Mary, Queen Of scots, & geddon

The devoted dog and his lonely mistress

For Mary, Queen of Scots, dogs offered her the companionship that eluded her throughout her life.

Sent to live at the French court aged just five, the queen sometimes felt isolated and she unfortunately experienced the same when she finally returned to Scotland after 13 years, a stranger to her native country. However, a comfort to Mary was her treasured pet dogs. Her tragic fate in 1587 is made even more poignant when you include the story of her cherished dog Geddon.

A Skye terrier, Geddon kept Mary company during the last few years of her life when she was kept imprisoned by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. At her execution, Mary moved slowly to the scaffold and placed her head on the block, where the executioner beheaded her with two strokes of his axe. As her body was being removed, those present noticed a rustling under her clothes — under her petticoat was a terrified Geddon. The executioner tried to take him away but he escaped, running back to his mistress and curling up between her body and her severed head. The loyal little dog ended up covered in her blood and was forcibly taken away to be washed.