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Marra sabra muy bien lo frggil de su posiciwn en
*nglaterra y es difrcil, por ello, pensar Rue podrra
conspirar en contra de la reina.
1or otro lado, Marra ya habra demostrado su to-
lerancia religiosa al decretar la libertad de cultos en
su propio reino, por lo Rue cuesta trabaKo imaginarla
conspirando para erradicar el protestantismo de *n-
glaterra y retornar ese reino al catolicismo. Ella co-
nocra bien la historia de la reina Marra de *nglaterra,
conocida como Marra la Sanguinaria ¡tambinn tra
de ella¡ Ruien nunca pudo reimplantar el catolicis-
mo en su pars, a pesar de contar con el apoyo de su
marido Felipe, en ese entonces prrncipe heredero de
Espava e hiKo de Carlos 7, el monarca mgs poderoso
de Europa.
Finalmente, el 8 de febrero de 1587 la reina *sa-
bel ordenw su eKecuciwn, tras descubrirse una nueWa
conspiraciwn Rue pretendra utili[arla para derrocar
a la reina inglesa y a la Rue Marra, Rui[g de forma no
tan inocente como algunos pretenden, habra dado
su bendiciwn.
La tragedia persiguiw a Marra Estuardo desde su naci-
miento y hasta el final de sus dras de forma trggica, pues
se cuenta que el verdugo tuvo que asestar 50 golpes con
el hacha para poder cortarle la cabe[a. Sin duda un Wer-
dugo sin mucho oficio, o bien, demasiado resentimiento
por parte de su eKecutora. 1ero el legado de Marra llegw 16
avos despuns, al permitir Rue su hiKo +acobo se educara en
una Escocia protestante. A pesar del funesto destino de
su madre, +acobo se conWertirra en el |nico heredero de
*sabel, siendo coronado rey a lamuerte de nsta en 1603.
Con su coronaciwn como +acobo 7* de Escocia y * de
*nglaterra, cumplinndose, finalmente, en suevo larga-
mente acariciado por los monarcas ingleses aunRue por
ironras de la historia, serra un rey escocns y no uno inglns
el Rue lograrra unir ambas coronas. Con el paso del tiem-
po, las historias populares hicieron Rue la Wida de Marra
alcan[ara el terreno de la leyenda, conWirtinndola, sin
duda alguna, en la reina mgs popular de Escocia.
0
Mary knew very well how fragile her position
in England was and it is therefore difficult to think
that she would conspire against the Queen.
On the other hand, Mary had already demon-
strated her religious tolerance by decreeing the
freedom of religion in her own kingdom, so it is
hard to imagine her plotting to eradicate Protes-
tantism in England and return the kingdom to
Catholicism. She knew well the story of her other
aunt Mary, Queen of England - known as Bloody
Mary - who was never able to reintroduce Cathol-
icism into her country, despite having the sup-
port of her husband Philippe (then Crown Prince
of Spain and son of Charles V, the most powerful
monarch in Europe).
Finally, on February 8th, 1587, Queen Eliza-
beth ordered Mary’s execution, following the
discovery of a new conspiracy that sought to
use her to overthrow the English Queen, and to
which Mary (perhaps in a not so innocent way as
some claim) had given her blessing.
The tragedy chased her all the way, it is said
that the executioner had to deal fifty blows with
the ax to behead her. An executioner without
much experience in the profession, really. But
the legacy of Mary arrived sixteen years later. By
allowing her son James to be educated in a Prot-
estant Scotland, she managed that at her death,
he became the sole heir of Elizabeth of England,
being crowned king of England and Ireland at her
death in 1603.
With his coronation as James VI of Scotland and
I of England, the long cherished dreamof the British
monarchs was thus realized; although by ironies of
history, it would be a Scottish king and not an Eng-
lish one who achieved the unity of both crowns.
And with the passage of time, Mary’s life began to
fall into the realmof legend, helping to turn her, un-
doubtedly, into themost popular Queen of Scots.
0
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169
18.CastillodeStirling,
lugardondesecoronw
reinaaMaríacuando
a|neraunbebn.
/
Stirling Castle,
where QueenMary
was crowned when
she was a baby.
19.MarraEstuardoera
lareinacatwlicaRue
respetaba la libertad
decultosenEuropa,
peroquenunca
estuvo libredepolé-
micasyacusaciones.
/
Mary Stuart was
the Catholic queen,
who respected the
freedomof religion
in Europe, but she
never was free of
controversy and
accusations.
20.Tumbade
MarraEstuardo,
dondedescansansus
restosdespuésde
habersidocruelmente
decapitada. /
Tumba
de María Estuardo,
donde descansan
sus restos después
de haber sido
cruelmente decapi-
tada. / Mary Stuart
tomb, where she is
remains after being
cruelly beheaded.
18
19
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