Mary was a spoiled girl thrown into a dangerous and complicated situation. She was never taught to navigate such a life as it was in the French's best interest to not give her any ideas about ruling in her own right. Elizabeth had a lot of grit due to how dangerous her life was basically until she got the throne and was playing in a completely different league. I also don't think our modern heads can really understand how strong the idea of divine right to rule was for these people and how much it governed their views on everything. Same for God and religion, no matter how devout someone might be. We think Mary was stubborn, she thought she was following God's will. Since her right to rule had never been challenged, she couldn't imagine making the compromises Elizabeth did in her life. If Mary had grown up with her mother in Scotland, I think she would have been much more capable to handle the politics and more of an equal to Elizabeth.
@@suziemartin3587 Mary's mother died as Regent of Scotland, whereas Elizabeth's mother died divorced and disgraced on the orders of her father. So she had good reasons not to want a man on the throne of England.
Mary married cuz that was the rule set she knew Elizabeth , probably for various reasons we can imagine, looked beyond the rules established for royal women
I'm a little stunned at how unconcerned Mary was about the impact of her behavior on Elizabeth and how unrealistic about her expectations of support from Elizabeth. She claimed Elizabeth's throne, asked openly if she inherited after Elizabeth was dead as soon as she transitioned back to Scotland and then expected Elizabeth's backing once she'd made Scotland too hot to hold her. She seems to have made no accounting of the fact that Elizabeth had a close brush with death a couple of times and was not likely to view any threats in a favorable light. Mary seems to have expected Elizabeth to view herself through Mary's eyes and not her own.
When I was young, I always saw Mary as a romantic, tragic figure. As an adult, I now appreciate Elizabeth’s resilience and political understanding a lot more. I don’t want to sound harsh, but I find Mary a bit of a fool, who could easily have been manipulated into another rebellion and attempt on Elizabeth’s throne. For this reason, I think keeping her imprisoned and away from any drama of a public meeting with Elizabeth, was the right thing to do, even though it had awful consequences for Mary in the end. Great video, thanks.
I think that Elizabeth refused to meet Mary for the sole purpose of not giving her public recognition. I know Elizabeth was very vain and she may have had an issue with the fact that Mary was a younger her. But Mary was very vocal about how she was the rightful queen and I think Elizabeth and her counsel felt that meeting with her would give even more fuel to the people who might back Mary.
The events of Mary, Queen of Scots’ life, the circumstances she found herself in - and the choices she seems to have made - are one of history’s most enduring mysteries and a pure tragedy in the (Shakespearean) dramatic sense. No wonder there has been a never ending series of accounts on television and the big screen of her story. Thanks, Cat, for your concise and gripping narrative! 🎉
An author, possibly Antonia Fraser, noted that Mary was very personable and lovable because she had always been raised with love and security. Not so for Elizabeth who knew threat and opposition from her youngest years. It was suggested that another reason for the two queens not meeting was that Elizabeth did not want to encounter such a socially confident woman, cousin and fellow queen.
Could also be that Mary as a Catholic and contender to the throne (or an alternative Queen) would likely legitimise herself in the eyes of her subjects and nobility should Elizabeth have a meeting with her. Something Elizabeth strongly wanted to avoid because it could bolster her already strong claim to her throne. (Aside from personal insecurity and jelousy) Or onwards to that effect.
*Can we have one on the incredibly bizarre position and influence of Dr. Dee and the wizards in Elizabeth's court?* Historical depictions usually gloss over it in part because she is portrayed as one of the first "modern" and rational rulers, but in fact she relied heavily on her mystical advisors for even the everyday decisions of state. Arguably, he was also a spy and scientist, but he was chiefly in her employ as an advisor because of his magic calculations.
Yes, i second the request!! And I wouldl iike to mention that the French Queen, Catherine De Medici, Mary Queen of Scots mother-i-law, rescued Nostradamus, the great Astrologer.and mystic. from his persecutors after he had famously foreseen the death of the King of France.. The King died from a fatal wound sustained in a jousting accident.. The Queen kept Nostradamus at court as her advisor,. Modern day Astrologers have studied the birth chart of Mary Queen of Scots..at the time of her birth the Sun, signifying her life-force, was closely joined by “the most evil star i the zodiac” Caput Algol.. Algol is an arabic word for satan..Also known as “The head of Medusa”.. The Ancients believed it signified death by beheadiing or strangulation.. Believe it or not, many great scientists and doctors of medicine , such as Sir Issac Newton, Johannes Keppler and Nostradamus studied and practiced astrology. Then there was Eli Lilly who wrote and taught on “Christian Astrology” 2000 years ago three “Wise Kings” from the far Eastern lands traveled to Bethlehem. guided by a Star..In Jerusalem, they inquired of King Herod, “where is He who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the East and have come to worship Him” Were the three wise men astrologers? Yes, Dr Cat,please look into this fascinating and controversial subject in history..
@@tianna1116 Not really comparable. Dr. Dee was a renown published scientist, spy, and very high official court functionary. He was 1 of the very few Elizabethan advisors who was always consulted and never lost favour or his head. He was mostly called upon to do astrology and predictions, tho, and Her Majesty rarely took any significant action without asking him to horoscope it first. The Czarina & Czar were captivated by several dubious religious leaders. Rasputin claimed to help heal their son, and may have done some good by keeping the quacks away from him. He also was a notorious Lothario, and there were many rumours that he was banging the Empress.
Coincidentally, I recently started looking at charts he calculated and analyzing them lol I believe I have a couple books/biographies about him on my historical TBR list, I'll look for the titles and share if so!
If there’s one thing we know about Elizabeth I, it’s that she had a highly developed a nose for danger. And Mary reeked of it. Elizabeth’s best move was often to do nothing In this case, she played it perfectly. You knew Mary would ‘hang herself’ given enough rope.
Great video Kat! Elizabeth was caught within a classic Scylla and Charybdis dilemma when it came to Mary. Elizabeth sacrificing what would’ve been a commiserate meeting between a fellow regnant queen and one of her few closest living relatives demonstrated her tenacity and political acumen, qualities she’s already incredibly famous for. I think the fact that they were both family and ruling Christian princesses (on the same island) in a time when Europe was dominated by kings and emperors makes the situation of them never meeting all the more tragic and compelling, which I think explains why historical fiction would latch on to the notion of “what if they did meet?”, and “what would that be like?”; “what on earth would they say to each other?”. I’m quite entertained by writers and directors playing with these historical “what ifs”, just so long as we remember it’s fiction 😂👸🏼🏴🏴🇮🇪
Two women, cousins, sisters divided by patriarchy and men with craven needs for power and self-preservation at any cost. It's a sad, tragic story--and a continuing reality for many women everywhere, alas. 👸💔👸
Dr.Kat truly makes history come alive with her commentary. We don't often think of these historical figures as being influenced by their all too human character traits, but Dr. Kat 's analysis of how these things played into historic events always are a spot on. This is probably my favorite channel on TH-cam, and I always look forward to new videos.
