History UsefulNotes / MaryTudor

As a devout Roman Catholic, Mary was determined to bring England back into the arms of Rome. As the first Queen of England to remain Monarch long enough to be crowned, she needed a husband. Many suitors were considered (including Edward Courtenay, who was a close friend of Mary’s and Catholic like her) but Mary ultimately chose her cousin once removed - [[UsefulNotes/PhilipII]], King of Naples, Jerusalem and the heir to the throne of Spain - and brought her cousin Reginald Cardinal Pole back to England as Archbishop of Canterbury. Philip was named King of England and Philip believe he’d be named his wives Co-Monarch and known as Philip I of England, and be the main ruler[[note]](Though titled as king per common law that a husband was entitled to share in his wife's lands and titles, legislation passed by Parliament reserved most power for Mary, leaving Philip with just about the same power as a Queen Consort.)[[/note]], and as such worked with Parliament to repeal the Protestant laws passed in the time of Henry and Edward and reinstate the Heresy Acts.

As a child, she was doted on by her parents, especially her father, whom she shared many physical traits with. Mary inherited her father’s reddish gold hair, blue eyes and ruddy cheeks, and was short-sighted like her father. Mary was also close with her mother, who was very interested with Mary’s education and impressed with her talents. Mary was just as intelligent as her future half-siblings were, however she never had the same zeal for learning as they did. A lot of her education came from her mother; who encouraged female education and taught her several languages, along with several tutors. Mary’s greatest passion as a child was her music, she inherited her talent from her father. At the age of 4 and a half years old, Mary entertained a visiting French group (there to discuss with Henry about her engagement to the Dauphin of France) with a complex performance of the Virginals. She impressed the visitors greatly and her father boasted with pride. As a young woman, she was said to have a rather loud and deep voice, and a powerful, yet pleasant singing voice.

* {{DaddyGirl}}: Mary used to be one to her father, Henry VIII. Of course, after his divorce from Mary’s beloved mother, their relationship was never the same agin. However, after Jane Seymour encouraged Henry to see Mary again, they did become close again, but not like they used to be. However, compared to her sister, Mary was Henry’s preferred daughter, being his second favourite child, with their brother Edward being the favourite and Elizabeth being his least favourite child (however he did hold affection for her).

* {{DaddyGirl}}Mary used to be one to her father, Henry VIII. Of course, after his divorce from Mary’s beloved mother, their relationship was never the same agin. However, after Jane Seymour encouraged Henry to see Mary again, they did become close again, but not like they used to be. However, compared to her sister, Mary was Henry’s preferred daughter, being his second favourite child, with their brother Edward being the favourite and Elizabeth being his least favourite child (however he did hold affection for her).

* {{Daddy’sGirl}}: Mary used to be one to her father, Henry VIII. Of course, after his divorce from Mary’s beloved mother, their relationship was never the same agin. However, after Jane Seymour encouraged Henry to see Mary again, they did become close again, but not like they used to be. However, compared to her sister, Mary was Henry’s preferred daughter, being his second favourite child, with their brother Edward being the favourite and Elizabeth being his least favourite child (however he did hold affection for her).

* {{Daddy Girl}}: Mary used to be one to her father, Henry VIII. Of course, after his divorce from Mary’s beloved mother, their relationship was never the same agin. However, after Jane Seymour encouraged Henry to see Mary again, they did become close again, but not like they used to be. However, compared to her sister, Mary was Henry’s preferred daughter, being his second favourite child, with their brother Edward being the favourite and Elizabeth being his least favourite child (however he did hold affection for her).

* {{Daddy’s Girl}}: Mary used to be one to her father, Henry VIII. Of course, after his divorce from Mary’s beloved mother, their relationship was never the same agin. However, after Jane Seymour encouraged Henry to see Mary again, they did become close again, but not like they used to be. However, compared to her sister, Mary was Henry’s preferred daughter, being his second favourite child, with their brother Edward being the favourite and Elizabeth being his least favourite child (however he did hold affection for her).

