December 8th, 1542: Birth of Mary Stuart
September 9th, 1543: Mary is crowned Queen of Scotland
1544: Mary is betrothed to The Dauphin, Francis II
August 7th, 1548: Mary departs Scotland and sails for France
April 24th, 1558: Marriage of Mary and Francis
December 6th, 1560: Francis dies and Mary becomes the Second Dowager Queen of France
August 4th, 1561: Mary departs France and sails for Scotland
July 29th, 1565: Marriage of Mary and Lord Darnley
March 9th, 1566: Mary's secretary, David Rizzio, is murdered by Darnley and others
June 19th, 1566: Mary gives birth to son, James VI of Scotland
February 9th, 1567: Darnley's strangled body is found after his residence explodes
May 15th, 1567: Marriage of Mary and Lord Bothwell
June 24th, 1567: Mary is forced to abdicate. James VI is crowned king
May 16th, 1568: Mary flees to England
May 1570-1572: Mary's potential involvement in the Ridolfi Plot
April 1578: Bothwell dies in Danish prison
January 1586: Mary's potential involvement in the Babington Plot begins
October 14th, 1586: Mary is questioned about her involvement in the Babington Plot
February 1st, 1587: Elizabeth I signs Mary's death warrant
February 8th, 1587: Mary, Queen of Scots is executed.
Timeline adapted from the Marie Stuart Society website and Antonia Fraser's, Mary, Queen of Scots.
©Robin Schuster, May 2004.