Why Was Mary Queen Of Scots Executed - 1222 Words | Bartleby
preview

Why Was Mary Queen Of Scots Executed

Decent Essays

Mary Queen of Scots was executed on the 8th February 1587 after she was implicated in the Babington Plot against Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth of England did not give her explicit consent to the execution of Mary, however, Elizabeth did sign the death warrant. The execution of a sister monarch at the hands of Elizabeth I was a significant event because it had consequences that affected not only England but mainland Europe as well. The major cause of the execution was the threat that Mary posed to Elizabeth's rule. Mary was of Tudor decent on both her mothers and fathers side, therefore she was a legitimate Catholic heir to the throne of England. The execution of Mary resulted diminished Catholic sympathy, war with Spain, and James VI inheriting the English throne …show more content…

James VI formed a new Stuart dynasty that replaced the Tudor rule. His rule as the king of England and Scotland affected the lives of millions of people all over Europe. Because of this, English Catholics becoming even more marginalized due to the Protestant King. Mary's death also had an impact on the diplomatic relationship between England and Spain. The unrest with Spain escalated into full-scale conflict, largely instigated by Mary's execution, which angered king Phillip II of Spain. The English/Spanish war was lengthy and expensive, lasting through the remainder of Elizabeth's rule, not ending until 1604, one year after Elizabeth died. The war affected thousands of English and Spanish people and was a huge drain on the English crown's military and financial resources. Many of the financial problems that James I suffered from were caused by the debts from this war. Mary Queen of Scots execution was significant as it affected the sociopolitical and religious environment of Europe for many years