Soundtrack Max Richter: Mary Queen Of Scots (2LP)

A long-overdue and dramatic reinterpretation of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots by one of the leading historians at work today • She was crowned Queen of Scotland at nine months of age, and Queen of France at sixteen years; at eighteen she ascended the throne that was her birthright and began ruling one of the most fractious courts in Europe, riven by religious conflict and personal lust for power. She rode out at the head of an army in both victory and defeat; saw her second husband assassinated, and married his murderer. At twenty-five she entered captivity at the hands of her rival queen, from which only death would release her • The life of Mary Stuart is one of unparalleled drama and conflict. From the labyrinthine plots laid by the Scottish lords to wrest power for themselves, to the efforts made by Elizabeth's ministers to invalidate Mary's legitimate claim to the English throne, John Guy returns to the archives to explode the myths and correct the inaccuracies that surround this most fascinating monarch

About the Book • Soon to be a major film, this is a dramatic reinterpretation of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots by one of the leading historians of this period • She was crowned Queen of Scotland at nine months of age, and Queen of France at sixteen years; at eighteen she ascended the throne and began ruling one of the most fractious courts in Europe, riven by religious conflict and personal lust for power. She rode out at the head of an army in both victory and defeat; saw her second husband assassinated, and married his murderer. At twenty-five she entered captivity at the hands of her rival queen, from which only death would release her • The life of Mary Stuart is one of unparalleled drama and conflict. From the labyrinthine plots laid by the Scottish lords to wrest power for themselves, to the efforts made by Elizabeth's ministers to invalidate Mary's legitimate claim to the English throne, John Guy returns to the archives to explode the myths and correct the inaccuracies that surround this most fascinating monarch

I felt that Mary was there, pulling at my sleeve, willing me to appreciate the artistry, wanting me to understand the dazzle of the material world that shaped her • At her execution Mary, Queen of Scots wore red. Widely known as the colour of strength and passion, it was in fact worn by Mary as the Catholic symbol of martyrdom • In sixteenth-century Europe women's voices were suppressed and silenced. Even for a queen like Mary, her prime duty was to bear sons. In an age when textiles expressed power, Mary exploited them to emphasise her female agency. From her lavishly embroidered gowns as the prospective wife of the French Dauphin to the fashion dolls she used to encourage a Marian style at the Scottish court and the subversive messages she embroidered in captivity for her supporters, Mary used textiles to advance her political agenda, affirm her royal lineage and tell her own story

An infant queen. A teenage widow. Beautiful, flamboyant Mary Queen of Scots had a formidable intellect but her political sense - formed at the absolute court of France - plunged her country into a maelstrom of intrigue, marriage and murder. Upon fleeing to England she was held captive by her cousin Elizabeth I. In this classic biography, reissued for the fiftieth anniversary of its publication, acclaimed historian Antonia Fraser relates the enthralling story of Mary's life and untimely end

Мария и Елизавета: кузины, соперницы, королевы. Они объединялись, сражались и плели заговоры, но никогда не могли разорвать свои узы • В конце эпохи Тюдоров две королевы правили одним островом. Но Европа шестнадцатого века была миром мужчин, и влиятельные голоса считали, что ни одна женщина не может править. Повсюду вокруг Марии и Елизаветы были подхалимы, шпионы и недоброжелатели, которые хотели их власти, их благосклонности и их любви • Елизавета и Мария разделяли борьбу за то, чтобы быть одновременно женщиной и королевой. Но силы, восставшие против двух регентов, и конфликты любви и династии разлучили их. Для Марии Елизавета была такой же королевой, с которой она мечтала о прочной дружбе. Для Елизаветы Мария была угрозой. Это был раскол, который закончился тайными заговорами с целью убийства, разрушительным предательством и, в конечном счете, ужасным заключительным актом

Красивый, образованный и обаятельный Генри Стюарт, лорд Дарнли, заявил о своих притязаниях на английский трон, женившись на Марии Стюарт, которая сама провозгласила себя королевой Англии. Прошло совсем немного времени, прежде чем Мария обнаружила, что ее новый муж заинтересован только в том, чтобы обеспечить себе верховную власть. Затем, 10 февраля 1567 года, в результате взрыва в его квартире Дарнли погиб; интрига усилилась после того, как было обнаружено, что он, по-видимому, был задушен перед взрывом • После тщательного изучения материалов Элисон Вейр нашла решение этой вечной загадки. Используя свой дар к яркому описанию персонажей и захватывающему повествованию, Вейр написала роман "Мария, королева Шотландии, и убийство лорда Дарнли" - одну из своих самых увлекательных экскурсий в залитое кровью, одержимое властью прошлое Британии