It seems only fitting to end the Year of Mary I with an article on her posthumous reputation. The blackening of Mary’s name began in her sister’s reign, although John Knox was the first to attack her during her lifetime in his best-known pamphlet The first blast of the trumpet against the monstrous regiment of women. [read more]
The fact that the English Civil War led to the execution of King Charles I in January 1649 is well known, as is the restoration of his eldest son as Charles II eleven years later. But what happened to the king’s six surviving children is far less familiar. Casting new light on the heirs of [read more]
Marking the 500th year anniversary of the birth of Queen Mary I in 1516, this book both commemorates her rule and rehabilitates and redefines her image and reign as England’s first queen regnant. In this broad collection of essays, leading historians of queenship (or monarchy) explore aspects of Mary’s life from birth to reign to [read more]
Mary’s body had lain in state at St. James’s Palace until 13 December 1558. Her successor Elizabeth was determined to give her a funeral worthy of a Queen and the final bill came to a staggering £2 million in today’s currency. Mary’s coffin was draped in cloth of gold to begin its journey to Westminster Abbey. [read more]
In January 1558, there were again rumours of a pregnancy for Mary. It had been eight months since Mary had seen her husband, Philip, but she held firm that she was pregnant. She wrote a will at the end of March, ‘thinking myself to be with child in lawful marriage between my said dearly beloved [read more]
The question of Mary’s marriage arose before she was even in London. Mary would have been happy to remain single, and a virgin, but she wished to secure the succession with a Catholic heir. She did consider several English contenders, but in the end, she could not marry a subject. She would marry Philip of [read more]
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