586. Mary, Queen of Scots: The Battle for Scotland (Part 3)

Following the death of her husband, the King of France, was the glamorous Mary welcomed back to Scotland, her kingdom since infancy, with open arms or deep suspicion? Did she handle the precarious situation in which she found herself well, or recklessly? Did the majority of Scottish nobles side with Mary, or plot to usurp her in the shadows? When her eye turned on the crown of her wealthier neighbour, England, how did its reigning queen, Elizabeth I, react? And, who was the man that Mary choose to take as her second husband…?



Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss Mary Queen of Scots’ polarising return to her native land of Scotland, riven by religious factionalism and political disquiet, and the terrible dangers of being a Scottish queen in more than name alone.







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Producer: Theo Young-Smith

Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude

Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor
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Take a deep dive into History’s biggest moments with Tom Holland & Dominic Sandbrook.

Explore the stories of History’s most brutal rulers, deadly battles, and world-changing events. From the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the Nazi conquest of Europe, and Hitler’s evil master plan for world domination, to the French Revolution, the sinking of the Titanic, or the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Tom and Dominic bring the past to life with gripping storytelling and expert analysis, as they unpack the high-drama moments that shaped our world.

The Rest Is History Club: Become a member for exclusive bonus episodes, early access to full series and live show tickets, ad-free listening, our exclusive weekly newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the show, and our members’ chatroom on Discord.
Just head to therestishistory.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestishistory.

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com.

• No. of episodes: 610
• Latest episode: 2025-08-03
• History

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