Elizabeth was much better at politics than Mary. She never let infatuation guide her choices. Mary had no wisdom, no patience. Elizabeth had staying power. Thanks for another fascinating video!
Mary was practically born a queen. And then raised to be a queen, both regnant and consort. No one ever disputed her divine rights to the throne of Scotland, and her path to being the queen of France was also fairly straightforward and secure. Elizabeth, on the other hand, didn't know she would be queen until almost the last minute (when Mary's pregnancies turned out to be "fake"). Her divine right was, therefore, coupled with an understanding of the twists and turns of fate, fickle favour, and shifting allegiances. I don't think she ever lost sight of that from the very beginning. For all the things stacked against Elizabeth, she always has the ball in her court in her interactions with Mary. Mary is the supplicant. And I think that also coloured their relationship. Mary, double queen at one time, was playing checkers when Elizabeth was playing chess.
I’ve always thought the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth very interesting and needing more study. I think we have been tainted with the over romanticized versions of both women… this was very interesting. Thank you !
I always love to think about how the conversation would go if Mary and Elizabeth did meet. I feel as if the movie Mary Queen of Scotts shows sorta what I think, but I do not believe Elizabeth would allow herself to be so vulnerable and she would be more angry and guarded. The way Mary is portrayed is ideal though: arrogant, angry
Great job as always! You laid out a pretty comprehensive list of reasons why Elizabeth could never have allowed a meeting to take place: the coat of arms, the continued claim to the English throne, the numerous plots, probable involvement in the murder of Darnley, and, as always, religion and that pesky papal bull from Pius V. I also wonder why Mary fled to England. Was it the only place she could escape to? I mean, the Pretender eventually made it to France, right? Maybe it was the same impetuousness she showed with her marriages. Did she really think Elizabeth would help her? Thanks again. You make my Fridays.👑
arcola44: Yes, I've always wondered why Mary didn't hightail it to France, where as a Dowager Queen of France she would have had security. I wonder whether Mary calculated that Queen Elizabeth *might* be easier to manipulate than Catherine de' Medici, Queen Regent of France? In any case, Mary gambled -- & lost.
@@cathryncampbell8555Mary was led under the (false) belief that Elizabeth would offer her support and reinstate her back to power in Scotland with her help this was (because of all the letter of sympathy, rightgeous fury and offers of protection Elizabeth had sent to her). Mary bet on Elizabeth's 'affections' and her own charms as a way to get her throne through her and even be named her successor for her throne. Of course no such thing has happened. Mary refused or couldnt grasp the reality of the situation, and she paid 18 years of her life with it.
Thanks for the lesson Dr. Kat! I looked but can’t find any time you did Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII th’s mom. Would you consider doing it? She really amazes me and I would love to hear your take on her life!
Love this topic for a video. I always thought Cecil was vehemently opposed to Elizabeth meeting Mary because he feared an alliance between the two and what it would mean for England. 👑
William Cecil was a long term friend of the Scottish reformer John Knox [ going back to the reign of Edward VI when Knox lived in England ] who was a major opponent of Mary in Scotland. As a strong protestant he hated Mary and in the early years of Elizabeth's reign has promoted the idea of Lady Katherine Grey as Elizabeth's successor.
I remember when Mary Queen of Scots came out and the discussion of the two “meeting” I think they were trying to portray they had never met by showing during the bulk of the scene they really did not have an eye to eye discussion. However making it look like they did. 🏰 👑🐝
Thank you for telling us the story of these two cousins. I knew quite a bit of it but you still found a thing or two that I didn't know or remember in this story. 🤷🏼♀️ I think, as many have said here, Elizabeth was just so much more savy at ruling and keeping her thrown and power in ways that Mary, Queen of Scots never learned to her own detriment! Elizabeth had lived through so many tumultuous times growing up and as a young woman seeing what happened with the women in her father's Court but also how she and her half-sister were treated must have been hard to endure so she learned early about power and who had it and who didn't. Then there was Thomas Seymour when she was a teenager trying to compromise her to get her to marry him to get to the throne. She learned a lot of lessons the hard way, unfortunately. Mary,QoS didn't have that. She was more coddled at the French Court so she didn't learn the same cut throat lessons. So now that I rambled long enough.😂 I hope you have a great weekend and I have a question because I don't remember if you answered it before. Do you do the reenactment of the historical women regularly or is it a once in a lifetime thing? I'm sorry I forgot who you portrayed. I want to say it was one of the Queens but I'm not positive. So thanks for what you do on this channel. I really enjoy all of your videos but I also loved getting to see you dressed in the historical clothes for the reenactment. I would love to see it more, if you do it again! Thanks, take care and big healing hugs, k 💗👑👸🏿💂🏼♀️👸🏾💂🏿👸🏻💂🏾👸🏼💂🏼👸🏽💂♂️👸🏾💂🏻👸🏿👜🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
I've read that William Cecil, one of the very few people who Elizabeth ever allowed to influence her opinion, was relentless in advising Elizabeth never to meet Mary. He was perpetually paranoid about Mary's potential to concentrate Catholic opposition to Elizabeth, as Mary Tudor had done in supplanting Jane Grey. He also feared that Mary, by all accounts charming, would have charmed Elizabeth and softened her attitude. Cecil increasingly petitioned Elizabeth to execute Mary for treason, but though Elizabeth took much counsel from Cecil, it took years and multiple events for her to finally be persuaded to execute Mary. Even when she signed the final warrant, she changed her mind several times, and in the final event Elizabeth did send a messenger with a stay of execution, but Cecil having finally got the green light for the execution pushed it ahead before Elizabeth's letter of clemency could arrive. I think in the even Cecil underestimated his queen, because Elizabeth seems to have wanted to keep Mary alive not out of familial affection, but because Mary was an anointed queen, and therefore a creature beyond a mere mortal. Again Elizabeth kept to this concept not out of piety or sentimentality, but out of self-protection. Elizabeth was very much not interested in setting a precedent for executing anointed queens, as she felt that sharp edge could easily point her way.
Great video. I think Elizabeth was very wise not to meet with her cousin. She was very conscious of the two queens on one little island & understandably did not welcome the comparison that would have obviously have been made. 🫅
Sometimes it baffles me that someone as gloried and remembered as Elizabeth the first had the same desicion-making skills as us commoners of the 21st century, as her favorite form of resolving difficult desicions seems to be "if I don't choose the problem might eventually go away"
Very good breakdown of the complexities of the matter. Elizabeth was pragmatic in her refusal for a meeting. It's called self-preservation. Love your talks.👸🏽
Great video Dr. Kay! I would love to see your take on Henry Stuart, prince of Wales, along with your thoughts on what kinds of king he would have been, had he lived and succeeded King James rather than his brother Charles 🤓
Austinross3540: Yes! I too would love an analysis of Prince Henry, son of King James I of England. I believe that had Henry lived & assumed the throne, the British Civil War might never have occurred.
