Mary returned from France in 1561. She faced opposition from some religious leaders and nobles. Her first marriage ended when her husband was killed. She was forced to abdicate and go into exile.
Part ofHistoryMary Queen of Scots and the Reformation
Mary lost a number of members of her family in 1559 and 1560:
As well as personal tragedy, Mary also had to contend with political change in Scotland - in 1560 the country was declared Protestant by Parliament.
At the age of just eighteen, she was a widow faced with the task of being the Catholic Queen of a Protestant country.
