Mary Stuart

Two queens, joined by blood and rivals for the throne. Only one would survive their decades-long power play.

"Mary Stuart" is a fictionalised essay about Mary Queen of Scots. Mary’s reign in Scotland was marked by scandal. Her first husband was murdered, and she was heavily implicated in the crime. Forced to flea to England, Mary counted on the support of her cousin Elizabeth I. But Elizabeth feared that Mary had her sights set on the English crown. So she imprisoned her, and began building a case for her execution.

Dumas portrays his protagonist as an enigmatic figure, driven by lust and a thirst for power. This story is a great companion to the many movies about Mary, such as "Mary Queen of Scots" starring Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan. Alexandre Dumas (1802 - 1870) was a hugely popular 19th century French writer. Born of mixed French and Haitian heritage, Dumas first rose to prominence in Paris as a playwright, but later gained international fame with his historical fiction. Often co-authored with other writers, these stories wove together swashbuckling adventure, romance, and real events from France’s past. Among the best known are "The Three Musketeers", and its sequels "Twenty Years After", and "Le Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later". Set across four decades, this trilogy follows the rise of the dashing D’Artagnan—from hot-headed soldier to trusted captain under Louis XIV. Dumas’ other novels include "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Black Tulip". His works have been adapted into more than 200 movies, including The Man in the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio.