Mary I (1516-1558)

[Carin]

Her dad did screw her over by essentially making her a spinster, which is sad. If Henry had tried her could have married her to some minor French noble and had 5 grandsons by the time he died.

No need for a French noble. The answer to his heir problem was to the north.

Henry VIII should have arranged for Mary to marry James V of Scotland her cousin before he divorced Catherine. Mary and James could have had children, providing Henry with grandchildren plus adding the throne of Scotland to England. If from future marriages Henry had a son, no harm done, but his direct line could have continued through the Stewarts.

 

[Alison H]

A generation later, it was suggested that the future Edward VI could marry Mary, Queen of Scots, but the Scots weren't keen as they thought it'd mean an English takeover … but they said something along the lines of "If our lass were a lad and your lad were a lass", so maybe they'd have considered a marriage between James V and Mary. I'm not convinced, though: Scotland thought its best course of action was to stick to the Auld Alliance with France, so they wanted James to have a French bride.

Henry should have found Mary a husband, though. If he was worried about a foreign match, there were plenty of English dukes and earls with royal blood, given how many children Edward III had, and they wouldn't have been as bothered that her legitimacy was in doubt after Henry declared his marriage to Catherine invalid.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon was a cousin of Mary I and was himself a descendant of King Edward IV.He was imprisoned by Henry VIII but survived and a favourite of his cousin,queen Mary and also Roman Catholic.However Mary rejected his suit and married Philip II of Spain and the Earl was later implicated in plots against the queen and found himself once again in the Tower of London.He was later released and died in exile in Padua in 1556 aged just 29.

 

[Denville]

A generation later, it was suggested that the future Edward VI could marry Mary, Queen of Scots, but the Scots weren't keen as they thought it'd mean an English takeover … but they said something along the lines of "If our lass were a lad and your lad were a lass", so maybe they'd have considered a marriage between James V and Mary. I'm not convinced, though: Scotland thought its best course of action was to stick to the Auld Alliance with France, so they wanted James to have a French bride.

Henry should have found Mary a husband, though. If he was worried about a foreign match, there were plenty of English dukes and earls with royal blood, given how many children Edward III had, and they wouldn't have been as bothered that her legitimacy was in doubt after Henry declared his marriage to Catherine invalid.

I don't think that there was much prospect of Mary's marrying into Scotlnd.. but if she married an English nobleman that would be the very situation that henry wanted to avoid, soemthign that would stir up jealousy among the nobles... and infighting or even civil war.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

After Philip of Spain married Queen Mary I, he would be called "King of England". All official documents, including Parliamentary minutes, would be signed by both King Philip and Queen Mary.

 

[An Ard Ri]

That was for Mary's lifetime only, see the Act for the Marriage of Queen Mary to Philip of Spain below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_for_the_Marriage_of_Queen_Mary_to_Philip_of_Spain

Philip was also King of Ireland ; 25th of July 1554 –17th of November 1558

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Queen Mary I of England and the future King Philip II of Spain - 1554

When Holy Roman Emperor Charles V proposed that Queen Mary I marry his son and heir, the future Philip II, Mary was delighted to accept.
Parliament passed the Queen Mary's Marriage Act to limit Philip's powers in England.
On July 25, 1584, the wedding took place at Winchester Cathedral.
Queen Mary wore a purple satin wedding dress embroidered with pearls.

 

[Countessmeout]

Originally she was meant to marry his father. A contract was made when she was 6 years old and Charles was 22.

Charles eventually realized he couldn't wait and married another one of his cousins Isabella of Portugal (Charles' mother Juana, Mary's mother Catherine and Isabella's mother Maria were of course sisters). So instead it was his and Isabella's son who would eventually marry Mary.

In reality Charles was first considered as a husband for her Aunt and namesake Mary Tudor.

 

[Blog Real]

Article on the marriage of Queen Mary I and King Philip II of Spain.

www.thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2018/08/10/the-wedding-of-queen-mary-i-and-king-philip-ii-of-spain/amp/

 

[Durham]

Article on the marriage of Queen Mary I and King Philip II of Spain.

www.thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2018/08/10/the-wedding-of-queen-mary-i-and-king-philip-ii-of-spain/amp/

Very interesting! Winchester is a glorious cathedral. I can just imagine this scene in my mind's eye.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I might be wrong but I think it was one of only 2 Royal Wedding to take place at Winchester Cathedral the previous was in 1403 between Henry IV of England and Joan of Navarre.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that Winchester was considered to be the capital city in Tudor times whilst London was the main royal base.

