The story of Bloody Mary the first Queen of England Mary Tudor

Mary Tudor was the first crowned Queen of England from 1553. As a child, her father — Henry VIII — Mary called "the most beautiful jewel in the crown", doted on and protected the girl. But this is until, while on his way not met a new love — spectacular Anna Bolena.

When Henry and Anne Boleyn were married, Maria literally left all alone, locked in the four walls of his chambers. Historians suggest that this childhood trauma has made the future Queen so cruel. However, if you dig in the life of "Bloody Mary" read more, you can find a lot of interesting things...

Mary I Tudor went down in history as one of the most cruel rulers of Europe. That is why the subjects gave it the nickname "Bloody Mary", which eventually became simply "Bloody Mary" (the drink?).

At home, the only daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon (the rest of their children died either during fetal development or shortly after birth) did not put any monument. Moreover, on the day of her death the country celebrate the feast of the ascension to the throne of Elizabeth I. Let's understand why "Bloody Mary" became "bloody" and what preceded it?

Mary's father Henry VIII

June 11, 1509, was a long awaited event — Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon were married in the chapel in Greenwich. In subsequent years, Catherine has successfully played the role of Ambassador of Spain, supporting the interests of his father. But its main purpose was the birth of an heir, so each pregnancy of the spouse of Henry VIII was waiting with thrill and excitement.

Why "each"? Because to conceive and bear children the first time the Queen has failed. 31 January 1510 she came premature birth that resulted in the birth of the dead girl. After that, belly Catherine has not decreased and the doctor concluded that her uterus is still another fruit. The woman was taken to special chambers for delivery, where she remained several months, but the miracle did not happen — the pregnancy was false.

Catherine Of Aragon

In the mid-1510 Catherine was pregnant again and on the first day of the new year gave birth to the king an heir. The boy was named Henry and has already granted him the title of Duke of Cornish, but after not even two months, the child suddenly died.

In 1513, Catherine had a miscarriage, and a year later another one. The Royal family have lost hope that this woman ever be able to produce an heir to the throne. And here in 1515 Catherine is pregnant again, and February 18, 1516 she gave birth to a daughter, called Mary.

Francis III

Henry was very disappointed with the birth of a girl, so I quickly organized the engagement a very young Princess with the Dauphin of France, Francis III. In this case the marriage contract included the condition that if the king was not born the heir to the throne after him is Maria. However, Henry is not pleased with the idea that the king of England can become a Frenchman, in the same way as the fact that the next Governor will be a woman, his daughter.

Hope for the appearance of the heir to the persisted until, until Catherine again there was another unsuccessful pregnancy (incidentally, the last). In that period the political situation in Europe was very tense. After meeting with Francis I Henry changed his mind about the continuation of allied relations with France and concluded a new Alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Accordingly, the engagement of the daughter of Mary and Francis were terminated. Now the girl became the bride of Charles, and the birth of their son on the English throne would have passed to him.

Henry and Anne Boleyn

But Henry still wasn't satisfied with this solution, as wanted, to the throne of the king of England passed to his son. The courtiers began to talk, that the king intends to reject the current spouse, after all, it is obvious that she is no longer capable of having children. In addition, during that period his attention was wholly absorbed in the lady-in-waiting Anne Boleyn. And it's not like all of his previous Hobbies (mistresses of the king there were many), it seemed that Henry is really in love and serious about you.

It was. In 1527 Henry decided to seek the invalidation of the marriage with Catherine. It was not so easy, because no compelling reason for this, other than statements of king that "their marriage is cursed" and the birth of dead children is "a sign of God."

The trial lasted until 1534 and still ended with the victory of Henry. 23 may their marriage with Catherine declared invalid, and already on may 28, his lawful wife was Anne Boleyn. All this time the daughter of Henry Maria watched the tense relations with parents, because to interfere in the Affairs of the state importance nobody was allowed.

Anne Boleyn

When Anne Boleyn officially became her stepmother, his own mother Catherine of Aragon was banished by order of the king, and the Mary — locked in a room, selecting a title, servants, costumes, decorations and dreams that once she takes the throne. In 1534, the Princess Mary declared "illegitimate daughter", born in "sinful cohabitation" of Henry with Catherine, and the only heir to the throne was the daughter of Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth.