Mary was raised with a sense of entitlement, while Elizabeth grew up fighting for her live. Mary had nothing to prepare her for the struggles ahead. and she was unable to learn. That is the reason Elizabeth survived, and Mary did not,
Wasn’t Edward III’s birthright questioned? Something about a long pregnancy of his Mom and a physical separation from her husband? I love your posts! 👑
What has been clear to me for some time, and reinforced by your video here, is how temperamentally different the tow Queens were. Mary always struck me as an impetuous woman who simply could not make careful calculations of her situation. Elizabeth, by contrast, was very much under the guidance of her ministers. That may well have been a contributory factor as to why the Scottish nobility rejected Mary, while Elizabeth made sure that her ministers had enough reason to want to keep her in power to keep themselves in power.
Excellent video. I think you always do an excellent job of getting behind the romance and drama that gets built up around the Tudors and addressing the political nitty gritty realities of the time, which in turn makes the people involved seem more nuanced, and thus more real.
Having read Jacob Abbots' little biography, I am not surprised that the two women didn't meet in person. It is interesting that the movies have them meet. I see how the biographer has put Mary in a pleading/weak role in spite of her stature and beauty. He also has put Elizabeth in a rather uncertain role. This is how I see it (read it). It seemed at times that Elizabeth did want to meet Mary and then would think better of it or be given council against a meeting. Thank you for making all of this history understandable and fun to learn about! Hmm, royal emoji...Have fun stormin' the castle!
So interesting. I have researched my family and recently visited Tixall which was the home of my ancestors. Mary was kept there 17 days while her rooms were searched and found incriminating evidence that sealed her fate
I like to think hat they didn't meet because Elizabeth was frightened of Mary. Any kind of direct diplomatic contact or meeting would have been a huge event, and people from all across the country along with most of Elizabeth's court would have met and interacted with Mary in person. I feel like Elizabeth was fearful that putting her rival in contact with her close advisors and members of court would be risky. Mary had been the focus of anti-Protestant and anti-Elizabeth plotting and intrigue since literally the moment she entered the country, and giving her the chance to form connections in Elizabeth's inner circle would be potentially deadly. Mary's apparent beauty and charisma would have made that risk even bigger in Elizabeth's mind. At least, that's my reasoning. A much tamer reason would probably be that Elizabeth and Mary just didn't want to see each other and didn't meet for that reason.
I think that’s definitely part of it. If Elizabeth thought she could have come out on top of any meeting then I think they would’ve met. There’s plenty of evidence Mary wanted a meeting.
I think Elizabeth kept Mary at arm’s length deliberately. If she had met Mary in person then she would have had to acknowledge her and Elizabeth liked to sit on the fence. As long as Mary was in Scotland and had the possibility of succeeding Elizabeth dangling she might behave more favourably to England. Once she was in England Elizabeth didn’t want to see Mary as she was a political headache. Out of sight out of mind and her councillors can deal with her. The biggest misstep Elizabeth made was suggesting Dudley as a potential husband to Mary. She should have either suggested another English gentleman with vague royal ties or a Protestant prince. Mary should have converted to Protestantism to keep her crown and never married Darnley or stayed in France and let her half brother rule as regent. She would have had a happier life.
The more I hear about Elizabeth the more I’m impressed with her She managed to walk a tightrope throughout her life and facing the real possibility of death on numerous occasions She must have spent so much time looking over her shoulder from threats from her own family, the Spanish Armada and the hard core catholics looking to side with Mary Thanks you for an excellent presentation of the facts which give pause for thought Not least the more personal insecurities you mention towards the end My impression of Elizabeth is of a human as well as a consummate politician and the unfavourable physical comparison with someone famed for their beauty and 9 years younger which could have been made would definitely have been a consideration. To have met Mary would have made her real and the political social and religious considerations just too difficult to overcome and be given unnecessary prominence to any or all leading to questions and possibly unfavourable action Elizabeth did the right thing although Mary’s inevitable death being the willing pawn in too many potential overthrow plots must have given Elizabeth sleepless nights before she signed the death warrant, perhaps consoling herself that James would eventually succeed to the throne, but sentencing a fellow queen and family member must have been difficult With hindsight we know Elizabeth was ok but throughout her life she had to skirt so many dangerous and explosive trials she must have needed nerves of steel - outwardly at least Just a side note I find it fascinating on Elizabeth’s letter to Mary that she scored across any blank parts of the paper to avoid there being an unwanted unofficial additions to the letter from any third party such wereElizabeth’s survival instincts always to the fore Thanks again for a fascinating and thought provoking video - one of your best and that’s saying something
Some excellent points! It seems clear that there was never any real reason for Elizabeth to meet with Mary, and that it would often have been difficult or even potentially harmful to do so. And given what we know about Elizabeth's insecurities, the argument that she would not have welcomed comparison between the two of them makes a lot of sense.
I love, love, love your channel! Your videos are always very informative, especially because Im a native born Texas girl and always interested in English history. Thank you, Kat!💐
Brilliant as always. I hate to admit this, but I always thought that the two queens had met, based on numerous movies over the years. Elizabeth was clearly between a rock and a hard place over actually meeting with Mary. 👸🫅
reading The queen of this realm by Jean Plaidy is a remarkable book about Queen Elizabeth so enjoyable and many of the info you mention is in the book TY Dr Kat .
Such an interesting video, thanks! I'd never realized there were so many potential reasons why the two never met. I'd always chalked it up to distance, not sure why! 🏵️
I think you outline very well, all the many reasons the two Queens could not meet, throughout their lifetimes. If Elizabeth had been a less wiley character, the maybe she would have agreed to it, but it would have been a huge political mistake, and she was far to clever to acquiescence. Thanks for another great video. 💪👸
I think your final theory is the most plausible. Elizabeth would not have tolerated sharing the limelight with another woman, especially if that woman was not only in competition for her crown👑 , but physically appealing👙as well... Didn't she disallow the wives of her 🎩parliament in court? Mary worried her mind, no doubt. Great insight! thanks! I live in a part of the world where most folks don't care about their own current affairs or history...never mind England's history. Maddening! But you saved the day...I got my fix.
Excited!!! 🎉👑🎉. You always engage the mind! Perhaps they didn’t meet for “all the above”. Seeing someone in person actually brings to life written words. It humanizes the other party, making such choices that much more complicated. At least, I believe so.
Elizabeth had more traumas that directly impacted the way she moved, presented herself, ruled, and governed. Mary ruled with her heart and Elizabeth with her head. While both were passionate women, ultimately Mary was her own undoing. She could not read the room, so to speak, and act accordingly. If she had held a tighter rein on the Scottish court and asserted her dominance as ruler in a manner to earn respect, it may have ended differently for her.
Thank you as usual for a thought-provoking video. Elizabeth had such strength of character to survive and triumph as she did - your presentation made me think how vulnerable she must have felt, with that young and beautiful cousin hovering around.
Elizabeth was given no choice but to imprison Mary and meeting for all the reasons you mentioned, would have been foolhardy. Though Mary was her kinswoman, she had consistently chosen husbands who showed her to be a week person and that alone would be enough to make Elizabeth leery. Meeting Mary just wasn’t a safe or smart thing to do.
