archaicwonder:Loch Leven Castle and Mary, Queen of ScotsLocated on Castle Island, Perth and Kinross,

archaicwonder:Loch Leven Castle and Mary, Queen of ScotsLocated on Castle Island, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, the castle may have been constructed by 1257, when the 16-year-old King Alexander III of Scotland was forcibly brought there by his regents. During the First War of Scottish Independence (1296–1328), the invading English army held the castle, then named Loch Leven Castle, which lies at a strategically important position between the towns of Edinburgh, Stirling and Perth. Parts of the present fortification, the curtain wall, may date from this time and were perhaps built by the occupying English.The castle was captured by the Scots before the end of the 13th century, possibly by the forces of William Wallace. King Robert the Bruce (reigned 1306–1329) is known to have visited the castle in 1313 and again in 1323.The castle was strengthened in the 14th or early 15th century, by the addition of the five-story tower house or keep.  According to Historic Scotland, it is of the 14th century, making it one of the oldest surviving tower houses in Scotland.In the 16th century, Mary, Queen of Scots (reigned 1542–1567) visited Loch Leven in 1565 as a guest of Sir William Douglas of Lochleven.  She held an interview here with the Calvinist preacher John Knox.Mary returned to Loch Leven as a prisoner in June 1567.  At the “battle” of Carberry Hill on 15 June, Mary surrendered to her noblemen, who opposed her marriage to the Earl of Bothwell. She was taken to Loch Leven and given into the custody of Sir William Douglas of Lochleven. When she arrived, she fell ill and sometime before July 24th she miscarried twins that she had conceived with Bothwell. Only a few days later she was forced to abdicate as Queen of Scots, in favour of her infant son James. Mary recovered during the autumn and winter, and gradually won over George Douglas to her own cause. A contemporary wrote that George was “in fantasy of love wythe hir.” On the night of the escape, William Douglas stole the keys and let Mary, dressed as a servant, out of the castle. She was rowed across the lake to where George Douglas and others awaited her, and they fled to Niddry Castle in Lothian. Loch Leven Castle is one of many in Scotland said to be haunted by Mary’s spirit.photo by Vic Sharp on Flickr. -- source link

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