Since her execution at Fotheringay Castle in 1587, the romantic appeal of Mary, Queen of Scots, has fascinated historians, biographers and novelists. The aim of this study is to show Mary as she really was - a mid-16th century monarch of a kingdom which had political and economic importance far greater than seemed justified by its size or position. She ruled during one of the most dramatic and formative periods in the history of both Scotland and Europe, when the struggle between Catholic and Protestant was at its height and when Scotland's close links with France constituted a direct threat to the security of England. The author's view is that, in this situation, Mary was a tragic figure - someone born to power who was wholly unable to cope with its responsibilities.