13. Why was Riccio murdered? What were the consequences?

1. He had offended some of the nobles and he himself was a commoner (Talk about "playing with fire"!)
2. Darnley and his supporters thought he was preventing Darnley from becoming King.
3. There were rumours of an affair with Mary.
4. Mary knew that Darnley was involved. (His dagger was left in Riccio's body)

Consequences

1. Mary escaped from the nobles. Bothwell helped her. (Was this the start of their relationship?)
2. The murderers escaped to England when Mary came after them with an army.
3. Darnley's days were numbered. The murderers knew he had "double crossed" them by running away with Mary
4. Several months later, Darnley was recovering from illness at a house just outside Edinburgh city walls. The house blew up but Darnley's body and that of a servant was found in the garden. Rumours spread that Mary and Bothwell had plotted to murder Darnley.