Mary of Guise

Mary of Guise, also known as Mary of Lorraine, was a French noblewoman who became Queen of Scotland through her marriage to King James V and later served as queen regent during her daughter’s minority. Born into the powerful House of Guise, she was married first to Louis II d’Orléans, Duke of Longueville, before being persuaded to marry James V of Scotland. Her tenure as queen consort was marked by the birth of her three children, including Mary, Queen of Scots, and her coronation at Holyrood Abbey. Following the death of her husband, she played a pivotal role in the political and religious turmoil of Scotland as queen regent, displaying tolerance towards the Protestant Reformation and working to maintain the Franco-Scottish alliance.