Mary Queen of Scots' Secretary by Robert Stedall
Maitland was the most able politician and diplomat during the lifetime of Mary Queen of Scots. It was he who master-minded the Scottish Reformation by breaking the 'Auld Alliance' with France, which presaged Scotland's lasting union with England. Although he gained English support to defeat French troops defending Mary's Scottish throne, he backed her return to Scotland, as the widowed Queen of France. His attempts to gain recognition for her as heir to the English crown were thwarted by her determined adherence to Catholicism. After her re-marriage, he spearheaded the plotting to bring down her objectionable husband, Lord Darnley, leading to his murder, after concluding that English and Scottish interests were best served by creating a Protestant regency for their son, Prince James. With encouragement from Cecil in England and the Protestant Lords in Scotland, he concocted evidence to implicate her in her husband's murder, resulting in her imprisonment and deposition from the Scottish throne. Despite her escape to England, he remained personally loyal to her and attempted to conjure Scottish support for her restoration by backing her allies holding Edinburgh Castle on her behalf. When it fell in 1573, he resorted to suicide.
Throughout his adult life Robert Stedall has been fascinated by genealogy. He is the curator of the popular www.maryqueenofscots.net and author of _The Challenge to the Crown_ and _The Survival of the Crown_, a ground-breaking two-volume history of Mary Queen of Scots and her son, James VI of Scotland. He has written _Mary Queen of Scots' Downfall_, _The Roots of Ireland's Troubles_ and _Elizabeth I's Secret Lover_ for Pen and Sword.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781526787798 |
| ISBN 10 | 1526787792 |
| Title | Mary Queen of Scots' Secretary |
| Author | Robert Stedall |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Pen & Sword Books Ltd |
| Year published | 2021-01-25 |
| Number of pages | 296 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |