Captive Queen (the Decrypted History Of Mary, Queen Of Scots)

Description

By (author) Scott, Jade

Short /annotation:

Historian and expert on Mary’s correspondence, Dr Jade Scott, draws on hundreds of Mary’s letters and those sent to her, to paint a vivid portrait of one of history’s most compelling figures.

:

A fascinating and revealing new biography of Mary Queen of Scots in captivity.

For almost two decades before her execution at Fotheringhay Castle in 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots was a prisoner. From her chambers, she wrote
countless letters, many
encrypted using complex ciphers to prevent her communications from being intercepted. In this way, she used language to exert her will and her influence, even while incarcerated.

More than 400 years after Mary’s death, the discovery of further encoded letters has led
to renewed interest in the breadth of her encrypted correspondence in captivity.

In Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots, historian and expert on Mary’s correspondence Dr Jade Scott draws on hundreds of Mary’s letters and those sent to her, to paint
a vivid portrait of one of history’s most compelling figures. She interrogates Mary’s complex relationships with friends and enemies throughout her imprisonment, illuminating her strategic expertise and
bringing Mary’s captivity to life as never before.

Review quote:
A triumph …a compelling narrative … A true marriage of scholarly expertise and literary flair, this is a stunning debut.

Review quote:
‘I devoured the book in one sitting! … a must-read for anyone interested in her fascinating correspondence.

Biographical note:
Dr Jade Scott is a historian specializing in Mary, Queen of Scots and an expert on her letters. She is an affiliate in History at the University of Glasgow, an associate fellow of the Royal Historical Society and Secretary of the Scottish History Society, researching early modern Scottish women and their correspondence. She lives in Stirling with her husband and two St Bernards.

Promotional headline:

In Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots, Jade Scott, a historian and expert on Mary’s correspondence, draws on hundreds of her encrypted letters to paint a vivid portrait of her years in captivity.