The Wild World of Tudor England

The Wild World of Tudor England Shakespeare: Art imitating Life?

FIRST WIFE OF HENRY VIII Married 1509 Annulment 1533 Daughter: Mary I Queen of England (1516-1558) Catherine of Aragon Image courtesy of Google

Could not conceive a male heir Henry looked outside the marriage for someone who could bear him a son … Things came to a head in 1533 when Anne Boleyn became pregnant (yikes) Marriage annulled against her wishes Catherine of Aragon

Married 1533 Executed 1536 Daughter: Elizabeth I Queen of England (1533-1603) Anne Boleyn Image courtesy of Google

Anne's enemies at court began to plot against Shortly before her execution, she was accused of adultery and her marriage to the King was dissolved and declared invalid. How she could have committed adultery if she had in fact never been married to the King? Anne Boleyn

Married 1536 Died in childbirth1537 Son: Edward VI, King of England (1537-1553) Jane Seymour Image courtesy of Google

Within 24 hours of Anne Boleyn's execution, Jane Seymour and Henry VIII were formally betrothed!! Unlike Henry's previous two Queens, Jane never had a coronation. (Perhaps the King was waiting for Jane to 'prove' herself by giving him a son.) The baby was named Edward. Jane Seymour

Married 1540 Annulment 1540 Anne of Cleves Image courtesy of Google

Henry VIII remained single for over two years after Jane Seymour's death Anne was a French aristocrat Henry was encouraged to marry for political reasons After the marriage had been dissolved, Anne accepted the honorary title as the 'King's Sister'. Anne of Cleves

Married 1540 Executed 1542 Kathryn Howard Image courtesy of Google

Sixteen days after he was free of Anne, Henry took his fifth wife, Kathryn Howard, on July 28, 1540. Henry was 49 and he bride was no older than 19 Less than a year into Kathryn's marriage, the rumors of her infidelity began… She was executed in 1542 Kathryn Howard

Married 1543 Survived Henry Catherine Parr Image courtesy of Google

Maud, Catherine’s mother was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon … Henry VIII died in January 1547 and Catherine remarried shortly thereafter. Catherine Parr

Mary I • Crown first went to Edward, Henry’s son • He died and there was heated debates on who should rule- Mary (daughter of Catherine of Aragon) had been reared in Scotland and Ireland and she was a practicing Catholic • Protestant leaders did NOT want her to rule.

Jane Grey • The true tragedy of Jane Grey is that her death was through no fault of her own, but of the unfortunate fact of her heritage and of her religion. • Her ambitious parents sought to keep a Protestant monarch • Four days after Edward's death on July 6, 1553, Jane was proclaimed Queen of England.

Jane Grey • However, Mary, who was the rightful heir to the throne according to Henry VIII's will, was gathering support … • She and her followers rode into London nine days later and imprisoned Jane and her supporters. Mary was the next Queen of England. • Jane and her husband were held in the Tower of London but were not executed until after a second ill-fated uprising in their name.

Bloody Mary • When Queen Mary began to act on her intention to restoring the Catholic faith in England. • To establish power, she ordered religious dissenters to be burned at the stake! • It was because of these burnings that the Queen gained the epitaph "Bloody Mary".

Elizabeth I • When Elizabeth came to the throne in 1558 she made England Protestant again. • Consequently she had many Catholic enemies who wanted to see her replaced by Mary Queen of Scots. Image courtesy of Google

Elizabeth I • Elizabeth faced opposition from Mary Queen of Scots, who had a strong and legitimate (especially in the eyes of Catholics) claim to the throne of England. • Elizabeth knew Mary was a threat, so she had her imprisoned for almost two decades and eventually ordered her execution.

Queen Elizabeth I • The later years of Elizabeth's reign are often referred to as a Golden Age • Religious Compromise • Arts flourish • Shrewd businesswoman

Elizabeth I • Elizabeth refused to marry • Died on March 24, 1603 • Succeeded by James I (James VI of Scotland), the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. • The Tudor dynasty ended and passed to the Stuarts. .

James VI/I • Son of Mary Queen of Scots and Henry Stuart. • Well educated • Author of the King James Bible • Very Religious

Works Referenced • http://tudorhistory.org/elizabeth/queen.html • http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/elizabeth_mary_queen_of_scots.htm • http://tudorhistory.org/wives/ • All images courtesy of Google Images

The Wild World of Tudor England