Mary of Guise

Mary of Guise (1515-1560), queen consort (1538-1542) of James V of Scotland and regent of Scotland (1554-1560); also known as Mary of Lorraine. The widowed daughter of the French soldier Claude de Lorraine, 1st duc de Guise, Mary married King James in 1538. After his death in 1542, she engaged in a power struggle with James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran (1517?-1575), who had been appointed regent for her infant daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots. In 1548 she arranged her daughter's betrothal to the French Dauphin. Mary secured Arran's resignation and succeeded him as regent in 1554. When she began persecuting the Scottish Protestants in 1559, they rebelled against her. Both France and England intervened in the struggle, which ended with Mary's death.