Mary, Queen of Scots is an object lesson on what happens if a reigning queen doesn't refrain from committing international incidents and causing offense to her country's more powerful neighbors. Spending her formative years in France, an equally strong rival of England's, did not prepare her mindset for ruling Scotland, a weaker neighbor of England's. Mary certainly succeeded in making it very awkward for Elizabeth and England to give her any sort of aid or assistance.
Part of me wants to doubt this, but then I remember that Elizabeth had watched her sister Mary have to execute Jane Gray, who was little more than a pawn, and even today is not “counted” as a queen of England. It makes sense that she knew she might have to put down Mary QoS who’s actually made claims on her throne. 👑 💔🤔😢
@grtlyblesd my birthday is September 8 so I always look at Elizabeth as WWJD (what would Jenn Do), and that's exactly what I would do... I also have a "Robert Dudley", his name is Dave
Mary Queen of Scotland is my 23 th great grandmother Queen Elizabeth is my cousin back generations and just learned she was born December the 8th that's my birthday
Thank you, Dr Kat. You have clarified many points that I have had questions about. It appears that Elizabeth's goals of stability for her England was the ruling factor in almost all of her decisions, along with her ego. Mary seemed to make her decisions without a long range idea of goals. She appeared to allow herself to be put in precarious situations with which she had no control or plan to escape. Mary should have accepted that her son would be heir to the throne as enough. Foolish👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸
Shorts are a great idea. The perfect advert for your long form content. I always love your videos, but I like to watch them when I’m home and can relax and focus without distractions. Then I keep putting it off and I miss out. Your “Short” just reminded me and intrigued me enough to come straight over here to watch - that’s a win. Thanks so much for sharing this with me, very much appreciated. 🙂🐿🌈❤️ P.s I had the chapter headings for another channels video appearing here on this video. I had to stop the video, go out and back in 3 times before it stopped happening 😳 Based on the chapter info, I found the channel and the video it was part of, and it’s something that I’ve never watched before....very strange.
I think the first one to propose the idea of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots meeting was Friedrich Schiller. Of course, being a dramatist and not a historian, he forced events because he wanted to write good drama, with "strong" scenes. Not only that: he was a medical doctor with an interest in psychology. Therefore, his main goal was to explore what went on in the mind of his characters, and if he had to "bend history" in order to do that, so be it. The same can be said of his treatment of Elizabeth of Bohemia, whose ambition to become queen he set down as the real reason for the outbreak of the Thirty Years War, thus making her go down in history as some kind of femme fatale. By the way, Dr. Kat, may I ask for some videos concerning the Stuarts? Pretty please...
I recently discovered that Henry had a Psalter (sometimes referred to as a prayer book) with his notes in the margins. Depending on the article, they either stroke his ego or reveal his insecurities. I haven't found a source for these. That the miniatures depicting Henry as King David make the question even more interesting. I would love to know your views as well as a source to read them all. I love your work!
In Schiller's play and the Donizetti opera that is based on it they do meet and have a dramatic confrontation where Mary screams "Bastarda" at Elizabeth - I have seen a production at the Sydney opera house.
Thank you, Dr. Kat. Very interesting. About Elizabeth & Mary never meeting, there were certainly many, many reasons for never meeting, and very few to encourage such a meeting. When comparing their lives, it seems as though Elizabeth's life was hanging by a thread for most of her life and Mary's life had been one of (mostly) safety, love and coddling. Mary had very little to lose from such a meeting, but Elizabeth had very much to lose. So sad what royalty had to put up with in their personal lives. Their lives and duties were laid out for them from the date of conception. Very little choice of whom and when to marry, no choice as to country of residence, little or no choice of religion, etc. Life was hard for everyone, and I'm sure that Royal life was much more pleasant than a commoner's life but I feel quite sure the commoners would have traded places if given the opportunity!¹
wonderfully detailed and entertaining video! The laundry barn sequence threw me for a loop for sure... The reasons why they didn't/couldn't meet would have been so cool to see on-screen...
I think mary queen of scots is an interesting example of "the monarch is the country". in the the medieval/early modern world, the monarch (and the royal family to a lesser extent) is more or less the personification of the country. but mary is so at odds with her country, a catholic monarch over a protestant nation, an heir who many saw as more legitimate she becomes a political lability
We all idolise Elizabeth - rightly or wrongly. But there was one quality of hers I've always remembered learning.... And thats why on board for all the hype: she was well considered... to a fault at times. A procrastinator even at her worst... But it's definitely clear she took the advice of Cecil, Walsingham, Kat Astley... Whoever... And came to the best analytical decision she was able to. Sadly if only some of our leaders in the modern world had that quality!
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Mary was a spoiled girl thrown into a dangerous and complicated situation. She was never taught to navigate such a life as it was in the French's best interest to not give her any ideas about ruling in her own right. Elizabeth had a lot of grit due to how dangerous her life was basically until she got the throne and was playing in a completely different league.
I also don't think our modern heads can really understand how strong the idea of divine right to rule was for these people and how much it governed their views on everything. Same for God and religion, no matter how devout someone might be. We think Mary was stubborn, she thought she was following God's will. Since her right to rule had never been challenged, she couldn't imagine making the compromises Elizabeth did in her life.
If Mary had grown up with her mother in Scotland, I think she would have been much more capable to handle the politics and more of an equal to Elizabeth.
Considering Mary’s unbending beliefs about religion, Elizabeth was correct to act as she did. Elizabeth was far better at playing politics than Mary.
And a bit smarter about men, I would say. At least smarter about men who would pursue a monarch!
True. Elizabeth used her head, common sense, Mary didn't.
@@suziemartin3587 Elisabeth used her keen mind; Mary followed her heart, with disasterous consequences. 😢
@@suziemartin3587 Mary's mother died as Regent of Scotland, whereas Elizabeth's mother died divorced and disgraced on the orders of her father. So she had good reasons not to want a man on the throne of England.
Mary married cuz that was the rule set she knew
Elizabeth , probably for various reasons we can imagine, looked beyond the rules established for royal women
I'm a little stunned at how unconcerned Mary was about the impact of her behavior on Elizabeth and how unrealistic about her expectations of support from Elizabeth. She claimed Elizabeth's throne, asked openly if she inherited after Elizabeth was dead as soon as she transitioned back to Scotland and then expected Elizabeth's backing once she'd made Scotland too hot to hold her. She seems to have made no accounting of the fact that Elizabeth had a close brush with death a couple of times and was not likely to view any threats in a favorable light. Mary seems to have expected Elizabeth to view herself through Mary's eyes and not her own.
it was a cut throat business tho..
@@carmenpeters728 which is like exactly why she shouldn't have expected support from a woman whose rule she intentionally threatened
I think she’d been very sheltered her entire life.
@DrZarbon I agree with this. Mary had a completely different upbringing than Elizabeth which would of course influence her behavior and personality.
Very very well said.
When I was young, I always saw Mary as a romantic, tragic figure. As an adult, I now appreciate Elizabeth’s resilience and political understanding a lot more. I don’t want to sound harsh, but I find Mary a bit of a fool, who could easily have been manipulated into another rebellion and attempt on Elizabeth’s throne. For this reason, I think keeping her imprisoned and away from any drama of a public meeting with Elizabeth, was the right thing to do, even though it had awful consequences for Mary in the end.
