Execution of Mary Queen of Scots

On 8 February, 1587 Elizabeth I of England signed   Mary's death warrant, and she was executed at Fotheringay Castle. The execution did not go well for Mary as the executioner was unable to sever her neck with one blow, and was forced to use a grinding motion on her to complete the task. Buried at Peterborough, in 1612 her body was moved to Henry VII's chapel at Westminster, where it still lies.
Mary's beauty and personal accomplishments have never been disputed. She spoke or read in six languages, sang well, played various musical instruments, and had a library which included the largest collection of Italian and French poetry in Scotland. The portrayals of her after 1571 largely fall into one of two types: Catholic martyr or papist plotter, making all the more difficult a proper assessment of Mary as Queen of Scots.
    Mary's Deathmask