But Mary by nature was a rebel and refused to accept this decision. She continued to consider herself a Princess, and heir to the throne, though not yet understood how she could Woo the father, who was completely absorbed in a new love.

Mary Tudor

Maria round the clock was in his quarters, to leave which she was banned. Servants brought her food and drinks, and then locked the door. Those who showed the slightest pity for the girl, Anne Boleyn was punished severely. Maria tried to convey through some subjects notes my once caring father, but none of them never reached the hands of Henry. However, even if reached, it is unlikely that make a difference.

Once Henry was so angry about the perseverance of the daughter that he decided to bring her and her mother to court to permanently solve the issue with the pesky past. However he was not a cruel ruler, to execute his own daughter he could not. Fortunately for Mary, she survived, but the emotions that she had to endure in those trying years, forever changed.

Edward VI, Henry VIII and Jane Seymour

In 1534, Anne Boleyn was pregnant again. Then Henry was looking forward to a long-awaited heir and literally showered his beloved with expensive gifts — jewellery, dresses, hats, horses, and other things. But a few months later the woman had a miscarriage and then she realized that the risk of losing the location of the ruler. "Bell" began a special relationship between Henry and the maid of honor to Queen Jane Seymour. She subsequently gave birth to the king's son Edward VI and became his third wife.

To marry Jane Seymour, Henry again went to the trick and accused her husband of allegedly cheating. When Anna ended his days on the scaffold, the relationship of king Henry and his first daughter Mary became a little better, though at that time it has accumulated enough resentment betrayed her father. With a new stepmother, Mary, too, was able to make friends and when she and her son died, she is very upset by this loss. However, fate rewarded Mary for her suffering after the death of his father and Edward, she became the first Queen of England.

The new Queen decided to prove to his already deceased father that he shouldn't doubt her, and she will be a great ruler of England, and in the future will be able to give the government a worthy successor. But here are the requirements to the spouse of Mary was so great that many courtiers furtively expressed doubts that she ever will marry.

By the way, most of Mary at the time was 38 years and the special beauty she was no different.

Philip Of Spain

All the courtiers realized that describing the man of her dreams, Maria implies widowed Spanish Philip, who was younger than her 11 years, and also was her great-nephew. Seeing his portrait for the first time, the Queen with trepidation asked, "whether the Prince was so good?". A personal meeting with Philip was finally given to understand that her heart is subdued.

Maria could spend hours discussing with the Prince of their future together and choose names for the heir. And Philip at that time only dreamed of, to the Queen as quickly as possible gave birth, and the father allowed him to return to Spain to local beauties. "If she died in childbirth...", — he secretly was thinking. Then Philip inherited the throne of England, while his successor would not have reached a certain age.

A few weeks later after the wedding, Maria said loving wife the good news — she's pregnant. However long to soar on the wings of happiness that it did not — the doctor said that by all outward signs, the pregnancy will end tragically, and her adored Philip grabbed her stuff and went to Spain on an emergency father. Promised to return but never came back... Maria had written him long letters, and received in response only meager words of gratitude along with a request to borrow a large sum.

Then Mary decided to devote himself entirely to Affairs of state and make England be what she always dreamed of. But just imagine what it means to give unlimited power to the woman in love with a broken heart! The whole of England at that time was sitting on a powder keg, and peace arises only in those rare moments when Philip had favored the unloved wife briefly stopped by to visit her.

It soon became clear that Maria is pregnant again, but the child was not destined to be born. Like last time, she was disappointed.

Elizabeth I

All their rage and anger at the unjust fate of Maria was sent to fight against the reformers, which several years ago had harassed her. Across the country one by one fires were lit. The Queen told me not to spare even those who have agreed to accept Catholicism. It lasted four years. Victims of religious persecution hundreds of people, and to end the brutal rule could only the death of Maria.

In the autumn of 1558, the year she became ill with fever and in the same year died. After her death the throne was occupied by the daughter of Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth, who later went down in history as a courageous reformer and a talented ruler. When in 1603 she died and she was podzakonnye in the grave of a half-sister, who is in Westminster Abbey. On the shared tombstone of the inhabitants of the country erected the only statue of the beloved Queen Elizabeth I.