Great video, thanks.
I think that Elizabeth refused to meet Mary for the sole purpose of not giving her public recognition. I know Elizabeth was very vain and she may have had an issue with the fact that Mary was a younger her. But Mary was very vocal about how she was the rightful queen and I think Elizabeth and her counsel felt that meeting with her would give even more fuel to the people who might back Mary.
Yes, there was nothing for Elizabeth to gain by meeting with Mary, a meeting that could only give credibility to Marry as being of equal status.
@@kathyjohnson2043Not to mention Elizabeth didnt want to associate herself too closely with Mary and the scandals that she got herself embroiled in.
The events of Mary, Queen of Scots’ life, the circumstances she found herself in - and the choices she seems to have made - are one of history’s most enduring mysteries and a pure tragedy in the (Shakespearean) dramatic sense. No wonder there has been a never ending series of accounts on television and the big screen of her story. Thanks, Cat, for your concise and gripping narrative! 🎉
An author, possibly Antonia Fraser, noted that Mary was very personable and lovable because she had always been raised with love and security. Not so for Elizabeth who knew threat and opposition from her youngest years. It was suggested that another reason for the two queens not meeting was that Elizabeth did not want to encounter such a socially confident woman, cousin and fellow queen.
I completely agree
Do you really think Elizabeth wasn't strong and confident?? Give me a break.
Could also be that Mary as a Catholic and contender to the throne (or an alternative Queen) would likely legitimise herself in the eyes of her subjects and nobility should Elizabeth have a meeting with her. Something Elizabeth strongly wanted to avoid because it could bolster her already strong claim to her throne. (Aside from personal insecurity and jelousy) Or onwards to that effect.
@@gogreen7794Besides her vanity wouldnt allow her to admit anyone else, even Mary, being more charismatic or beautiful than herself.
*Can we have one on the incredibly bizarre position and influence of Dr. Dee and the wizards in Elizabeth's court?* Historical depictions usually gloss over it in part because she is portrayed as one of the first "modern" and rational rulers, but in fact she relied heavily on her mystical advisors for even the everyday decisions of state. Arguably, he was also a spy and scientist, but he was chiefly in her employ as an advisor because of his magic calculations.
Yes, i second the request!! And I wouldl iike to mention that the French Queen, Catherine De Medici, Mary Queen of Scots mother-i-law, rescued Nostradamus, the great Astrologer.and mystic. from his persecutors after he had famously foreseen the death of the King of France.. The King died from a fatal wound sustained in a jousting accident.. The Queen kept Nostradamus at court as her advisor,. Modern day Astrologers have studied the birth chart of Mary Queen of Scots..at the time of her birth the Sun, signifying her life-force, was closely joined by “the most evil star i the zodiac” Caput Algol.. Algol is an arabic word for satan..Also known as “The head of Medusa”.. The Ancients believed it signified death by beheadiing or strangulation.. Believe it or not, many great scientists and doctors of medicine , such as Sir Issac Newton, Johannes Keppler and Nostradamus studied and practiced astrology. Then there was Eli Lilly who wrote and taught on “Christian Astrology” 2000 years ago three “Wise Kings” from the far Eastern lands traveled to Bethlehem. guided by a Star..In Jerusalem, they inquired of King Herod, “where is He who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His Star in the East and have come to worship Him” Were the three wise men astrologers? Yes, Dr Cat,please look into this fascinating and controversial subject in history..
Too much Lord of the Rings? You mean horoscopes?
I don’t know anything on this specific topic but what you wrote reminds me of Rasputin, and the good he held over the czarina
@@tianna1116 Not really comparable. Dr. Dee was a renown published scientist, spy, and very high official court functionary. He was 1 of the very few Elizabethan advisors who was always consulted and never lost favour or his head. He was mostly called upon to do astrology and predictions, tho, and Her Majesty rarely took any significant action without asking him to horoscope it first.
The Czarina & Czar were captivated by several dubious religious leaders. Rasputin claimed to help heal their son, and may have done some good by keeping the quacks away from him. He also was a notorious Lothario, and there were many rumours that he was banging the Empress.
Coincidentally, I recently started looking at charts he calculated and analyzing them lol I believe I have a couple books/biographies about him on my historical TBR list, I'll look for the titles and share if so!
If there’s one thing we know about Elizabeth I, it’s that she had a highly developed a nose for danger. And Mary reeked of it. Elizabeth’s best move was often to do nothing In this case, she played it perfectly. You knew Mary would ‘hang herself’ given enough rope.
Well said!
Great video Kat! Elizabeth was caught within a classic Scylla and Charybdis dilemma when it came to Mary. Elizabeth sacrificing what would’ve been a commiserate meeting between a fellow regnant queen and one of her few closest living relatives demonstrated her tenacity and political acumen, qualities she’s already incredibly famous for. I think the fact that they were both family and ruling Christian princesses (on the same island) in a time when Europe was dominated by kings and emperors makes the situation of them never meeting all the more tragic and compelling, which I think explains why historical fiction would latch on to the notion of “what if they did meet?”, and “what would that be like?”; “what on earth would they say to each other?”. I’m quite entertained by writers and directors playing with these historical “what ifs”, just so long as we remember it’s fiction 😂👸🏼🏴🏴🇮🇪
Two women, cousins, sisters divided by patriarchy and men with craven needs for power and self-preservation at any cost. It's a sad, tragic story--and a continuing reality for many women everywhere, alas. 👸💔👸
Dr.Kat truly makes history come alive with her commentary. We don't often think of these historical figures as being influenced by their all too human character traits, but Dr. Kat 's analysis of how these things played into historic events always are a spot on. This is probably my favorite channel on TH-cam, and I always look forward to new videos.
Dr Kat is a fantastic storyteller and teacher, but thinking about it, a teacher is always the best storyteller?
Queen Elizabeth was a very intelligent woman, which is more than can be said for Mary who never seemed to learn from her mistakes.
Elizabeth was much better at politics than Mary. She never let infatuation guide her choices. Mary had no wisdom, no patience. Elizabeth had staying power. Thanks for another fascinating video!
Very well said!
Mary was practically born a queen. And then raised to be a queen, both regnant and consort. No one ever disputed her divine rights to the throne of Scotland, and her path to being the queen of France was also fairly straightforward and secure. Elizabeth, on the other hand, didn't know she would be queen until almost the last minute (when Mary's pregnancies turned out to be "fake"). Her divine right was, therefore, coupled with an understanding of the twists and turns of fate, fickle favour, and shifting allegiances. I don't think she ever lost sight of that from the very beginning. For all the things stacked against Elizabeth, she always has the ball in her court in her interactions with Mary. Mary is the supplicant. And I think that also coloured their relationship. Mary, double queen at one time, was playing checkers when Elizabeth was playing chess.
I’ve always thought the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth very interesting and needing more study. I think we have been tainted with the over romanticized versions of both women… this was very interesting. Thank you !
