Describe Queen Elizabeth I's relationship with her cousin, Mary Stuart.

Queen Elizabeth I's relationship with her cousin, Mary Stuart, was complex and fraught with tension. Mary Stuart, also known as Mary, Queen of Scots, was the granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister, Margaret Tudor, making her a potential claimant to the English throne.

Initially, Queen Elizabeth and Mary Stuart had a cordial relationship, with Elizabeth even referring to Mary as her "sister queen." However, their relationship deteriorated over time due to various factors. One major issue was religion, as Mary was a devout Catholic while Elizabeth was a Protestant. This religious divide fueled suspicions and fears among Elizabeth's advisors and the English Protestant establishment, who viewed Mary as a threat to the stability of the Protestant regime.

Furthermore, Mary's tumultuous personal life, including her three marriages and alleged involvement in various plots against Elizabeth's reign, added to the strain in their relationship. Mary's second marriage to Lord Darnley, who was later murdered, and her subsequent marriage to the Earl of Bothwell, who was suspected of Darnley's murder, created a scandal that tarnished her reputation.

The situation escalated when Mary fled to England seeking Elizabeth's protection after being forced to abdicate the Scottish throne. However, Elizabeth, fearing that Mary's presence in England would encourage Catholic uprisings and plots against her, decided to keep her cousin under house arrest for the next 19 years.

Throughout this period, Elizabeth vacillated between sympathy and suspicion towards Mary. While she initially expressed sympathy for her cousin's plight, she eventually succumbed to the pressure from her advisors and the English Parliament, who advocated for Mary's execution. Elizabeth reluctantly signed the death warrant, and Mary was executed in 1587.

In summary, Queen Elizabeth I's relationship with her cousin, Mary Stuart, was marked by political and religious tensions, personal rivalries, and ultimately ended in tragedy. Their differing religious beliefs, Mary's scandalous personal life, and the political threats posed by Mary's claim to the English throne strained their relationship and ultimately led to Mary's execution.