Author: jac00204

My dissertation will focus on the relationship between Mary Stuart and Elizabeth Tudor. Both sixteenth century queens who were threatened by each other and by men who thought a woman was unfit to rule. I am keen to explore how the queens interacted with each other without meeting in person. This will be achieved through examining Primary sources and Secondary Literature.

Secondary Sources

1. Dawson, Jane. 1986. “Mary Queen Of Scots, Lord Darnley, And Anglo-Scottish Relations 1565”. JSTOR. https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy-s2.stir.ac.uk/stable/pdf/40105559.pdf?ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_search_solr_cloud%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3Aa60ef57199683fb3bcc6a53b6931fb27. Accessed 04/02/2021

I have come across this article whilst researching the topic on JSTOR. This article sets out relations between the two monarchs and Dawson suggests that the feeling was that Elizabeth could lose her throne at the onset of 1566 when Marys rule seemed secure. There is particular focus on Marys half brother Moray who was at odds with the Queen and her decision to Marry. Moray was reliant on English support in Scotland to discourage the match, but Elizabeth’s policy seemed in disarray. This source is useful when considering relations as it suggests that the queens often tried to out manoeuvre each other and that tensions could have lead to war.

2. Williams, Kate. 2020. Rival Queens. 2nd ed. London: Penguin.

I have delved into a few chapters of this recent work on the two Queens. The book sets out Marys position on Elizabeth suggesting that Mary had longed of a lasting friendship of discussing how the men who surrounded them wanted their power. Elizabeth more sceptical and reserved viewed Mary as dangerous who was after her throne. This part is well documented through Secondary Literature Mary suggesting that she was the legitimate direct descendant of Henry VII.

3. Fraser, Antonia. 1969. Mary Queen Of Scots. St Ives: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
4. Wormald, Jenny. 1988. Mary Queen Of Scots A Study In Failure. 4th ed. Edinburgh: John Donald.

 

There is a range of secondary material that I have looked at and think will be useful for my topic. Fraser & Wormald offer assessments of Marys reign and this will be particularly useful in developing ideas about whether Marys was indeed trying to out manoeuvre Elizabeth to achieve her own ambition or whether she wanted a close relationship with her cousin.

Primary Sources.

1. Stuart, Mary. 1565. “Letters Of Mary Queen Of Scots”. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/lettersofmaryqu01mary/page/18/mode/2up.

This letter to Elizabeth in 1565 talks about how Mary was keen for a good working relationship to be developed between the two Monarchs.  The good relations between the two Queens would be the benefit of both Scotland and England through shared intelligence and amity between them. I came across this source when consulting another text. I find this useful as it shows that there was at least some desire for good relations, which in the context of Mary and Elizabeth is often overlooked.

Hello everyone, My names is James Clinton. I am from Cumbernauld which is just outside Glasgow. The thought of writing a dissertation is giving me anxiety already. I have a few different interests within different time periods. For the most part these involve Royal History.  My Thoughts so far involve Anglo-Scottish relations between the Stewarts and the Tudors in the sixteenth century. I am also interested in the relationship that evolved between Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I – Having done some independent research over the summer. Another topic that interests me is the seventeenth century – The English Civil  war and the changing attitudes towards the monarchy. I have found online learning a struggle in the autumn semester, mostly due to online reading. I prefer to read a book not through a screen.