I always love to think about how the conversation would go if Mary and Elizabeth did meet. I feel as if the movie Mary Queen of Scotts shows sorta what I think, but I do not believe Elizabeth would allow herself to be so vulnerable and she would be more angry and guarded. The way Mary is portrayed is ideal though: arrogant, angry
Great job as always! You laid out a pretty comprehensive list of reasons why Elizabeth could never have allowed a meeting to take place: the coat of arms, the continued claim to the English throne, the numerous plots, probable involvement in the murder of Darnley, and, as always, religion and that pesky papal bull from Pius V. I also wonder why Mary fled to England. Was it the only place she could escape to? I mean, the Pretender eventually made it to France, right? Maybe it was the same impetuousness she showed with her marriages. Did she really think Elizabeth would help her? Thanks again. You make my Fridays.👑
arcola44: Yes, I've always wondered why Mary didn't hightail it to France, where as a Dowager Queen of France she would have had security. I wonder whether Mary calculated that Queen Elizabeth *might* be easier to manipulate than Catherine de' Medici, Queen Regent of France? In any case, Mary gambled -- & lost.
@@cathryncampbell8555Mary was led under the (false) belief that Elizabeth would offer her support and reinstate her back to power in Scotland with her help this was (because of all the letter of sympathy, rightgeous fury and offers of protection Elizabeth had sent to her). Mary bet on Elizabeth's 'affections' and her own charms as a way to get her throne through her and even be named her successor for her throne. Of course no such thing has happened. Mary refused or couldnt grasp the reality of the situation, and she paid 18 years of her life with it.
Thanks for the lesson Dr. Kat! I looked but can’t find any time you did Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII th’s mom. Would you consider doing it? She really amazes me and I would love to hear your take on her life!
Love this topic for a video. I always thought Cecil was vehemently opposed to Elizabeth meeting Mary because he feared an alliance between the two and what it would mean for England. 👑
It would’ve meant a loss of power for him, that’s why he killed her.
William Cecil was a long term friend of the Scottish reformer John Knox [ going back to the reign of Edward VI when Knox lived in England ] who was a major opponent of Mary in Scotland. As a strong protestant he hated Mary and in the early years of Elizabeth's reign has promoted the idea of Lady Katherine Grey as Elizabeth's successor.
The more I read of Cecil the sicker I get of him.
I remember when Mary Queen of Scots came out and the discussion of the two “meeting” I think they were trying to portray they had never met by showing during the bulk of the scene they really did not have an eye to eye discussion. However making it look like they did. 🏰 👑🐝
Thank you for telling us the story of these two cousins. I knew quite a bit of it but you still found a thing or two that I didn't know or remember in this story. 🤷🏼♀️
I think, as many have said here, Elizabeth was just so much more savy at ruling and keeping her thrown and power in ways that Mary, Queen of Scots never learned to her own detriment! Elizabeth had lived through so many tumultuous times growing up and as a young woman seeing what happened with the women in her father's Court but also how she and her half-sister were treated must have been hard to endure so she learned early about power and who had it and who didn't. Then there was Thomas Seymour when she was a teenager trying to compromise her to get her to marry him to get to the throne. She learned a lot of lessons the hard way, unfortunately. Mary,QoS didn't have that. She was more coddled at the French Court so she didn't learn the same cut throat lessons.
So now that I rambled long enough.😂 I hope you have a great weekend and I have a question because I don't remember if you answered it before. Do you do the reenactment of the historical women regularly or is it a once in a lifetime thing? I'm sorry I forgot who you portrayed. I want to say it was one of the Queens but I'm not positive.
So thanks for what you do on this channel. I really enjoy all of your videos but I also loved getting to see you dressed in the historical clothes for the reenactment. I would love to see it more, if you do it again!
Thanks, take care and big healing hugs, k 💗👑👸🏿💂🏼♀️👸🏾💂🏿👸🏻💂🏾👸🏼💂🏼👸🏽💂♂️👸🏾💂🏻👸🏿👜🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
I've read that William Cecil, one of the very few people who Elizabeth ever allowed to influence her opinion, was relentless in advising Elizabeth never to meet Mary. He was perpetually paranoid about Mary's potential to concentrate Catholic opposition to Elizabeth, as Mary Tudor had done in supplanting Jane Grey. He also feared that Mary, by all accounts charming, would have charmed Elizabeth and softened her attitude. Cecil increasingly petitioned Elizabeth to execute Mary for treason, but though Elizabeth took much counsel from Cecil, it took years and multiple events for her to finally be persuaded to execute Mary. Even when she signed the final warrant, she changed her mind several times, and in the final event Elizabeth did send a messenger with a stay of execution, but Cecil having finally got the green light for the execution pushed it ahead before Elizabeth's letter of clemency could arrive. I think in the even Cecil underestimated his queen, because Elizabeth seems to have wanted to keep Mary alive not out of familial affection, but because Mary was an anointed queen, and therefore a creature beyond a mere mortal. Again Elizabeth kept to this concept not out of piety or sentimentality, but out of self-protection. Elizabeth was very much not interested in setting a precedent for executing anointed queens, as she felt that sharp edge could easily point her way.
Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I were fascinating individuals. This is a great discussion as to why the two never met. Thank you.
Fantastic job as always! Your lessons are always so incredibly well done!
Love this! The meetingless relationship between Elizabeth and MQS is a fascinating one. 👑
👑
YAY!! Oh how I love the way Dr. Kat pronounces "sixth." the same way most Brits do I suppose, but still. Love it.
I believe that Elizabeth wanted to meet but was always advised against it. Another excellent video Dr. Kat! 👸👑
👸🏼I was named for the Elizabeths and have always been fascinated with both the Tudors and Windsors. Thank you for the video!
Great video. I think Elizabeth was very wise not to meet with her cousin. She was very conscious of the two queens on one little island & understandably did not welcome the comparison that would have obviously have been made. 🫅
Sometimes it baffles me that someone as gloried and remembered as Elizabeth the first had the same desicion-making skills as us commoners of the 21st century, as her favorite form of resolving difficult desicions seems to be "if I don't choose the problem might eventually go away"
It wasn’t about an inability to make decisions. It was about tactic and pragmatism.
I particularly love the videos that zero in on small but pivotal moments. 👑 🗼
👸 🏴 vs 👸🏼🇬🇧 in the Battle of the Tudor Queens 👑 🏰 🏇🤺💀
Very good breakdown of the complexities of the matter. Elizabeth was pragmatic in her refusal for a meeting. It's called self-preservation. Love your talks.👸🏽
Great video Dr. Kay! I would love to see your take on Henry Stuart, prince of Wales, along with your thoughts on what kinds of king he would have been, had he lived and succeeded King James rather than his brother Charles 🤓
Austinross3540: Yes! I too would love an analysis of Prince Henry, son of King James I of England. I believe that had Henry lived & assumed the throne, the British Civil War might never have occurred.
