Mary, Queen of Scots the Scottish alliance with France. Beaton wanted to move Mary away from the coast to the safety of Stirling Castle. Regent Arran resisted the move, but backed down when Beaton's armed supporters gathered at Linlithgow. The Earl of Lennox escorted Mary and her mother to Stirling on 27 July 1543 with 3,500 armed men. Mary was crowned in the castle chapel on 9 September 1543, with "such solemnity as they do use in this country, which is not very costly" according to the report of Ralph Sadler and Henry Ray. Shortly before Mary's coronation, Scottish merchants headed for France were
Castle Stuart during the English Civil War and Charles I was executed. The castle lay derelict for 300 years before being restored; it is currently used as a luxury hotel. The seaside links golf course at Castle Stuart along Moray Firth opened in 2009, co-designed by two Americans: managing partner Mark Parsinen and golf course architect Gil Hanse. It was voted as Best New Course for 2009 by "Golf" magazine. The course hosted the Scottish Open in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016. Castle Stuart Castle Stuart is a restored tower house on the banks of the Moray Firth, about northeast of Inverness.