Mary I

• Crowned after a 9 day coup failed as navy and council declared loyalty to Mary: shows that her rightful position to the succession was accepted.

  • sent Lady Jane Grey and Northumberland to the tower to be executed.
• Protestants who refused to renounce faith were burnt at the stake - a symbol of purifying faith and in total 289 protestants burnt.
• Married Phillip of Spain in 1554, but parliament drew up the marriage treaty which gave

  • Phillip the title of king but with no power
  • no foreigners to hold English offices
  • If Mary died, Phillip could not succeed her
• Mary had phantom pregnancies in 1554 and 1557
• According to the succession act, elizabeth was next but mary did not like her due to her mother who caused Catherin's divorce.
• Phillip was instrumental in persuading mary to accept elizabeth as her heir as there were more concerns over Mary Queen of scots taking the throne.
• 1553- First act of repeal:

  • Doctrine and order of service restored
  • all of Edward's changes were removed
  • Clergy who married were deprived of their livings
• 1555- Second act of repeal:

  • abolished all doctrinal legislation from 1529
  • Removed act of supremacy and restored papal supremacy
• Income tax introduced in 1550 to pay off debts left by Henry VIII
• The Duke of Suffolk was executed on the orders of Mary, but he had been involved with Wyatt's rebellion
• In 1553, Mary became Queen and she restored Catholicism as the official religion of England. She reintroduced the Mass and brought back the Pope's authority. This led to many Protestants being executed.
• Mary also tried to restore the power of the monarchy by removing some of the powers that Parliament had gained during the reign of Henry VIII. However, this caused tension between Mary and Parliament.
• Mary's marriage to Philip II of Spain further alienated English Catholics because they saw him as an outsider trying to impose his will on them. Additionally, Mary's decision to marry without consulting Parliament or the people of England added fuel to the fire of anti-Spanish sentiment.
• Mary faced opposition from her own government officials, including John Dudley (Earl of Warwick) and William Paget (Lord Privy Seal). They believed that they could control Mary and use her to further their own interests.
• William Paget (Lord Privy Seal) was another influential figure in Mary's court. He opposed Mary's attempts to increase royal power and instead favored a more limited role for the monarch.