Wild Queen: Mary, Queen of Scots {Young Royals Lit-Based Unit Study}

Mary was six days old when her father died and she inherited the throne.  She moved to France, returning to Scotland several years later, after a brief marriage.  The tense climate that Mary encountered on her return to Scotland was worsened by public officially who openly defied her...

Mary's life is one of drama, romance, and most of all - tragedy.  She was brought up at the French court of King Henry II and his queen Catherine de Médici.  With her tall, slender figure, her red-gold hair and amber-colored eyes, and her taste for music and poetry, Mary epitomized the ideal of the Renaissance princess at the time of her marriage to Francis, eldest son of Henry and Catherine.  She became a widow for the first time at the age of 18, and her tragic legacy was colored by the Reformation.

Did you know?

The current King, Charles III, is actually a direct descendant of Mary Queen of Scots!

• James's daughter, Princess Elizabeth, married Frederick V of the Palatinate.
• Their daughter Sophia married Ernest August of Hanover.
• Sophia gave birth to George I who became King of Great Britain in 1714 as he had the strongest Protestant claim to the throne.
• The monarchy continued down this line, eventually to Queen Elizabeth II and Charles III.

Historic References from the Book

• John Knox was a leader of the Scottish Protestant Reformation.  The movement was a revolution that it led to the ousting of Mary of Guise, who governed the country in the name of her young daughter Mary, Queen of Scots. 
• James Hepburn, better known simply as Lord Bothwell, was known for his marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third and final husband.  He was accused of the murder of Mary's second husband, a charge of which he was acquitted.  His marriage to Mary was controversial and divided the country; when he fled the growing rebellion to Norway, he was arrested and lived the rest of his life imprisoned in Denmark.
• Mary claimed Elizabeth's throne as her own and was considered the legitimate sovereign of England by many English Catholics.  Elizabeth felt threatened and had Mary confined in various castles and manor houses in the interior of England.  After eighteen and a half years in captivity, Mary was found guilty of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth in 1586 and was beheaded the following year.
• Built around 1300, Lochleven Castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–1357).   Mary was imprisoned there in 1567–68, and forced to abdicate as queen, before escaping with the help of her jailer.  
• James VI and I was King of Scotland as James VI and King of England and Ireland as James I.  He was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and a great-great-grandson of Henry VII, King of England and Lord of Ireland, and thus a potential successor to all three thrones.  Under James, the "Golden Age" of Elizabethan literature and drama continued.  James himself sponsored the translation of the Bible into English later named after him, the Authorized King James Version.

Our spine novel for this unit is The Wild Queen: The Days and Nights of Mary, Queen of Scots

Get the entire unit in the Young Royals bundle!

Includes seven unit studies covering the entire series. Each unit addresses a historic era from the eyes of a young royal, and these are told in living history format.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product samples:   Mary, Bloody Mary

Includes:

• Mary, Bloody Mary
• Beware, Princess Elizabeth
• Doomed Queen Anne
• Patience, Princess Catherine
• Duchessina: Catherine De'Medici
• Wild Queen: Mary, Queen of Scots
• Bad Queen: Marie Antoinette