After Anne Boleyn fell from favour, Mary was allowed to leave Elizabeth’s household. After Henry’s third marriage, Jane restored Mary to her father’s favour due to her love for Catherine of Aragon and her hatred of Anne Boleyn (who hadn’t treated Mary well). While Elizabeth was ignored, Mary and her father became close again; though Mary never forgot her father’s cruel treatment of her mother. Jane hoped to legitimise Mary, so that Mary would be in the Line of Succession after Jane’s sons and their children. However, Jane died of an infection 12 days after the birth of her only child, Edward. Mary had an odd relationship with her fourth stepmother, Anne of Cleves. Mary had hated Anne Boleyn because her mother despised her, Anne disliked Mary and of course because she lost her access to the throne because of Anne. Mary got on well with Jane Seymour because of her kindness to Mary. However, with Anne of Cleves their relationship started badly. As Anne had started learning English, she now understood what her husband was saying, and Anne was jealous when Henry invited Mary to return to court. However, after Henry told Anne he wanted a divorce, Mary and Anne bonded over their shared rejection. They were soon very close. Despite Anne’s religion being Lutheranism (unlike devout Catholic Mary) the pair became great friends, it helped that Anne was only a few years older than Mary. Mary disliked Catherine Howard because she could tell that she wasn’t in love with her father; as well as Catherine being younger than Mary and due to Catherine’s ditziness.

Despite Henry VIII and Anne’s love for each other, Henry was disappointed with his lack of male heirs. Anne was 32 when she wed the 42 year old, and gave birth to Elizabeth a few months after the secret wedding. 2 years later Henry had a jousting accident, he was unconscious for 2 hours and nearly died. His athleticism ended due to his wounded leg, and he may have also suffered brain damage. Henry also took up a new mistress, Jane Seymour, (a former loyal lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon) and Anne caught Jane sat on Henry’s knee. Either the shock of the accident, or the anger of her husband’s philandering caused Anne to miscarry their second child, a son. Henry thought the miscarriage was God’s way of punishing him for divorcing Catherine. Anne was subsequently beheaded after 3 years of marriage.

As a child, she was doted on by her parents, especially her father, whom she shared many physical traits with. Mary inherited her father’s reddish gold hair, blue yes and ruddy cheeks, and was short-sighted like her father. Mary was also close with her mother, who was very interested with Mary’s education and impressed with her talents. Mary was just as intelligent as her future half-siblings were, however she never had the same zeal for learning as they did. A lot of her education came from her mother; who encouraged female education and taught her several languages, along with several tutors. Mary’s greatest passion as a child was her music, she inherited her talent from her father. At the age of 4 and a half years old, Mary entertained a visiting French group (there to discuss with Henry about her engagement to the Dauphin of France) with a complex performance of the Virginals. She impressed the visitors greatly and her father boasted with pride. As a young woman, she was said to have a rather loud and deep voice, and a powerful, yet pleasant singing voice.

Mary was humiliated and so was her husband. He left England to go to Spain. She was strong when she said goodbye to him, but after he had gone she was visibly upset. Mary believed God had punished her for tolerating Protestants. Mary thought there was only one way to gain God’s forgiveness. She ordered that at least 280 Protestants be burned at the stake, including bishops Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer (who actually converted to Catholicism to avoid execution, but Mary ordered his burning anyway). These men and women became known as the "Protestant Martyrs". There were 283 of them in all, and it is for their deaths that she's known as Bloody Mary (a term coined well after her death, though). In reality, she killed fewer subjects in her entire reign than her father did in any single year of his. Shows what happens when you're on the wrong side of history.

In 1557, Philip returned to England (having been made King of Spain by his father who abdicated for him) and asked for support against the French. Mary was lovesick and agreed, she was just thrilled Philip had returned to her. He left with English soldiers to battle with the French troops. The battle was a disaster, and England lost Calais back to France. When Mary found out, she said “when I am dead and opened, you shall find Philip and Calais lying in my heart”. Mary did get a bit of good news however. Though sad over Philip returning to Spain so he could rule, Mary and a couple of physicians believed that she might be pregnant. Most of England thought it was unlikely. They were right. Mary was 41, nearly 42 and her giving birth to a child at that age in that era was almost impossible. Her swelling was most likely cancer. This swelling didn’t reduce. Mary soon accepted that she wouldn’t have children. This was one of the hardest things she would ever accept, she genuinely loved children, she didn’t just want to have a child to have a Catholic heir, she wanted to have a child to also love and dote on.

By the time Mary died in 1558, most of the crowds who cheered her five years earlier were heaving sighs of relief at her passing. She died surrounded by only her most loyal servants and ladies-in-waiting, as most of her court had left to try and gain favour with her half-sister. Her greatest ally Cardinal Pole survived her by only twelve hours; with the two of them dead, any chance of a restoration of the Catholic faith. She was succeeded by her younger half-sister, [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI Elizabeth]].

By the time Mary died in 1558, the crowds who cheered her five years earlier were heaving sighs of relief at her passing. She died unmourned, unloved, and unrepentant to the last. Her great ally Cardinal Pole survived her by only twelve hours; with the two of them dead, any chance of a restoration of the Catholic faith. She was succeeded by her younger half-sister, [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI Elizabeth]].

