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  • AKA: "Bloody Mary"
  • 1553-1558: Queen of England
  • 1553-1558: Queen of Ireland
  • 1556-1558: Queen consort of Spain

Mary I Tudor, Queen regnant of England, was born 8 February 1516 Palace of Placentia in Greenwich, Greater London, England, United Kingdom to Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) and Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) and died 17 November 1558 Saint James's Palace London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom of unspecified causes. She married Philip II of Spain (1527-1598) 25 July 1554 JL in Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom.

Biography

Mary I of England, also known as Mary Tudor, was the queen of England and Ireland from 1553 until her death in 1558. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and was born on February 18, 1516.

Mary was brought up in the Catholic faith, and during her reign, she worked to restore Catholicism to England after her father had broken away from the Catholic Church to establish the Church of England. She was determined to return England to the Catholic Church and to stamp out Protestantism.

Mary's reign was marked by a number of notable events, including her marriage to King Philip II of Spain in 1554, which was deeply unpopular with the English people. She also oversaw the execution of nearly 300 Protestants who refused to renounce their faith and return to Catholicism, earning her the nickname "Bloody Mary."

Despite her efforts to restore Catholicism to England, Mary's reign was short-lived, and her policies were largely unpopular. She died on November 17, 1558, at the age of 42, and was succeeded by her half-sister, Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603).

Mary's reign has been the subject of much debate and controversy, with some historians praising her for her religious conviction and others condemning her for her harsh treatment of Protestants. Regardless of one's opinion of her reign, Mary remains an important figure in English history, and her legacy continues to be debated and discussed to this day.



Siblings


Offspring of Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) and Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Stillborn Daughter Tudor (1510-1510)
Henry Tudor (1511-1511)
Stillborn Son Tudor (1513-1513)
Henry Tudor (1514-1514)
Mary I of England (1516-1558) 8 February 1516 Greenwich, Greater London, England, United Kingdom 17 November 1558 London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom Philip II of Spain (1527-1598)
Stillborn Daughter Tudor (1518-1518)


Offspring of Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) and Elizabeth Blount (c1502-bef1541)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond (1519-1536) 15 June 1519 Blackmore, Essex, England, United Kingdom 23 July 1536 Thetford, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom


Offspring of Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) and Mary Boleyn (1503-1543)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Catherine Carey (1524-1569) June 1524 15 January 1569 Francis Knollys (c1511-1596)
Henry Carey, Baron Hunsdon (1526-1596) 4 March 1526 Hengrave, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom 23 July 1596 Somerset House, Strand, Greater London, England, United Kingdom Anne Morgan (1529-1606)


Offspring of Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) and Anne Boleyn (c1505-1536)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603) 7 September 1533 Palace of Placentia, Greenwich, England, United Kingdom 24 March 1603 Richmond Palace, Surrey, England, United Kingdom


Offspring of Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) and Jane Seymour (c1509-1537)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Edward VI of England (1537-1553) 12 October 1537 Hampton Court Palace, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom 6 July 1553 Greenwich Palace, Kent, England, United Kingdom


See Also

Bibliography

External Links

Ancestry Trees

Contemporary References

There are several contemporary references that provide insight into the life of Mary I of England. These include:

  1. The Chronicle of Queen Jane and Two Years of Queen Mary, written by John White in 1554-1556, which provides a firsthand account of the political and religious events of Mary's reign.
  2. The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe, commonly known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs, which documents the persecution of Protestants under Mary's reign.
  3. The letters and dispatches of Eustace Chapuys, the imperial ambassador to England during Mary's reign, which offer a unique perspective on Mary's marriage to Philip II of Spain and other key events.
  4. The State Papers, which contain official government documents and correspondence from Mary's reign, including letters to and from Mary herself.
  5. The writings of Mary's contemporaries, such as John Knox and William Cecil, who were involved in the religious and political conflicts of the time and provide their own perspectives on Mary's reign.

Citation: Life of Noble Queen

Here is a lengthy citation from the contemporary source, The Life of the Most Virtuous and Noble Queen, Mary Tudor, Daughter of Henry VIII by Nicholas Harpsfield, written in the mid-sixteenth century (original Latin). This passage provides a detailed account of Mary's birth, including the difficult circumstances surrounding her delivery and the disappointment that followed the death of her older sister. It also praises the virtues of Mary's mother, Catherine of Aragon, and suggests that these virtues played a role in the difficult birth.

"Post hanc (Catharinam) regina novo foetu gravidissima quinto, quam a principe Henrico filiam genuit, de qua tunc omnes magnas spes conceperant, ut et ipsa et regni unitas pacifice tenerentur, cum subita infantis morte spes illae collapsae sint. Infans autem post paucos dies, 12 mensis Februarii, hora quarta pomeridiana, tam misere est extractus in lucem, ut ab iis, qui in ipsa hora praesto aderant, non nisi morte concepi putaretur. Magna autem ex parte hoc accidisse credo, quod hanc tantopere gravaverat eximia, ac velut merito celebranda regina, matronarum virtus, integritas, et prudentia, quae ipsamque et foetum ad alenda, nutrita, et fovenda peperit."

Translation: "After Catherine, the queen, became pregnant for the fifth time, whom she bore a daughter from Prince Henry, from whom everyone had great hopes, so that both she and the unity of the kingdom would be peacefully maintained, those hopes collapsed with the sudden death of the infant. However, the child was born a few days later, on February 12, in the fourth hour of the afternoon, so miserably that those who were present at that time thought it had only been conceived through death. I believe that this happened largely because the remarkable, and deservedly celebrated queen, had been so heavily burdened by the virtues, integrity, and prudence of women, which had given birth to her and her child to be nourished and cherished."


Royal Succession Tables

Mary I of England (1516-1558)
Born: 18 February 1516 Died: 17 November 1558
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Edward VI or Jane
Queen of England and Ireland
1553–1558
with Philip (1554–1558)
Succeeded by
Elizabeth I
Royal titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Isabella of Portugal
Queen consort of Naples
Duchess consort of Milan

1554–1558
Vacant
Title next held by
Elisabeth of France
Queen consort of Spain, Sardinia and Sicily
Duchess consort of Burgundy

1556–1558


Footnotes



Footnotes (including sources)

Pmalish, Thurstan, Rtol, Phlox, Afil, MainTour


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