14 December – Mary became Queen of Scotland – Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Mary I was buried

James IV, father of James V, might have been called a foolhardy man as he liked to lead his men into battle, yet he would also have been considered brave. However, in 1513 he left in charge his English wife, Margaret and his heir was a small boy, also James. That son grew to be James V, who again marched into battle near the borders at a place called Solway Moss on 24th November 1542. James V left only his pregnant wife, Marie de Guise behind. He was wounded in the battle and his child was born just two weeks later. She was a gal and was born on 8th December 1542. Mary would become Queen at the age of six days when her father succumbed to his wounds on 14th December 1542. Legend has it that her father died of melancholic or depression. He is said to have said… “It began with a lass and it will end with a lass”. This was referring to the Stewart Royal Dynasty starting with the daughter of Robert the Bruce and her marriage and that he forsaw the end of the Dynasty through a woman. The story is mythical but the House of Stuart did end so to speak as a royal house with the death of Queen Anne. If one counts the extended and the children of James II then of course the House didn’t finish here. However, few historians in this country recognised James iii or Bonnie Prince Charlie as King, although their cousins on the Continent did. James V wasn’t expecting to die in battle but his world would have been better served by him remaining away from the front line. However brave it is to ride into battle and take part in the fighting, it almost always ended up in disaster.