Her original intent was to punish only those she saw as responsible for the near-usurpation of the throne - mainly the Duke of Northumberland and his cronies - and release the comparatively innocent Jane and her husband Guildford Dudley as soon as the situation had stabilized; she wasn't stupid enough to truly consider either of them as the leaders of the coup - Jane was a naive, nerdy 16 year old {{Bookworm}}, after all! Unfortunately for Jane and Guildford, a rebellion led by Thomas Wyatt with the intention of restoring Jane to the throne opposed her fiancé from travelling to England, which caused Mary to sign the death warrant which led both of them to the block.[[note]]The execution of frail, beautiful, teenager Jane Grey was a popular theme for Romantic painters.[[/note]] Mary regretted executing her cousin for the rest of her life.

She might have succeeded in returning England to Catholicism had she borne a child to carry on her works, but that was not to be. She is thought to have become pregnant once, but although her abdomen swelled she never delivered a child. The most likely explanation is a molar pregnancy proceeding to choriocarcinoma, but some medical historians believe it was ovarian cancer. It was once suggested that she might have suffered a "phantom pregnancy",[[note]]this shows up often in books and shows of the 1950s[[/note]] but modern historians are confident that her condition was primarily physical in nature, as phantom pregnancy is ''far'' rarer in real life than doctors of the 1930s realized. Also it isn't fatal.

Her original intent was to punish only those she saw as responsible for the near-usurpation of the throne - mainly the Duke of Northumberland and his cronies - and release the comparatively innocent Jane and her husband Guildford Dudley as soon as the situation had stabilized; she wasn't stupid enough to truly consider either of them as the leaders of the coup - Jane was a naive, nerdy 16 year old {{Bookworm}}, after all! Unfortunately for Jane and Guildford, a rebellion led by Thomas Wyatt with the intention of restoring Jane to the throne opposed her fiancé from travelling to England, which caused Mary to sign the death warrant which led both of them to the block.[[note]]The execution of frail, beautiful, teenager Jane Grey was a popular theme for Romantic painters.[[/note]] Mary regretted executing her cousin for the rest of her life.

As a devout Roman Catholic, Mary was determined to bring England back into the arms of Rome. As the first Queen of England to remain Monarch long enough to be crowned, she needed a husband. Many suitors were considered (including Edward Courtenay, who was a close friend of Mary’s and Catholic like her) but Mary ultimately chose her cousin once removed - [[UsefulNotes/PhilipII]], King of Naples, Jerusalem and the heir to the throne of Spain - and brought her cousin Reginald Cardinal Pole back to England as Archbishop of Canterbury. Philip was named King of England and Philip believe he’d be named his wives Co-Monarch and known as Philip I of England, and be the main ruler[[note]](Though titled as king per common law that a husband was entitled to share in his wife's lands and titles, legislation passed by Parliament reserved most power for Mary, leaving Philip with just about the same power as a Queen Consort.)[[/note]], and as such worked with Parliament to repeal the Protestant laws passed in the time of Henry and Edward and reinstate the Heresy Acts. Mary ordered the burning of many Protestant recusants pursuant to these Acts, including bishops Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer. These men and women became known as the "Protestant Martyrs". There were 283 of them in all, and it is for their deaths that she's known as Bloody Mary (a term coined well after her death, though). In reality, she killed fewer subjects in her entire reign than her father did in any single year of his. Shows what happens when you're on the wrong side of history.

Her original intent was to punish only those she saw as responsible for the near-usurpation of the throne - mainly the Duke of Northumberland and his cronies - and release the comparatively innocent Jane and her husband Guildford Dudley as soon as the situation had stabilized; she wasn't stupid enough to truly consider either of them as the leaders of the coup - Jane was a sixteen year old bookworm, after all! Unfortunately for Jane and Guildford, a rebellion led by Thomas Wyatt with the intention of restoring Jane to the throne forced Mary's hand and led both of them to the block.[[note]]The execution of frail, beautiful, teenaged Jane Grey was a popular theme for Romantic painters.[[/note]]

As a devout Roman Catholic, Mary was determined to bring England back into the arms of Rome. She chose a Catholic husband - [[UsefulNotes/PhilipII Philip]], King of Naples and the heir to the throne of Spain - and brought her cousin Reginald Cardinal Pole back to England as Archbishop of Canterbury. Philip was named King of England and Mary's co-monarch[[note]](Though titled as king per common law that a husband was entitled to share in his wife's lands and titles, legislation passed by Parliament reserved most power for Mary, leaving him as a glorified consort.)[[/note]], and as such worked with Parliament to repeal the Protestant laws passed in the time of Henry and Edward and reinstate the Heresy Acts. Mary ordered the burning of many Protestant recusants pursuant to these Acts, including bishops Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer. These men and women became known as the "Protestant Martyrs". There were 283 of them in all, and it is for their deaths that she's known as Bloody Mary (a term coined well after her death, though). In reality, she killed fewer subjects in her entire reign than her father did in any single year of his. Shows what happens when you're on the wrong side of history.

