Queen regnant -
● Mary had no precedent for her role as queen regnant - monarch in her own right not
through her husband
● Many people did not like the idea of being ruled by a woman
● Reflects strength of patriarchal ideas in society
Mary ministers -
● Following plot to change line of succession, Mary did not have many allies in the Privy
Chamber
● Gardiner a catholic who had been imprisoned during Edward became a key advisor to
her ; made bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor
Aims -
● Restore catholicism to England
Early years -
● Daughter of H8 and Catherine
● Received thorough education
● Deemed illegitimate after parents divorce
● Reluctantly recognised father as head of church
● Always remained catholic
Privy council -
● Increased size of council and included more catholics also included experienced
moderates from Edward - Paget
● Became increasingly important especially managing day to day business of her
government
● Did not consult council over her marriage but turned to Charles V’s ambassador, relkued
on him heavily for advice
Papal supremacy -
● Heresy laws restored 1554 by Act of Repeal
● Denying papal supremacy heresy punishable by death
● Act of supremacy passed 1555
● Meant papal supremacy over English church restored
● Following this protestants persecuted
● Cranmer arrested
● 284 protestants executed
● Protestants burned at the stake became martyrs
● Why Mary called Bloody Mary
Relations with parliament -
● Mary’s religious legislation passed through parliament although a significant minority of
MPs opposed it
● Mary had no precedent for her role as queen regnant - monarch in her own right not
through her husband
● Many people did not like the idea of being ruled by a woman
● Reflects strength of patriarchal ideas in society
Mary ministers -
● Following plot to change line of succession, Mary did not have many allies in the Privy
Chamber
● Gardiner a catholic who had been imprisoned during Edward became a key advisor to
her ; made bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor
Aims -
● Restore catholicism to England
Early years -
● Daughter of H8 and Catherine
● Received thorough education
● Deemed illegitimate after parents divorce
● Reluctantly recognised father as head of church
● Always remained catholic
Privy council -
● Increased size of council and included more catholics also included experienced
moderates from Edward - Paget
● Became increasingly important especially managing day to day business of her
government
● Did not consult council over her marriage but turned to Charles V’s ambassador, relkued
on him heavily for advice
Papal supremacy -
● Heresy laws restored 1554 by Act of Repeal
● Denying papal supremacy heresy punishable by death
● Act of supremacy passed 1555
● Meant papal supremacy over English church restored
● Following this protestants persecuted
● Cranmer arrested
● 284 protestants executed
● Protestants burned at the stake became martyrs
● Why Mary called Bloody Mary
Relations with parliament -
● Mary’s religious legislation passed through parliament although a significant minority of
MPs opposed it
