Mary, Queen of Scots, was formally deposed after the significant events at Carberry Hill on June 15, 1567. Following her confrontation with the Scottish nobles and their desertion of her army, Mary was captured and subsequently forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her one-year-old son, James VI. This marked a crucial turning point in her reign and Scottish history.
The nobles who opposed Mary were dissatisfied with her marriage to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, who was widely suspected of being involved in the murder of Mary’s previous husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. The abdication was formalized on July 24, 1567, when Mary was compelled to sign the documents while imprisoned at Loch Leven Castle. Her son, James VI, was then crowned king on July 29, 1567, with the Earl of Moray, Mary’s half-brother, acting as regent. This deposition and Mary’s subsequent imprisonment and eventual escape to England set off a series of events that profoundly impacted both Scottish and English history.