Love your channel! Always informative and great❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Mary was raised with a sense of entitlement, while Elizabeth grew up fighting for her live. Mary had nothing to prepare her for the struggles ahead. and she was unable to learn. That is the reason Elizabeth survived, and Mary did not,
Wasn’t Edward III’s birthright questioned? Something about a long pregnancy of his Mom and a physical separation from her husband? I love your posts! 👑
Another amazing video!!!👑👸
Thank you Dr.Kat
What has been clear to me for some time, and reinforced by your video here, is how temperamentally different the tow Queens were.
Mary always struck me as an impetuous woman who simply could not make careful calculations of her situation. Elizabeth, by contrast, was very much under the guidance of her ministers. That may well have been a contributory factor as to why the Scottish nobility rejected Mary, while Elizabeth made sure that her ministers had enough reason to want to keep her in power to keep themselves in power.
I've always liked the Glenda Jackson portrayal of QEI.
Thank you for the lesson, Queen Kat, Ruler of Historical Storytelling! 👑🏰
Hail Queen Kat ❤👑📖
💂♀️👸 I love learning from Dr. Kat!
Excellent video. I think you always do an excellent job of getting behind the romance and drama that gets built up around the Tudors and addressing the political nitty gritty realities of the time, which in turn makes the people involved seem more nuanced, and thus more real.
Having read Jacob Abbots' little biography, I am not surprised that the two women didn't meet in person. It is interesting that the movies have them meet. I see how the biographer has put Mary in a pleading/weak role in spite of her stature and beauty. He also has put Elizabeth in a rather uncertain role. This is how I see it (read it). It seemed at times that Elizabeth did want to meet Mary and then would think better of it or be given council against a meeting.
Thank you for making all of this history understandable and fun to learn about!
Hmm, royal emoji...Have fun stormin' the castle!
Love listening about the Tudors 🎉
So interesting. I have researched my family and recently visited Tixall which was the home of my ancestors. Mary was kept there 17 days while her rooms were searched and found incriminating evidence that sealed her fate
I did a scene study from Maxwell Anderson's "Mary of Scotland.". I genuinely enjoyed trying to grapple with the role of Elizabeth.
I like to think hat they didn't meet because Elizabeth was frightened of Mary. Any kind of direct diplomatic contact or meeting would have been a huge event, and people from all across the country along with most of Elizabeth's court would have met and interacted with Mary in person. I feel like Elizabeth was fearful that putting her rival in contact with her close advisors and members of court would be risky. Mary had been the focus of anti-Protestant and anti-Elizabeth plotting and intrigue since literally the moment she entered the country, and giving her the chance to form connections in Elizabeth's inner circle would be potentially deadly. Mary's apparent beauty and charisma would have made that risk even bigger in Elizabeth's mind.
At least, that's my reasoning. A much tamer reason would probably be that Elizabeth and Mary just didn't want to see each other and didn't meet for that reason.
I think that’s definitely part of it. If Elizabeth thought she could have come out on top of any meeting then I think they would’ve met. There’s plenty of evidence Mary wanted a meeting.
Another wonderful video! Thank you!
Thanks Dr. Kat. Fascinating and great work as always.
As someone commented, I would love to hear your views on John Dee, scientist and alchemist/magician.
I think Elizabeth kept Mary at arm’s length deliberately. If she had met Mary in person then she would have had to acknowledge her and Elizabeth liked to sit on the fence. As long as Mary was in Scotland and had the possibility of succeeding Elizabeth dangling she might behave more favourably to England. Once she was in England Elizabeth didn’t want to see Mary as she was a political headache. Out of sight out of mind and her councillors can deal with her. The biggest misstep Elizabeth made was suggesting Dudley as a potential husband to Mary. She should have either suggested another English gentleman with vague royal ties or a Protestant prince. Mary should have converted to Protestantism to keep her crown and never married Darnley or stayed in France and let her half brother rule as regent. She would have had a happier life.
The more I hear about Elizabeth the more I’m impressed with her She managed to walk a tightrope throughout her life and facing the real possibility of death on numerous occasions She must have spent so much time looking over her shoulder from threats from her own family, the Spanish Armada and the hard core catholics looking to side with Mary
Thanks you for an excellent presentation of the facts which give pause for thought Not least the more personal insecurities you mention towards the end
My impression of Elizabeth is of a human as well as a consummate politician and the unfavourable physical comparison with someone famed for their beauty and 9 years younger which could have been made would definitely have been a consideration. To have met Mary would have made her real and the political social and religious considerations just too difficult to overcome and be given unnecessary prominence to any or all leading to questions and possibly unfavourable action
Elizabeth did the right thing although Mary’s inevitable death being the willing pawn in too many potential overthrow plots must have given Elizabeth sleepless nights before she signed the death warrant, perhaps consoling herself that James would eventually succeed to the throne, but sentencing a fellow queen and family member must have been difficult
With hindsight we know Elizabeth was ok but throughout her life she had to skirt so many dangerous and explosive trials she must have needed nerves of steel - outwardly at least
Just a side note I find it fascinating on Elizabeth’s letter to Mary that she scored across any blank parts of the paper to avoid there being an unwanted unofficial additions to the letter from any third party such wereElizabeth’s survival instincts always to the fore
Thanks again for a fascinating and thought provoking video - one of your best and that’s saying something
Some excellent points! It seems clear that there was never any real reason for Elizabeth to meet with Mary, and that it would often have been difficult or even potentially harmful to do so. And given what we know about Elizabeth's insecurities, the argument that she would not have welcomed comparison between the two of them makes a lot of sense.
Visited Hampton Court Palace last September. I wanted to go there after enjoying your videos. Love from Canada
What wouldn't Shakespeare have done with a play about Mary Queen of Scots!
I love, love, love your channel! Your videos are always very informative, especially because Im a native born Texas girl and always interested in English history.
Thank you, Kat!💐
Brilliant as always. I hate to admit this, but I always thought that the two queens had met, based on numerous movies over the years. Elizabeth was clearly between a rock and a hard place over actually meeting with Mary. 👸🫅
reading The queen of this realm by Jean Plaidy is a remarkable book about Queen Elizabeth so enjoyable and many of the info you mention is in the book TY Dr Kat .
👸👸every time I watch one video, I fall into the channel's links and only emerge a few hours later a little wiser for the experience. Thank you!
Such an interesting video, thanks! I'd never realized there were so many potential reasons why the two never met. I'd always chalked it up to distance, not sure why! 🏵️
I think you outline very well, all the many reasons the two Queens could not meet, throughout their lifetimes. If Elizabeth had been a less wiley character, the maybe she would have agreed to it, but it would have been a huge political mistake, and she was far to clever to acquiescence. Thanks for another great video. 💪👸
Another insightful video. 👸🏼 🏴 👸🏼 🏴
As always Dr Kat, you've done an phenomenal job! I truly enjoyed this video!👸
I think your final theory is the most plausible. Elizabeth would not have tolerated sharing the limelight with another woman, especially if that woman was not only in competition for her crown👑 , but physically appealing👙as well... Didn't she disallow the wives of her 🎩parliament in court? Mary worried her mind, no doubt. Great insight! thanks! I live in a part of the world where most folks don't care about their own current affairs or history...never mind England's history. Maddening! But you saved the day...I got my fix.
