| Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley |
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Darnley was born on , putting both Mary and Darnley high in the line of succession for the English throne; Darnley was a descendant of a daughter of James II Of Scotland and thus also in line for the throne of Scotland; and Darnley's family surname was due to a much more ancient connection to his male-line ancestor, Alexander Stewart, 4th High Steward Of Scotland . On their marriage, which took place July 29 , 1565 in the chapel of Palace Of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh , Darnley was given the title of "King of Scots," but he was a King Consort only, with no royal powers. The marriage was a disaster. Darnley was younger than Mary and not particularly mature for a nineteen-year-old. He was unpopular with the other nobles and had a mean and violent streak. Within a short time, Mary became pregnant, but Darnley grew more and more demanding. His jealousy of Mary's private secretary, David Rizzio , culminated in the bloody murder of the latter by Darnley and a group of his friends, in the presence of the queen herself at Holyrood Palace. Following the birth of her son, the future James VI Of Scotland , the succession was more secure; in late 1566 and early 1567 , Darnley and Mary appeared to be close to reconciliation, as she was often seen visiting his chambers. But on February 10 , 1567, the bodies of Darnley and his rider and lover at the time were discovered in the gardens of the Hamiltons' house, Kirk o' Field, Edinburgh , where they had been staying. An explosion had occurred that night at the house, but the evidence pointed to Darnley's having escaped that attempted assassination only to be murdered when he got outside. Suspicion fell on James Hepburn, 4th Earl Of Bothwell and on Mary herself. Bothwell later abducted and raped Mary, and so Mary's only option was to marry Bothwell. Darnley's death was a key event in the downward spiral that led to her loss of the Scottish crown. References
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