Thank you to everyone who took part in my latest history quiz, which asked about the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots.

I wasn’t sure how easy you would find this, so I tried very hard to throw you off the scent!

The answer is:  Linlithgow Palace.   Well done if you knew this!   55.6% thought it was Linlithgow, while 44.4% believed that Mary was born at Fontainebleau.  I couldn’t catch anyone out with the other alternatives.   So here’s the story…

Linlithgow Palace

Mary’s father, James V, died when she was just six days old.  As an infant of nine months, she was crowned in the Old Chapel at Stirling Castle.  When she was five , Mary was sent to France and lived at the French court, which included the Palace of Fontainebleau.

From an early age Mary was betrothed to Francois, son of Henri II of France, and she married him in 1558 when she was 15 and he was 14.  When Francois succeeded to the throne of France in 1559, Mary became Queen of both Scotland and France, who at the time were allied against England.  In fact, she even promised to bequeath Scotland to France if she died without bearing a son.  However, she was widowed two years later, and she opted to return to her native Scotland.

From what I can find out, Mary stayed in most of the other castles on my list, with the exception of Bothwell Castle and Scone Palace.  Mary’s third husband was James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, but no one fell for this one!

Catherine of Aragon by Michael Sittow

Catherine of Aragon by Michael Sittow

Still with the Tudor period this week, and I have stepped it up a notch with not one but six questions!   Are you ready for this?!

I was interested to read that it has been customary since Tudor times (and probably much earlier) for the royal family and nobility to choose a personal motto for themselves, to go with their coat of arms.   For example, Henry VIII chose ‘Coeur Loyal’, meaning ‘loyal heart’ as his personal motto.
However, how did Henry’s six wives sum up their aspirations or attitude to life?  Can you match these six mottos to the correct lady?  
 I will reveal the answers next Tuesday, 5th June.
What would be on your own coat of arms, and what would you pick as your motto?  I would be interested to know!