Mary, Queen of Scots discredited as "almost complete fantasy". Mary's courage at her execution helped establish her popular image as the heroic victim in a dramatic tragedy. Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, reigned over Scotland from 14 December 1542 to 24 July 1567. Mary, the only surviving legitimate child of King James V, was six days old when her father died and she acceded to the throne. She spent most of her childhood in France while Scotland was ruled by regents, and in 1558,
Mary, Queen of Scots (opera) Amy Johnson singing all three heroines. A live recording of Virginia Opera's performance of the US premiere with Ashley Putnam in the title role was released on CD by Novello Records in 1989. Setting: Scotland from 1561 to 1568 Act 1 The opera opens in 1561 with the arrival at the Port of Leith of Mary, the recently widowed Queen of France. The Lords of Scotland have invited her to assume the Scottish crown. Meanwhile, her half-brother James, Earl of Moray is scheming to take the throne himself. Enraged that Cardinal Beaton has exposed his ambitions and written to Mary