#2: Mary, Queen of Scots – 6 days old
Mary Stuart became the Queen of Scots just six days after her birth in December 1542. Her father, King James V, had just died, leaving his infant daughter to inherit a kingdom full of rival factions and ambitious nobles. For her safety, Mary spent most of her childhood being raised at the royal court in France. The move paid off with a strategic marriage to Francis II, making her the queen consort of France for a brief time. This early life of political maneuvering set the stage for one of the most turbulent reigns in British history.