Her path to the throne did not run smoothly. Edward unexpectedly changed the succession in a will drafted shortly before his death that excluded both Mary and Elizabeth from the throne in favour of the Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary Tudor and daughter-in-law of the Duke of Northumberland, the regent.[[note]]This stunk so highly that a rumour arose claiming that the Duke himself wrote the will and forced the sickly Edward to sign it. An early draft of the will found in Edward's papers, however, shows that the devise was Edward's own idea.[[/note]] Queen Jane took the throne on Edward's death, but Mary's overwhelming popularity with the commoners and nobles made Jane's position untenable, and Jane was deposed by Mary nine days later. Mary was greeted by crowds of thousands of cheering subjects as she rode into London and took her rightful throne.

Though it took many years, Henry eventually managed to succeed in a divorce. However, as the Pope had refused to help, Henry converted to the Protestant movement, thus making him Head of the English Church. His new wife, UsefulNotes/AnneBoleyn, became the new queen. With her parents' marriage declared invalid, Mary was declared a bastard, struck from the succession, stripped of her title as "Princess", instead being titled “the Lady Mary” separated from her mother, and eventually forced into her baby half-sister's service as a lady-in-waiting.

Despite Henry VIII and Anne’s love for each other, Henry was disappointed with his lack of male heirs. Anne was 32 when she wed the 42 year old, and gave birth to Elizabeth a few months after the secret wedding. 2 years later Henry had a jousting accident, he was unconscious for 2 hours and nearly died. His athleticism ended due to his wounded leg, and he may have also suffered brain damage. Henry also took up a new mistress, Jane Seymour, (a former loyal lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon) and Anne caught Jane sat on Henry’s knee. Either the shock of the accident, or the anger of her husband’s philandering caused Anne to miscarry their second child, a son. Henry thought the miscarriage was God’s way of punishing him for divorcing Catherine. Anne was subsequently beheaded after 3 years of marriage.

Mary was eventually restored to the succession after her younger brother Edward, although she remained legally illegitimate and was styled "the Lady Mary," rather than "princess."

Though it took many years, Henry eventually managed to succeed in a divorce. However, as the Pope had refused to help, Henry converted to the Protestant movement, thus making him Head of the English Church. His new wife, UsefulNotes/AnneBoleyn, became the new queen. With her parents' marriage declared invalid, Mary was declared a bastard, struck from the succession, stripped of her title as "princess", separated from her mother, and eventually forced into her baby half-sister's service as a lady-in-waiting. She was eventually restored to the succession after her younger brother Edward, although she remained legally illegitimate and was styled "the Lady Mary," rather than "princess."

As a child, she was doted on by her parents, especially her father, whom she shared many physical traits with. Mary inherited her father’s reddish gold hair, blue yes and ruddy cheeks, and was short-sighted like her father. Mary was also close with her mother, who was very interested with Mary’s education and impressed with her talents. Mary was just as intelligent as her future half-siblings were, however she never had the same zeal for learning as they did. A lot of her education came from her mother; who encouraged female education and taught her several languages, along with several tutors. Mary’s greatest passion as a child was her music, she inherited her talent from her father. At the age of 4 and a half years old, Mary entertained a visiting French group (there to discuss with Henry about her engagement to the Dauphin of France) with a complex performance of the Virginals. She impressed the visitors greatly and her father boasted with pride.

Despite his affections for Mary, Henry was disappointed with his lack of male heirs. After 1534, it became clear that Catherine, aged 40, was not going to have any more children. Catherine focused on Mary rather than continuing to hope and pray for a son. Catherine encouraged Mary to believe she would be her father’s successor. However, Hnery was convinced a male heir was needed, and decided to get a divorce.