Excited!!! 🎉👑🎉. You always engage the mind! Perhaps they didn’t meet for “all the above”. Seeing someone in person actually brings to life written words. It humanizes the other party, making such choices that much more complicated. At least, I believe so.
Yay! It’s Fridayyyyy!🎶
Elizabeth had more traumas that directly impacted the way she moved, presented herself, ruled, and governed. Mary ruled with her heart and Elizabeth with her head. While both were passionate women, ultimately Mary was her own undoing. She could not read the room, so to speak, and act accordingly. If she had held a tighter rein on the Scottish court and asserted her dominance as ruler in a manner to earn respect, it may have ended differently for her.
Thank you as usual for a thought-provoking video. Elizabeth had such strength of character to survive and triumph as she did - your presentation made me think how vulnerable she must have felt, with that young and beautiful cousin hovering around.
I love your channel! I've heard stories before, but this is the first time I've heard how difficult Elizabeth had it when it came to her cousin.
Elizabeth was given no choice but to imprison Mary and meeting for all the reasons you mentioned, would have been foolhardy. Though Mary was her kinswoman, she had consistently chosen husbands who showed her to be a week person and that alone would be enough to make Elizabeth leery. Meeting Mary just wasn’t a safe or smart thing to do.
Mary, Queen of Scots is an object lesson on what happens if a reigning queen doesn't refrain from committing international incidents and causing offense to her country's more powerful neighbors. Spending her formative years in France, an equally strong rival of England's, did not prepare her mindset for ruling Scotland, a weaker neighbor of England's. Mary certainly succeeded in making it very awkward for Elizabeth and England to give her any sort of aid or assistance.
I love the way you bring these historical events alive. I feel like I have a whole new perspective ❤❤
Elizabeth was no fool. She would never allow a rival to her throne into her presence
I'm in the camp that believes that Elizabeth didn't want to meet Mary because she knew she'd have to order her execution
Part of me wants to doubt this, but then I remember that Elizabeth had watched her sister Mary have to execute Jane Gray, who was little more than a pawn, and even today is not “counted” as a queen of England. It makes sense that she knew she might have to put down Mary QoS who’s actually made claims on her throne. 👑 💔🤔😢
@grtlyblesd my birthday is September 8 so I always look at Elizabeth as WWJD (what would Jenn Do), and that's exactly what I would do... I also have a "Robert Dudley", his name is Dave
It's amazing how much im learning from you. Much love from New Orleans.
Elizabeth was a smart shrewd operator 😂
Mary Queen of Scotland is my 23 th great grandmother Queen Elizabeth is my cousin back generations and just learned she was born December the 8th that's my birthday
Thank you, Dr Kat. You have clarified many points that I have had questions about. It appears that Elizabeth's goals of stability for her England was the ruling factor in almost all of her decisions, along with her ego. Mary seemed to make her decisions without a long range idea of goals. She appeared to allow herself to be put in precarious situations with which she had no control or plan to escape. Mary should have accepted that her son would be heir to the throne as enough. Foolish👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸👸
Shorts are a great idea.
The perfect advert for your long form content.
I always love your videos, but I like to watch them when I’m home and can relax and focus without distractions. Then I keep putting it off and I miss out.
Your “Short” just reminded me and intrigued me enough to come straight over here to watch - that’s a win.
Thanks so much for sharing this with me, very much appreciated.
🙂🐿🌈❤️
P.s I had the chapter headings for another channels video appearing here on this video. I had to stop the video, go out and back in 3 times before it stopped happening 😳
Based on the chapter info, I found the channel and the video it was part of, and it’s something that I’ve never watched before....very strange.
I think the first one to propose the idea of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots meeting was Friedrich Schiller. Of course, being a dramatist and not a historian, he forced events because he wanted to write good drama, with "strong" scenes. Not only that: he was a medical doctor with an interest in psychology. Therefore, his main goal was to explore what went on in the mind of his characters, and if he had to "bend history" in order to do that, so be it. The same can be said of his treatment of Elizabeth of Bohemia, whose ambition to become queen he set down as the real reason for the outbreak of the Thirty Years War, thus making her go down in history as some kind of femme fatale.
By the way, Dr. Kat, may I ask for some videos concerning the Stuarts? Pretty please...
Another well researched and well presented history topic by our wonderful Dr. Kat thank you!
This is the best breakdown I've ever heard of such a complex situation
Thank you for the video❤ always pleasure to learn more historical facts from you❤
I recently discovered that Henry had a Psalter (sometimes referred to as a prayer book) with his notes in the margins. Depending on the article, they either stroke his ego or reveal his insecurities. I haven't found a source for these. That the miniatures depicting Henry as King David make the question even more interesting. I would love to know your views as well as a source to read them all. I love your work!
In Schiller's play and the Donizetti opera that is based on it they do meet and have a dramatic confrontation where Mary screams "Bastarda" at Elizabeth - I have seen a production at the Sydney opera house.
Adore your channel Dr. Kat!! 🎉 🎉❤❤
Thank you, Dr. Kat. Very interesting. About Elizabeth & Mary never meeting, there were certainly many, many reasons for never meeting, and very few to encourage such a meeting.
When comparing their lives, it seems as though Elizabeth's life was hanging by a thread for most of her life and Mary's life had been one of (mostly) safety, love and coddling. Mary had very little to lose from such a meeting, but Elizabeth had very much to lose.
So sad what royalty had to put up with in their personal lives. Their lives and duties were laid out for them from the date of conception. Very little choice of whom and when to marry, no choice as to country of residence, little or no choice of religion, etc.
Life was hard for everyone, and I'm sure that Royal life was much more pleasant than a commoner's life but I feel quite sure the commoners would have traded places if given the opportunity!¹
This one was very good. Well done 👏🏻
Thanks, Dr Kat ❤
I agree with your assessment
Great video! I love the theories you explore! Your applied critical thinking is more interesting to me than the already established historical facts.
wonderfully detailed and entertaining video! The laundry barn sequence threw me for a loop for sure... The reasons why they didn't/couldn't meet would have been so cool to see on-screen...
Very informative! Thank you!
I think mary queen of scots is an interesting example of "the monarch is the country". in the the medieval/early modern world, the monarch (and the royal family to a lesser extent) is more or less the personification of the country. but mary is so at odds with her country, a catholic monarch over a protestant nation, an heir who many saw as more legitimate she becomes a political lability
I LOVE YOU DR KAT!!!!!
We all idolise Elizabeth - rightly or wrongly.
But there was one quality of hers I've always remembered learning.... And thats why on board for all the hype: she was well considered... to a fault at times.
A procrastinator even at her worst... But it's definitely clear she took the advice of Cecil, Walsingham, Kat Astley... Whoever... And came to the best analytical decision she was able to.
Sadly if only some of our leaders in the modern world had that quality!
Well done! This was an excellent and accurate analysis of the situation between the two queens. Thank you -
As always you nailed it Dr. Kat ⚜💎♥🏰