 

[Sandy345]

Philip never loved Mary, he time away from her when she was besotted with him. She was unable to have children. She was in her late thirties and had some health problems by then.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that Winchester was considered to be the capital city in Tudor times whilst London was the main royal base.

Winchester was the capital I believe of the kingdom of Wessex but my understanding was after 1066 London was the capital?


I did wonder why Mary and Philip married at Winchester Cathedral.

 

[Alison H]

There was trouble in London at the time - Wyatt's Rebellion, against the Spanish marriage, had broken out. Assuming Philip landed at one of the Hampshire ports - which, coming from Spain, he probably did - then Winchester would have been fairly close by.

 

[An Ard Ri]

That would actually make more sense, the port of Southampton is very near.

 

[Hector Fenwick]

https://historystories123.blogspot.com/2021/02/mary-i-of-england-sweet-as-titular.html


Here is an interesting article about her.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

King Henry II of France said he would offer support to any Englishman who rose in revolt against the Spanish marriage of Philip II to Queen Mary I of England. There was a rebellion led by Sir Thomas Wyatt in 1554. This rebellion failed for general lack of support.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Queen Mary curing subject with royal touch
http://www.alamy.com/queen-mary-i-curing-subject-with-royal-touch-image352798708.html

 

[An Ard Ri]

King Henry II of France said he would offer support to any Englishman who rose in revolt against the Spanish marriage of Philip II to Queen Mary I of England. There was a rebellion led by Sir Thomas Wyatt in 1554. This rebellion failed for general lack of support.

You can read more on Wyatt's rebellion below
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyatt's_rebellion

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Engraving of Queen Mary I in "Historia Universal", 1883
http://www.alamy.com/queen-mary-i-of-england-engraving-image220226438.html

 

[Dantheman]

Hello all!! Such interesting posts! Mary is actually one of my favourite monarchs and I really feel sympathy for her. I think (and it’s just my opinion) that the Catholic faith became a intrinsic part of Mary’s identity both personally and professionally (as monarch) and she couldn’t separate who she was as a person from her faith. On a personal level it was hee faith that helped sustain her through a turbulent family life and she was the daughter of a Catholic couple - in her childhood Mary had parents who were devoted Catholics and this article https://www.bl.uk/sacred-texts/articles/henry-viii-and-the-reformation is one example of Henry’s catholic faith.

It was an ongoing trauma in relation to Mary and her faith and personal relationships- she and Edward became distant due to religious differences and obviously hee and Elizabeth had religious differences.

As a monarch Mary viewed herself as a Catholic monarch - obviously it would’ve better in the long term for Mary’s reputation if she had been more tolerant of religions but I think the same could be said of her brother Edward and that Edward’s strong religious views resulted in Mary retaliating as a monarch with strong religious views too.

Sorry for the long post - it’s just my opinion!!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Dantheman, Your post is excellent.
Princess/Queen Mary was Roman Catholic. She wanted to be faithful to Catholicism. How could she comprehend why her father wanted to divorce her mother who remained Catholic?

 

[An Ard Ri]

One of Queen Mary's first act as Monarch was to order to release of several high profile Roman Catholic who had been imprisoned under Edward VI.
These included the Duke of Norfolk ,the Bishop of Winchester and the Earl of Devon.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Queen Mary I, as a Roman Catholic, ordered the Royal Arms to be removed from churches and kept hidden away.
However, the features were brought back under her sister Queen Elizabeth I.

 

[Denville]

Dantheman, Your post is excellent.
Princess/Queen Mary was Roman Catholic. She wanted to be faithful to Catholicism. How could she comprehend why her father wanted to divorce her mother who remained Catholic?

Henry did not want a divorce. He wanted an annulment of his marriage to Cathrine. Mary unless she was a fool must have realised why her father wanted to end the marriage so that he could marry ANne Boleyn and have a son.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Queen Mary I, as a Roman Catholic, ordered the Royal Arms to be removed from churches and kept hidden away.
However, the features were brought back under her sister Queen Elizabeth I.

A lot of whitewashing went on with religious changes ,statues and images were removed under Edward VI and were restored under Mary I only to be purged again by Elizabeth I.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Engraving of Queen Mary I in "Historia Universal", 1883
http://www.alamy.com/queen-mary-i-of-england-engraving-image220226438.html

I'd imagine that was taken from a 16th Century Medal or Coin?

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Queen Mary I and Philip of Spain had a reign of co-monarchy.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Queen Mary I and Philip of Spain had a reign of co-monarchy.

That painting was painted at Woburn Abbey and was traditionally ascribed to Lucas de Heere.
(Lucas de Heere was a 16th Century Flemish painter)