England's very first undisputed queen regnant[[note]]Matilda, during the brief period when she had enough support and control over England to "reign", did so as ''Lady'' of the English as there was fervent opposition to her taking the title of queen, and of course Lady Jane Grey's assumption of the throne was treated as a usurpation by just about everyone outside her inner circle; see below for more on that[[/note]], Mary I of England (18 February 1516 -- 17 November 1558; reigning July 1553 -- her death) was UsefulNotes/HenryVIII's elder daughter and his only surviving child by UsefulNotes/CatherineOfAragon. As a little girl, she was doted on by her parents, but that changed when UsefulNotes/AnneBoleyn became queen. With her parents' marriage declared invalid, Mary was declared a bastard, struck from the succession, stripped of her title as "princess", separated from her mother, and eventually forced into her baby half-sister's service as a lady-in-waiting. She was eventually restored to the succession after her younger brother Edward, although she remained legally illegitimate and was styled "the Lady Mary," rather than "princess."

As a devout Roman Catholic, Mary was determined to bring England back into the arms of Rome. She chose a Catholic husband - Philip, King of Naples and the heir to the throne of Spain - and brought her cousin Reginald Cardinal Pole back to England as Archbishop of Canterbury. Philip was named King of England and Mary's co-monarch[[note]](Though titled as king per common law that a husband was entitled to share in his wife's lands and titles, legislation passed by Parliament reserved most power for Mary, leaving him as a glorified consort.)[[/note]], and as such worked with Parliament to repeal the Protestant laws passed in the time of Henry and Edward and reinstate the Heresy Acts. Mary ordered the burning of many Protestant recusants pursuant to these Acts, including bishops Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer. These men and women became known as the "Protestant Martyrs". There were 283 of them in all, and it is for their deaths that she's known as Bloody Mary (a term coined well after her death, though). In reality, she killed fewer subjects in her entire reign than her father did in any single year of his. Shows what happens when you're on the wrong side of history.

It's not every monarch who has a drink named after her nickname. Then again, not every monarch gets the nickname "Bloody".

As a devout Roman Catholic, Mary was determined to bring England back into the arms of Rome. She chose a Catholic husband - Philip, King of Naples and the heir to the throne of Spain - and brought her cousin Reginald Cardinal Pole back to England as Archbishop of Canterbury. Philip was named King of England and Mary's co-monarch[[note]](Though titled as king per common law that a husband was entitled to share in his wife's lands and titles, legislation passed by Parliament reserved most power for Mary, leaving him as a glorified consort.)[[/note]], and as such worked with Parliament to repeal the Protestant laws passed in the time of Henry and Edward and reinstate the Heresy Acts. Mary ordered the burning of many Protestant recusants pursuant to these Acts, including bishops Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer. These men and women became known as the "Protestant Martyrs". There were 283 of them in all, and it is for their deaths that she's known as Bloody Mary (a term coined well after her death).[[note]]In reality, she killed fewer subjects in her entire reign than her father did in any single year of his. Shows what happens when you're on the wrong side of history.[[/note]]

By the time Mary died in 1558, the crowds who cheered her five years earlier were heaving sighs of relief at her passing. She died unmourned, unloved, and unrepentant to the last. Her great ally Cardinal Pole survived her by only twelve hours; with the two of them dead, any chance of a restoration of the Catholic faith. She was succeeded by her younger sister, [[UsefulNotes/ElizabethI Elizabeth]].

Her path to the throne did not run smoothly. Edward unexpectedly changed the succession in a will drafted shortly before his death that excluded both Mary and Elizabeth from the throne in favour of the Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary Tudor and daughter-in-law of the Duke of Northumberland, the regent.[[note]]This stunk so highly that a rumour arose claiming that the Duke himself wrote the will and forced the sickly Edward to sign it. An early draft of the will found in Edward's papers, however, shows that the devise was Edward's own idea.[[/note]] Queen Jane took the throne on Edward's death, but Mary's overwhelming popularity with the commoners and nobles made her position untenable and Jane was deposed by Mary nine days later. Mary was greeted by crowds of thousands of cheering subjects as she rode into London and took her rightful throne.

Her path to the throne did not run smoothly. Edward unexpectedly changed the succession in a will drafted shortly before his death that excluded both Mary and Elizabeth from the throne in favour of the Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII's sister Mary Tudor and daughter-in-law of the Duke of Northumberland, the regent.[[note]]This stunk so highly that a rumour arose claiming that the Duke himself wrote the will and forced the sickly Edward to sign it. An early draft of the will found in Edward's papers, however, shows that the devise was Edward's own idea.[[/note]] Queen Jane took the throne on Edward's death, but Mary's overwhelming popularity with the commoners and nobles made her position untenable and she abdicated nine days later. Mary was greeted by crowds of thousands of cheering subjects as she rode into London and took her rightful throne.