The Great Tapestry of Scotland's exhibits 160 panels featuring 420 million years of Scottish history from prehistoric times and the creation of the Scottish landscape to recent times.  Events and hundreds of people are represented with the newest panel illustrating the recent Coronation to go on display next month.   Andrew Crummy formed a team to produce the world’s longest tapestries through one of the biggest community arts projects with people throughout Scotland adding their contributions.  The variety and skill is phenomenal.
As I have been doing a series on Mary Queen of Scots this panel seemed relevant.  The notes state
Mary Queen of Scots lived, reigned and was executed at a time of tremendous change – and almost every move she made was the wrong move.  As the only legitimate child of James V, Mary became queen when she was only six days old.  She spent most of her childhood in France and married the Dauphin, Francis.  When he briefly became king she was queen consort. On his death in 1560 Mary returned to her kingdom of Scotland.  In 1565 she married her cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, who was murdered two years later.  His house at Kirk o’ Field in Edinburgh was blown up, probably by James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell with whom Mary fell in love and married.  She was forced to abdicate in favour of her infant son, James VI after an uprising against her.  She fled south to ask the protection of her cousin, Elizabeth I of England who placed her under stately home arrest.  After eighteen and a half years Mary was beheaded for plotting against Elizabeth.  On Elizabeth’s death, James VI of Scotland became  King James I of England.


Extra  I have chosen the panel of the first Edinburgh Festival in 1947 because the International Festival and various other festivals like the Book and Fringe Festivals are on this month.


Number 36 of my Mary Queen of Scots series