Mary I

1516-1558, daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Devout Catholic who wanted to save her country from the eternal sin of leaving the Church of Rome but could not convince her subjects of the benefits of Catholicism. Also known as "Mary Tudor" or "Bloody Mary". Not to be confused with the other Catholic Mary, Mary Queen of Scots.

Mary became Queen after her brother Edward had died at the age of 16, reigning from 1553 to 1558. Her devotion to Catholicism was even more emphasized when she married King Philipp II of Spain, a ruler strongly believing in Catholicism. However, their marriage was not a very happy one since Philipp did not seem to feel love and affection towards his Queen. Apart from that, the marriage remained without children and Philipp went back to Spain and left Mary alone in England [this was nothing uncommon. Marrying for love was a concept that most people did not believe in, least of all monarchs who married for political and dynastic reasons].

Her nickname Bloody Mary came into existence because of the prosecutions and executions of about 300 Protestants during her reign. These prosecutions and also her marriage with King Philipp II of Spain made her even more unpopular with the English people.

Mary experienced more sorrows when England lost its last bastion in France – Calais. She died on November 17, 1558, shortly after this loss. Shortly before her death she was reconciled with her sister Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth I, who she had considered one of her adversaries earlier.

Sources

Mountfield, David. Kleine Geschichte Großer Nationen. Großbritannien. Nyon: Media Books, 1976.

Williams, Brenda and Brian. Kings & Queens. Andover: Jarrold Publishing, 2007.