When James V wed the rich, intelligent and lovely Mary of Guise he dreamed that they would hold court together in a new palace at Stirling Castle. Fast forward four years to Linlithgow Palace in December 1542 and she is a widow, left to struggle for the rights of her six-day-old daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, following the death of her husband aged just 30.

Even though Stirling Castle and its brand new palace, the finest expression of Renaissance arts and architecture in the kingdom, rightfully belonged to the widow she faced a struggle for control. The new regent, the Earl of Arran, fancied it for himself but backed down after an armed standoff.

In the years that followed Mary of Guise built up her power, using French money and troops to repel English invaders and eventually became regent of Scotland in 1554.

Stirling Castle was a principle powerbase – a favoured place to hold court – where she would wine, dine, entertain and govern.

This month marks the 450th anniversary of Mary’s death, on 10th June 1560, when she was in her mid-40s. At the time she was at Edinburgh Castle trying help her troops to hold on to the Port of Leith, where they were being besieged by Scottish Protestants and their English allies.

The Mary of Guise Trail covers Stirling and Edinburgh castles plus Linlithgow Palace, three of the sites in our care which are linked to this remarkable but often neglected figure in Scottish history.