Robert Burns and Mary, Queen of Scots: how the poet shaped the enduring cultural legacy of the executed monarch

Wikimedia and National Galleries of Scotland, CC BY-NC

Internationally synonymous with Scottish identity, Robert Burns is Scotland’s national bard, a status he has achieved through his popularity since his death in 1796. He wrote some of the country’s most famous poems, including the satirical ode, Address to a Haggis and the rousing Scots Wha Hae. His most well-known work, the emotive Auld Lang Syne, is belted out the world over every New Year’s Eve.

On the 25th of January each year,...