1552 - 1599

1552
The Society of St. Andrew's is formed to promote the game of golf (in 1754, it will become known as the Royal and Ancient Golf Club).

When James V is offered the throne of Ireland, Henry VIII moves north with an army, proclaims himself Lord Superior of Scotland and defeats James at Solway Moss.

1558
Mary, Queen of Scots marries the Dauphin Francis who will succeed his father as ruler of France one year later as Francois II.

1559
Mary Queen of Scots assumes the title of Queen of England, which had been given one year earlier to Elizabeth who is considered illegitimate by Catholics.

1560
The Treaty of Edinburgh in July ends French interference in Scottish affairs. Francois II dies in December.

1561
Mary, Queen of Scots returns to Scotland as a widow; thoroughly French in outlook and education, she soon finds herself at odds with the austere Puritan divines who wish to keep tight hold on the recently converted people of Scotland.

John Erskine, Earl of Mar, is elected to the Privy Council and also appointed guardian to the infant James. He will be most influential in eventually having Mary, Queen of Scots deposed and James appointed king.

1565
The widowed Mary marries her young cousin, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley. 1566 The murder of David Riccio (Rizzio) secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots, at Holyrood Palace, by Lord Darnley, begins a chain of events that will eventually lead to the unfortunate queen's deposition, imprisonment in England and execution.

Birth of the future James VI of Scotland to Queen Mary and Lord Darnley.

1567
The murder of Lord Darnley, probably initiated by James Hepburn, Earl Bothwell, is one more step in fomenting revolt by the Scottish nobles.

Mary marries Bothwell, but rebellion by the Scottish lords forces her abdication. Her infant son is proclaimed James VI of Scotland. The country is again ruled by a succession of regents until the young reaches his majority and assert his right as "universal King."

1568
Mary flees to England after her small army of loyal supporters is defeated at Langside.

1572
Death of zealot John Knox, who had helped establish the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

1574
Return to Scotland of religious reformer Andrew Melville, whose influence over the General Assembly will have enormous influence on the direction that Presbyterianism takes in Scotland.

1579
Scotland enacts a law for the relief of the poor, twenty-two years before a similar act is passed in England.

1585
An alliance is formed between Scotland and England.

1587
Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, by order of Elizabeth I, after many years of imprisonment in England. Her son, James VI, is the only one to formally protest.

1589
James VI marries a Protestant princess, Ann of Denmark.

1599
Birth of Robert Baillie, who will become an important religious leader in the movement to reject the Church of England (and thus its head, the King) in favor of the Church of Scotland.