Off with her head!

On the 8 February 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots was executed for reasons of treason. She was beheaded plotting to murder Queen Elizabeth 1. There has been much discussion of the accuracy of this claim. Mary, Queen of Scots caused further controversy by dressing in scarlett, the colour of martyrdom for her execution. It tool three strokes of the axe to behead Mary and the final shocks were when the executioner lifted up her head, he found that he had a red wig in his hand, Mary having gone grey years before, and that Mary had hid her small pet dog in her skirts.