Languages for All
Short Courses
Help
Your basket
Your account
History

The Life and Times of Mary Queen of Scots

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

This short course explores the dramatic life of Mary Queen of Scots, from her childhood, her time in France, her return to Scotland amidst the turmoil and upheaval of the Reformation and her marriages, to her flight to England after her deposition, her imprisonment and eventual execution, and her continuing legacy.

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

No previous knowledge required.

Content of Course

1. The Reign of an infant queen, 1542-1561.

2. Return to Scotland, 1561-1565.

3. Marriages and Murders, 1565-1567.

4. The end of Mary's reign, exile and imprisonment, 1567-1587.

5. The Queen's Legacy.

Teaching method(s)

Lectures with a strong emphasis on class participation through class discussion, questions and answers, and use of primary documents.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • Outline the key events of Mary's reign within the context of sixteenth-century Scotland and Europe;

  • Assess Mary's successes and failures critically, acknowledging conflicting evidence and arguments;

  • Discuss the reasons for Mary’s continuing reputation and legacy;

  • Demonstrate some familiarity with a selection of primary sources.

Sources

Core Readings

Recommended:

  • Donaldson, G., 1965. Scotland: James V to James VII. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.

  • Fraser, A., 1969. Mary,Queen of Scots.London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

  • Guy, J., 2004. My Heart is My Own: the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. London: Harper Collins.

  • Lynch, M., 1991. Scotland: A New History. London: Century.

  • Wormald, J., 1988. Mary Queen of Scots: A Study in Failure. London: George Philip.

  • Wormald, J., 2001. Mary, Queen of Scots: Pride, Passion and a Kingdom Lost. London: Tauris Parke Paperbacks.

Web Sources

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/higherscottishhistory/ageofreformation

Class Handouts

Handouts will be provided, including lists of key people, chronologies, primary document extracts and questions to consider.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.