The Reign of Mary, Queen of Scots: 1543-1567

It is little wonder that the story of Mary, Queen of Scots has spawned so many novels - there is a child queen, sex, murders, marriages, politics and religion, rough wooings and romance. From her coronation in 1543, to her abdication in 1567, Mary lead a packed life. Historians continue to debate the life of Mary - was she an astute political operator, or a naive bully? Did she murder her own husband - and was she raped by the Earl of Bothwell? Did Queen Elizabeth I really want Mary dead?

Our fiction list below features novels set during Mary's reign in Scotland, from 1543 to 1567, and on until her death on the executioner's block in 1587. Our MQS Reading Guide features biographies of the ill-fated queen.