'In my end is my beginning.'
Yes, so I continue with my little fandom of Scotland, this time following Mary, Queen of Scots. Yes, the little lady who competed but in vain with the vastly successful Elizabeth for the English crown - that's who I'm talking about.
This picture of Mary was taken from http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040208/spectrum/main1.htm Notice the red Bible in her hand, which tells us she was quite religious.
Yes folks, for today I will be rambling about one of my favorite topics: notable women in history.
A lot of people, even nowdays believe a woman does not have the brains or the guts needed to actualyl stand up in the world. Ahem (cough cough), please stand while I hit you on the head, people.
Mary was the daughter of James IV and Mary of Guise. When she was very young she was shipped of to France, where she was engaged to the Dauphin, Francis. However, because he was a really sickly boy, he died in his teens, possibly of a simple ear infection. Mary was siad to become really brokenhearted, for he was one of the few people she had actually liked and trusted during her life.
A lot happened in between; she was married to Lord Darnley, who was a capital moron, as we call them. He was mean and nasty, in spite of his good looks he really was a tough lot to put up with. He drank gallons and gallons just for fun. Mary disliked him, and when he was found dead, it was immediately assumed that Mary had played her cards in killing him. She was also married to a man named Bothwell in the middle, who was one of the suspects in the Darnley murder case.
So anyway, ou may or may not know that one of the most dramatized aspects of Mary and Elizabeth's battle was their religions. Mary was Catholic, while Elizabeth was a Protestant. After futile attempts to claim the English throne, Mary was soon locked up, and beheaded at the end, for treason (trying to grab the throne) and also because people feared that England would become Catholic once more.
But did this gal back off? Did she cry, and BEG for mercy?
Ah....no.
Elizabeth was really quite unwilling to have this distant cousin of hers beheaded. Elizabeth was a collected and logical thinker, and she really didn't want to stain the court with all this business of cutting off people's heads. However, she signed the papers under pressure from the court.
On the day of the execution, Mary stood tall and strong by the block. She pulled off her black overgown/cloak, revealing a blood-red gown. Now, this powerful colour was the symbol for Catholic martyrdom in those days. Imagine, how much mental strength a person would need to have, to not abandon their morals, their beliefs even when they know their head will be hacked off the shoulders in the next 20 minutes! It is said that it took about 3 blows for the guy with the axe to sever the head completely (....I usually try to imagine myself in various situations in history...but I think I'll pass on this one) but thankfully she was already unconcious by the first hit.
I'm DEFINITELY not taking sides here,neither politically nor religiously, because as all good historians know, narrow minds and biased brains can go in the gutter when it comes to the beautiful study of the past. I really think that women in history should be brought to the forefront more. A girl, from the day she is born, is pushed into a little, narrow stereotyped niche where she is expected to stay. Maybe not by her parents, maybe not by her friends, but society, be it rich or poor always has other plans for women.
This website is a marvellous site for anyone who wishes to actually look into Mary's life: http://www.marie-stuart.co.uk/
Come on, sisters, who says we can't get in the field?
Yes, so I continue with my little fandom of Scotland, this time following Mary, Queen of Scots. Yes, the little lady who competed but in vain with the vastly successful Elizabeth for the English crown - that's who I'm talking about.
Yes folks, for today I will be rambling about one of my favorite topics: notable women in history.
A lot of people, even nowdays believe a woman does not have the brains or the guts needed to actualyl stand up in the world. Ahem (cough cough), please stand while I hit you on the head, people.
Mary was the daughter of James IV and Mary of Guise. When she was very young she was shipped of to France, where she was engaged to the Dauphin, Francis. However, because he was a really sickly boy, he died in his teens, possibly of a simple ear infection. Mary was siad to become really brokenhearted, for he was one of the few people she had actually liked and trusted during her life.
A lot happened in between; she was married to Lord Darnley, who was a capital moron, as we call them. He was mean and nasty, in spite of his good looks he really was a tough lot to put up with. He drank gallons and gallons just for fun. Mary disliked him, and when he was found dead, it was immediately assumed that Mary had played her cards in killing him. She was also married to a man named Bothwell in the middle, who was one of the suspects in the Darnley murder case.
So anyway, ou may or may not know that one of the most dramatized aspects of Mary and Elizabeth's battle was their religions. Mary was Catholic, while Elizabeth was a Protestant. After futile attempts to claim the English throne, Mary was soon locked up, and beheaded at the end, for treason (trying to grab the throne) and also because people feared that England would become Catholic once more.
But did this gal back off? Did she cry, and BEG for mercy?
Ah....no.
Elizabeth was really quite unwilling to have this distant cousin of hers beheaded. Elizabeth was a collected and logical thinker, and she really didn't want to stain the court with all this business of cutting off people's heads. However, she signed the papers under pressure from the court.
On the day of the execution, Mary stood tall and strong by the block. She pulled off her black overgown/cloak, revealing a blood-red gown. Now, this powerful colour was the symbol for Catholic martyrdom in those days. Imagine, how much mental strength a person would need to have, to not abandon their morals, their beliefs even when they know their head will be hacked off the shoulders in the next 20 minutes! It is said that it took about 3 blows for the guy with the axe to sever the head completely (....I usually try to imagine myself in various situations in history...but I think I'll pass on this one) but thankfully she was already unconcious by the first hit.
I'm DEFINITELY not taking sides here,neither politically nor religiously, because as all good historians know, narrow minds and biased brains can go in the gutter when it comes to the beautiful study of the past. I really think that women in history should be brought to the forefront more. A girl, from the day she is born, is pushed into a little, narrow stereotyped niche where she is expected to stay. Maybe not by her parents, maybe not by her friends, but society, be it rich or poor always has other plans for women.
This website is a marvellous site for anyone who wishes to actually look into Mary's life: http://www.marie-stuart.co.uk/
Come on, sisters, who says we can't get in the field?
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