Mary I crisis of royal authority

• What evidence is there that factional rivalry did cause a crisis in royal authority for Mary?

  - In Mary's **2nd Parliament** Paget and his supporters blocked **15** bills proposed by Gardiner

  - At the **3rd Parliament** nearly a **quarter** of all eligible peers stayed away from the entire session - **106 members missing**
• What evidence is there that factional rivalry did NOT cause a crisis in royal authority?

  - At Mary's **1st Parliament, Acts of Repeal** were passed which enforced Mary's Catholic views and were opposed by only **80 out of 359**

  - At the **5th Parliament** Lords and Commons were able to unite to raise taxes to fund the war with France e.g. **Act for the Taking of Musters & Act for House Armour and Weapons**
• What evidence is there that the Spanish marriage did cause a crisis in royal authority?

  - Philip demanded Mary's help in the Hapsburg-Valois conflict. Mary joined and this resulted in the **loss of Calais**

  - Calais had been in English hands since **1347** and was England's **last French territory** this surrender was a humiliating defeat and gave Protestant propagandists a failure to capitalise on
• What evidence is there that the Spanish marriage did NOT cause a crisis in royal authority?

  - In **March 1557** Philip came to England to ask Mary for funds, troops, and naval support and **Mary refused**

  - Mary only joined the war after **Henry II** started **openly tolerating English Protestant exiles** thus implying she went in out of her own religious convictions rather than pressure from Philip
• How did Mary's gender limit her royal authority?

  - There was no precedent for a **queen regnant** (last queen being Queen Matilda of the 12th Century)

  - She was already **37 years old** so producing a legitimate catholic heir to secure a dynasty would be difficult if not impossible

  - When a woman got married, even a queen, she was expected to submit any power to her husband - anxieties over an English noble family or foreign king taking power
• How did the Marriage Treaty ensure Mary's gender wouldn't be an issue?

  - Gave Philip no claim to the throne in the event of Mary's death

  - Philip received the title of 'king' but possessed no sovereign authority in his own right

  - He was not allowed to promote foreigners to hold office in England
• What evidence suggests Mary's accession revealed a crisis in royal authority?

  - Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed queen

  - Many important people including the **Lord Chancellor, Privy Councillors, Lord Mayor of London** signed the devise saying that Mary was not to inherit the throne

  - **Northumberland was executed** on the **22nd August** showing his threat had to be taken seriously
• What evidence suggests Mary's accession did NOT reveal a crisis in royal authority?

  - Many people were apprehensive to sign the devise and only did so after being **forced by Northumberland**

  - Lady Jane Grey was made queen **against her will**

  - The devises were not legally binding whereas the **Third Act of Succession** was **statute**