Stopping for Coffee

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: A busy coffee shop in Edinburgh. Reminds me of Starbucks.

Costa!

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: Now THAT is some good coffee!!

The Scott Monument

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: "The Scott Monument is a Gothic monument dedicated to the Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott. It was built in 1846 with a height of 200 feet giving it the distinction of being the largest monument in the world dedicated to a writer. If you wish, you can pay a fee to climb the stairs to the top" - Civitatis Edinburgh

iPhoto - Scott Monument

180913Print0445

Old Town Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: An example of a pretty apartment building in Old Town Edinburgh

Old Town Edinburgh

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: Walking the Royal Mile through Old Town Edinburgh.

First Century AD

A bit of history about the earliest Scottish kings.

The Stone of Destiny

It seems the Scots and the Brits were always at war with each other.

iPhone - Early history of the Scottish Kings

180913Print0461

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: The entrance to the Edinburgh Castle at one end of the Royal Mile.

iPhone - Edinburgh Castle info

180913Print0439

iPhone - Info about Edinburgh castle

180913Print0442

iPhone - They still fire the gun

180913Print0440

Walking up to the castle

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: The Edinburgh Castle was built on Castle Rock which was once the peak of an active volcano 350 million years ago. Archaelogical excavations reveal that Castle Rock has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age which occurred in Europe in the late 11th Century BC and continued for the following 500 years.

180913Print0443

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: "The Edinburgh Castle was built in the 11th century and was considered a royal castle since the reign of David I in the 12th century. The site continued to be a royal residence until 1633" - Wikipedia

Mons Meg

A high powered 15th Century canon used during James II reign against the British.

More info on Mons Meg

180913Print0454

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: "By the 17th century, The Edinburgh Castle was primarily used as military barracks with a large garrison, and was involved in many wars including the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century and the Jacobite Uprising in 1745" - Wikipedia

The Honours of Scotland

180913Print0441

You can see the treasures at Edinburgh Castle

180913Print0456

The Royal Sceptre

180913Print0467

The Royal Crown

It looks very heavy and definitely
uncomfortable.

Inside the Ancient Crown Room

180913Print0469

Historical changes of the crown through time

180913Print0463

Interesting historical link between Sir Walter Scott and the Scottish Honours

180913Print0448

The Royal Sword

Looks pretty heavy! They must have been beefy men back then.

Gifts from the Pope.

180913Print0464

The Pope and the Kings' relationships were pretty tight back then.

It was always about power over the people.

Looking down the display table.

The sword is just beyond the crown.

iPhone - a picture of a statue - The crowning of Robert the Bruce

180913Print0460

A Terrible Tale

In a nutshell: " Mary of Guise gave birth to Mary, Queen of Scots on December 8, 1542 at Linlithgow Castle. Her father, James V of Scotland, died soon after giving her the title of Queen at only 6 days old. Even though she was Queen, she was obviously too young to rule, therefore Scotland was governed by regents. At 6 years of age in 1548 she was betrothed to Francis, the Dauphin of France, who was the 3 year old son of the King of France and sent there to be raised. They were married in 1558 and became King and Queen Consort of France while just teenagers as Francis' father died shortly after their marriage. Mary lived in France as Queen Consort for 2 years until her husband's death in 1560 from an ear infection that caused a brain abscess. Mary returned to Scotland as a widow and attempted to assert herself as the ruler, much to the chagrin of prominent Scots. With religion being a volatile subject, she ruled that the Protestant church could remain even though she, herself was Catholic. Mary married her half-cousin, Henry Stuart- Lord Darnley, in 1565 at the Holyrood Palace. Mary and Darnley's marriage became strained as Darnley wished to become King Consort which Mary refused. Darnley became bitter and then accused Rizzio, Mary's secretary with whom she had a close relationship, of infidelity, and had Rizzio murdered in front of pregnant Mary at a dinner party in Holyrood Palace. Mary gave birth to their son, James in 1566 at Edinburgh Castle, but kept her distance from the volatile Darnley. In February of 1567, Darnley's residence was destroyed by an explosion, and he was found murdered in his garden. James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, was believed to be the perpetrator, but was acquitted of the charge in April 1567. In May of 1567 he and Mary were married. Their marriage was not received well by the public, and Mary was taken prisoner in Loch Leven Castle. On July 24, 1567, she was forced to abdicate and give up her throne to her 1 year old son. On May 2, 1568, Mary escaped from Loch Leven Castle with the help of George Douglas, brother of the owner of Loch Leven Castle. After trying unsuccessfully to regain her presence as Queen, she fled to England, seeking protection from her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England, and was never to see her son again" - Wikipedia

iPhone - Mary, Queen of Scotts, Tragic History

"Mary was a great-granddaughter of Henry VII of England, and at one time had once said that she should be Queen of England instead of her cousin Elizabeth. Many English Catholics also felt that Mary should ascend the throne. Elizabeth considered Mary a threat and confined her to various castles and manor houses within England. Mary continued to appeal to her cousin through letters, stating that she had no intentions of overthrowing the Queen, but Elizabeth's suspicions and doubt remained. After a period of 18 1/2 years, Mary was found guilty of a plot to assassinate Elizabeth in 1586 and was beheaded in 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle"- Wikipedia

Lineage following Mary, Queen of Scots

180913Print0471

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: "The Edinburgh Castle was the site of 26 sieges during its 1100 year history giving it the claim of having been 'the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world'" - Wikipedia

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: The Edinburgh Castle

The oldest building of the Edinburgh Castle

180913Print0449

St. Margaret's Chapel

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: "St. Margaret's Chapel which is on the grounds of the Edinburgh Castle, is one of the oldest structures surviving in any Scottish castle, dating back to the reign of King David I who built it as a private chapel for the royal family. He dedicated it to his mother, Saint Margaret of Scotland, who died in the castle in 1093. The chapel is still used for religious ceremonies suh as weddings" - Wikipedia

Looking in from the alcove of St. Margaret's Chapel

180913Print0450

The altar of St. Margaret's Chapel

180913Print0451

Royal Palace

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: The Royal Palace in Crown Square within the Edinburgh Castle.

A grisly story

No one's life safe back then. Anyone was expendable.

The Jacobite Uprising was the last battle at Edinburgh Castle

180913Print0447

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: Leaving Edinburgh Castle.

Walking the Royal Mile

Edinburgh, Scotland - September 13, 2018: Walking the Royal Mile in Old Town.

Visiting Holyroodhouse

180913Print0436

Visiting Holyroodhouse

180913Print0437

Visiting Holyroodhouse

180913Print0438