The early years of Mary, Queen of Scots: war in 1540s Scotland

Speaker: Dr Amy Blakeway, Senior Lecturer in 16th Century Scottish History, University of St Andrews This talk was given on 14 April 2026 via Zoom. In this talk, Dr Blakeway explores the impact of the famous events of Mary, Queen of Scot’s, life on ordinary people and places throughout Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots' accession aged six days old, prompted the largest Tudor invasion of Scotland. Crops were destroyed, towns and castles burned, and the whole country was mobilised to resist invasion. As plague swept through the country, and taxes and prices rose, a pandemic and a cost of living crisis affected every one of her subjects. Join us as we explore the dramatic events that shaped the life of the young Mary, Queen of Scots, and changed the country she ruled. Some of the documents discussed in this talk tie-in with, or are on show, in the current exhibition: War, Destruction and Reform: the early years of Mary Queen of Scots. https://mary-queen-of-scots.wp.st-and...