Mary's court in Edinburgh — and the scene of Rizzio's murder in front of her, in 1566.
What happened here?
Holyroodhouse began as an abbey, founded in 1128, before becoming the Stewart court's principal Edinburgh residence. It remains an official royal residence today, used by the monarch when in Scotland.
Why does this matter to Mary's story?
This was Mary's main Edinburgh home — and the setting for one of the most violent episodes of her reign. In March 1566, her secretary David Rizzio was stabbed to death in her presence, in a small supper room off her chambers, by a group of conspirators that included her own husband, Lord Darnley.
Why does this matter to the Reformation story?
After the Reformation officially abolished the Catholic mass in Scotland, Mary continued to hear it privately in her chapel here — a standing provocation to reformers, and something John Knox confronted her over directly, in exchanges he later recorded himself.
What happened next?
Rizzio's murder shattered what remained of Mary's marriage and badly damaged her authority — part of the chain of crises that led, within a year, to her forced abdication in 1567. Nearly two centuries later, Bonnie Prince Charlie briefly held court here too, during his occupation of Edinburgh in autumn 1745.
What to look for while you're here
- The small supper room, in Mary's Outer and Inner Chambers, traditionally identified as where Rizzio was attacked.
- A commemorative marker said to note the spot near where he was killed.
- The contrast between the older, more fortress-like James V tower and the grander state apartments added in the 17th century.