On 9 March 1566, Mary, Queen of Scots, though it’d be nice to have a little dinner party with David Rizzio, a singer and musician whom she’d made secretary for relations with France. Unfortunately, Rizzio’s Catholic religion and close relationship with Mary had made him unpopular with some of the more insane noblemen at court, who decided Rizzio had to go. While Mary and David were noshing on hors d’oeuvres, several rebellious noblemen, led by Patrick Ruthven, overpowered her guards, burst into the dining room, and demanded she hand Rizzio over. Rizzio cowered behind the queen—who was seven months pregnant at the time—but it was no use. While one of the rebels held a gun to the queen’s belly, Rizzio was stabbed more than 50 times and thrown down the main stairway. On Mary’s orders, he was later buried in the sepulchre of the Kings of Scotland, which did not help dispel the rumours she was having an affair with the man. Mary was placed under house arrest but managed to escape, rally her supporters, and drive the rebels out of Edinburgh a week later. Unfortunately, her triumph was not to last, and she was eventually overthrown and imprisoned in England.
