the queen agreed to marry him.

Her marriage to the murderer of her husband so disturbed the Scottish nobility that it eventually led to the confrontation between the army of the catholic Mary Queen of Scots and the army of the protestant confederate Lords of Scotland, led by her half brother Lord Moray.

                            Lord Moray

Mary Queen of Scots was overpowered by her opponents, captured and imprisoned at the Loch Leven castle.

She was forced to abdicate and relinquish the throne to her 1 year old son, who became King James VI of Scotland.

Mary Queen of Scots and King James VI of Scotland

Lord Moray, her rival half brother, assumed the position of Regent and made himself de facto ruler of Scotland.

Shortly thereafter, Mary Queen of Scots escaped from Loch Leven castle, raised an army and fought against her half brother Lord Moray at the battle of Langside.

         Mary Queen of Scots escaping from Loch Leven castle

Defeated in battle, Mary Queen of Scots escaped to England in a fishing boat.

The Earl of Bothwell was exiled from Scotland.

In exile, he was imprisoned in Danemark where he became insane and died 11 years later.

Mary Queen of Scots had fled to England in order to seek the protection of her cousin,  Queen Elizabeth I.

                             Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I herself only reluctantly accorded royal protection to her Scottish cousin.

Mary Queen of Scots arriving in England

She was concerned because Mary Queen of Scots was the grandchild of the sister of her father, King Henry VIII.

Although Queen Elizabeth I was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn, she was declared illegitimate at the age of 2 years when her royal father ordered the decapitation of her mother for presumed adultery.

Mary Queen of Scots, on the other hand, was a more rightful heir to the British throne than Queen Elizabeth I by virtue of the fact that she was the legitimate granddaughter of the sister of King Henry VIII.

Indeed Mary Queen of Scots had in the past claimed that she was more entitled to the throne of England than Queen Elizabeth I.

The ambivalent but still kind Queen of England decided to keep her Scottish cousin in comfortable captivity in various castles and grand manors.

      Mary Queen of Scots in captivity in England

Although residing comfortably and in royal style in her English captivity for 18 years, the Scottish queen was ungrateful and one day plotted to assassinate her protector and usurp the British throne for herself.

               Arrest of Mary Queen of Scots

                                        Arrival at the a Tower of London

Mary Queen of Scots being led to her execution

Mary Queen of Scots was put on trial, found to be guilty and beheaded in the year 1587 at the age of 45 years.

February 8,1587 was the day of her execution.

Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

The scaffold at Fortheringhay was 2 feet high and draped in black cloth. On top of the scaffold was a wooden block for her neck and a cushion was placed beneath the scaffold for the Scottish queen to kneel on.

The two executioners knelt before her to ask for forgiveness and the queen replied "I forgive you with all my heart, for now I hope you shall make an end of all my troubles."

As her outer garments were removed, revealing a velvet petticoat and a pair of sleeves in crimson brown, the liturgical color of martyrdom in the Catholic church, with black satin bodice and black trimmings, the Scottish queen smiled and said that she "never had such grooms before...nor ever put off clothes before such a company."

She was blindfolded with a white veil embroidered in gold.  She knelt down upon the cushion, placed her neck on the block and stretched out her arms to signal to the executioners to strike.

Her last words were "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit."

The first strike of the ax missed her neck and struck the back of her head, causing uncalled for agonal pain.

The second strike severed the neck but it remained attached to the body by a tendon which the executioners had to cut again with the ax.

The principal executioner, named Bull, then picked up her head by the hair, held it aloft and declared "God save the Queen."

At that moment, the head fell to the ground becauses the tresses held by his hand turned out to be a wig, revealing her short grey hair.

A small dog, a Skye terrier, was inside the queen's skirt at the time of execution. It was covered with blood and had to be forcibly removed because it refused to leave the queen's decapitated body.

             Death mask of Mary Queen of Scots

When Queen Elizabeth I died 10 years later, the rightful heir to the British throne was none other than the son of Mary Queen of Scots, King James VI of Scotland, who sailed across the ocean to rule Britain as King James I of England.

             KING JAMES I OF ENGLAND

                                          Tomb of Mary Queen of Scots