BACKGROUND
Mary Tudor Background
Maternal grandparents = Isabelle + Ferdinand of Spain
How had Mary felt when Henry was in power:
Beginning = happy, mother + father happily married in a Catholic country where she was heir
Then v unhappy -> mother & her were exiled (CofA more so) and she was declared illegitimate
o She was sent to Hatfield to become a servant to young Elizabeth - daughter of Anne B
who had ruined everything for her
o She saw her mother once in 5 yrs
Country then became Protestant which worsened things
How had Mary felt under Somerset:
Somerset was not as extremely protestant - Edward was v young so didn’t have an autonomy
in decision making
M allowed to practice Mass in private
Relatively happy (in comparison)
Under Northumberland:
Much more protestant reform -> pressured into converting herself
She got support from Charles V
She was resentful so distrusted English Councilors
She therefore lent heavily on Simon Renard, the Habsburg's imperial ambassador -> reformers
were fearful of the Habsburgs which prevented them from taking action against Mary
Unhappy
Priorities/aims for Mary's
Setting a precedent of strength as 1st female Queen
Reinstate Catholicism
o Released Stephen Gardiner
o But stays lenient to opponents initially on advice of Charles V
Only Northumberland + 2 of closest confidants = executed
Achieve close alliance with Habsburgs - ensure national safety
Key dates
July 1553 Mary
proclaimed Queen
Jan 1554 Marriage
Treaty with Spain
Feb 1554 Wyatt
Rebellion
July 1554 Mary
married Philip of
Spain
Jan 1555 Papal
supremacy of Church
restored; Edwardian
reforms abolished
Feb 1555 First
executions of
Protestant heretics
Jan 1556 Philip
became King of Spain
Mar 1556 Execution of
, RELIGION
Upon taking the throne, Mary I (MI) failed to recognise that her country had undergone extreme
religious change for a generation and so altering direction of policy had to be done slowly and
cautiously. Instead she was impatient and interpreted her early support as the people wanting the
return of Catholicism. Dramatic policy reversal & her decision to marry Phillip II turned her
popularity into dislike.
Religious Reform
AIMS:
1. Reinstate traditional Catholicism
Included traditional services (mass, Black Rubric, Transubstantiation) doctrines and
ornaments into the church
o Provoked by childhood – raised by CofA, devout Catholic
o When H8 broke from Rome MI was horrified + saw it as sinful so was
determined to correct it
2. Regain relationship with Rome
Re-instate papal supremacy
3. Reclaim Church land
CHANGES IN LEGISLATION:
October 1553: First Act of Repeal
o Repealled all of E6’s reforms
o Doctrine restored to what it had been at H8’s death – advised not to go further at
this point
Nov 1554: Heresy laws restored
Jan 1555: Second Act of Repeal
o MI more confident with Cardinal Pole’s return in 1554 (exiled)
o Abolished all doctrinal legislation passed since 1529
o Included 1534 Act of Supremacy so reinstated papal Supremacy/authority
o Problem: didn’t include return of Church lands + property -> v complex + P used
consistently so MPs had a lot of power over religion – many MPs nobles who gained
the land so wouldn’t want to return it?
PROBLEMS MARY FACED:
Administrative failures:
Pole’s failures:
o He didn’t give ecclesiastical policy his full attention -> was focussing on seeking
peace between Hapsburgs + French
o His strategy relied on active involvement of Bishops but 6 sees wer left vacant for
most of reign
The new Pope was anti-Hapsburg
Government failed to recognise power of propaganda, litereature, printing
o Protestant writings etc outnumbered those that supported Mary’s policies
o Propaganda opportunities werent seized
Edwardian Bishops were still in their sees until April 1554
o They were driving force reforming clergy
Pope rejected help of Jesuits in 1555
BUT:
Some of the factors that Mary struggles with aren't completely in her control
Mary Tudor Background
Maternal grandparents = Isabelle + Ferdinand of Spain
How had Mary felt when Henry was in power:
Beginning = happy, mother + father happily married in a Catholic country where she was heir
Then v unhappy -> mother & her were exiled (CofA more so) and she was declared illegitimate
o She was sent to Hatfield to become a servant to young Elizabeth - daughter of Anne B
who had ruined everything for her
o She saw her mother once in 5 yrs
Country then became Protestant which worsened things
How had Mary felt under Somerset:
Somerset was not as extremely protestant - Edward was v young so didn’t have an autonomy
in decision making
M allowed to practice Mass in private
Relatively happy (in comparison)
Under Northumberland:
Much more protestant reform -> pressured into converting herself
She got support from Charles V
She was resentful so distrusted English Councilors
She therefore lent heavily on Simon Renard, the Habsburg's imperial ambassador -> reformers
were fearful of the Habsburgs which prevented them from taking action against Mary
Unhappy
Priorities/aims for Mary's
Setting a precedent of strength as 1st female Queen
Reinstate Catholicism
o Released Stephen Gardiner
o But stays lenient to opponents initially on advice of Charles V
Only Northumberland + 2 of closest confidants = executed
Achieve close alliance with Habsburgs - ensure national safety
Key dates
July 1553 Mary
proclaimed Queen
Jan 1554 Marriage
Treaty with Spain
Feb 1554 Wyatt
Rebellion
July 1554 Mary
married Philip of
Spain
Jan 1555 Papal
supremacy of Church
restored; Edwardian
reforms abolished
Feb 1555 First
executions of
Protestant heretics
Jan 1556 Philip
became King of Spain
Mar 1556 Execution of
, RELIGION
Upon taking the throne, Mary I (MI) failed to recognise that her country had undergone extreme
religious change for a generation and so altering direction of policy had to be done slowly and
cautiously. Instead she was impatient and interpreted her early support as the people wanting the
return of Catholicism. Dramatic policy reversal & her decision to marry Phillip II turned her
popularity into dislike.
Religious Reform
AIMS:
1. Reinstate traditional Catholicism
Included traditional services (mass, Black Rubric, Transubstantiation) doctrines and
ornaments into the church
o Provoked by childhood – raised by CofA, devout Catholic
o When H8 broke from Rome MI was horrified + saw it as sinful so was
determined to correct it
2. Regain relationship with Rome
Re-instate papal supremacy
3. Reclaim Church land
CHANGES IN LEGISLATION:
October 1553: First Act of Repeal
o Repealled all of E6’s reforms
o Doctrine restored to what it had been at H8’s death – advised not to go further at
this point
Nov 1554: Heresy laws restored
Jan 1555: Second Act of Repeal
o MI more confident with Cardinal Pole’s return in 1554 (exiled)
o Abolished all doctrinal legislation passed since 1529
o Included 1534 Act of Supremacy so reinstated papal Supremacy/authority
o Problem: didn’t include return of Church lands + property -> v complex + P used
consistently so MPs had a lot of power over religion – many MPs nobles who gained
the land so wouldn’t want to return it?
PROBLEMS MARY FACED:
Administrative failures:
Pole’s failures:
o He didn’t give ecclesiastical policy his full attention -> was focussing on seeking
peace between Hapsburgs + French
o His strategy relied on active involvement of Bishops but 6 sees wer left vacant for
most of reign
The new Pope was anti-Hapsburg
Government failed to recognise power of propaganda, litereature, printing
o Protestant writings etc outnumbered those that supported Mary’s policies
o Propaganda opportunities werent seized
Edwardian Bishops were still in their sees until April 1554
o They were driving force reforming clergy
Pope rejected help of Jesuits in 1555
BUT:
Some of the factors that Mary struggles with aren't completely in her control
