Reply #106: Mary Tudor, Elizabeth and Edward's older sister,

[SheilaT]

was born in 1516 February something, can't remember the exact date. She was the only one of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon's children to survive infancy.

Edward became King when Henry died on January 28, 1547. An interesting point of history is that Henry's father, Henry VII was born on January 28, 1457. The father was born and the son died exactly ninety years apart. Anyway, Edward never ruled in his own right, but had a Protector, first his uncle Edward Seymour, and then when Edward was ousted in what was essentially a palace coup, by John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. Dudley was enormously ambitious, and married his youngest son Guilford to Lady Jane Grey, a great granddaughter of Henry VII, great niece of Henry VIII. When Edward died on July 6, 1553, Dudley saw to it that the news of the death was withheld from the public for several days so that he could place Jane on the throne. Jane was exactly the now dead Edward's age, in in childhood the possibility of the two marrying was considered. However, the average English person truly hated Dudley, knew perfectly well that Mary belonged on the throne, rose up, overthrew Dudley and his minions. Dudley was executed on August 22, 1553, Jane the following February.

In the beginning Mary was extremely popular, permitted religious tolerance, and even though she reinstated Catholicism as the official religion, most people were quite happy with her. Unfortunately, she fell in love with and married her Spanish cousin Phillip II of Spain. Phillip was the one who encouraged her to enforce Catholicism in England and pretty much bring the Spanish Inquisition to the country. Twice Mary was convinced she was pregnant, but she never was. Both times were what can be called "hysterical pregnancies", and by the second one had probably gone through menopause. Mary died on November 17, 1558. I understand that for a hundred years that date was a national holiday.

An excellent source is the Carrolly Erickson book Bloody Mary.