Henry VII l Henry VIII l Edward VI l Mary I l Elizabeth I l
( Lady Jane Grey reigned as Queen for just 9 days.)

• Born: 18 February 1516
  Greenwich Palace
• Proclaimed Queen: 19 July 1553
  St. Paul's Cathedral, London
• Coronation: 1 October 1553
  Westminster Abbey
• Daughter of Henry VIII and Catharine of Aragón.
• Married Philip (Spanish).
• No Children.
• Died: 17 November 1558
  St. James's Palace
• Buried: 14 December 1558
  Westminster Abbey

Mary I was the first Queen Regnant (that is, a queen reigning in her own right rather than a queen through marriage to a king).

Mary was the eldest daughter of Henry Vlll by his first wife Katherine of Aragon. She was named after Henry's favourite sister, Mary Tudor (the 'Tudor Rose'). Mary was born just before dawn on Monday 18 February 1516 in Greenwich Palace.

Mary came to the throne after contesting the 14 day reign of the uncrowned Lady Jane Grey, grandaughter of Mary Tudor, who had been named by Edward Vl as his successor.

Religion

Mary was a committed Catholic. When she came to the throne she vowed to return England to Rome and Catholicism. Mary reunited the English Church with Rome and in 1555 banned English translations of the Bible.

Why is Mary l called Bloody Mary?

She is known as Bloody Mary because of the numbers of people who were executed for being Protestants. Mary burned nearly three hundred Protestants at the stake when they refused to give up their religion.

Appearance

Mary was short and slender, with a rosy-cheeked complextion and large hazel eyes. She had golden, bright auburn hair.

Marriage

Mary made herself even more unpopular by marrying Philip of Spain and losing Calais, England's last possession in France. They had no children.

Hobbies

Mary enjoyed riding and hunting and liked to be painted with her Italian Greyhounds at her feet. She was very musical. She played the virginals from the age of three and also the regals and lute.

Mary was well educated, she could read Greek and Latin, understood Italian and spoke Latin, French and Aragonese Spanish.

Death

Mary died in the early morning of 17 November 1558. She was buried in Henry Vll's chapel, Westminster Abbey.

Who was the next King or Queen?

Mary's sister Elizabeth, inherited the throne.

Henry VII l Henry VIII l Edward VI l Mary I l Elizabeth I l
( Lady Jane Grey reigned as Queen for just 9 days.)