8-5QueenBeforeElizabeth

//Answer prepared by Michelle B.//**
 * Who was the queen before Elizabeth I and what was her legacy?

The queen before Elizabeth, although not as famous as her half sister Elizabeth, Mary Tudor also served as one of England’s Queens. She was the daughter of King Henry the 8th, and his first wife Katharine of Argon. Mary developed a great bitterness towards Elizabeth I when she was born, due to the fact that her mother Anne Boleyn was her father’s first mistress for whom he left her mother. Mary was then declared illegitimate, and was to be called “the Lady Mary ” which meant that she was asked to leave court. Mary’s mother Katharine was taken away, and Mary never was given the opportunity to see her during this time, but Mary strongly supported her. Her father had many wives, and one of them, Jane Seymour, wanted to reconcile the King with his daughters, and soon after she returned to court. After her father married a woman only six years older than her, she went through a very emotional time that made her so sick and close to losing her life that her father sent his own doctors to make sure she’s okay. Growing up though, Cardinal Wolsey raised Mary to value her Catholic beliefs. Generally, throughout Mary’s life her mother Katherine raised her, because her father often neglected her.

Throughout her life, her father had many wives, mistresses, and affairs, but one resulted in a son named Edward the 6th. After King Henry VIII died, Edward became King Edward VI, but unfortunately he also died, leaving the throne for nine days to Lady Jane Grey. Nine days later, Mary Tudor was finally proclaimed as Queen Mary I. Eleven years older than him, Mary marries Phillip II of Spain, who later on becomes King Phillip II of Spain. Although she hadn’t been close and she was accused of imprisoning Elizabeth and almost having her executed, Elizabeth after Queen Mary I dies of cancer in 1558 becomes the next Queen of England. As I learned from the website Elizabethan-Era on the Mary Tudor page, There was a rebellion led by Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger against Mary, and there were rumors stating that Elizabeth was involved in this, so that is why Mary locked her in the Tower.

While Mary was Queen, all anti-papal legislation that her brother and father had passed was repealed. She also revised heresy laws, which led to three years of persecutions. Three hundred Protestants were burned at the stake, which was what formed the name “Bloody Mary” for her. Mary was very adamant about bringing the Roman Catholic faith back into England, so that is why she prosecuted so many. Mary was Queen when they loss Calais, England’s last stronghold on the Continent which had symbolized glory and success in their past. With Elizabeth becoming the next Queen, Mary’s huge idea of quickly reforming the kingdom will soon be ended.

Best, Michael. "Mary Tudor." __Internet Shakespere Editions__. Nov 2005. 08 Mar 2009 .
 * Works Cited**

Chute, Marchette. //An Introduction to Shakespeare//. New York City: E.P. Dutton and Company, Inc, Print.

Halliday, F.E. //Shakespeare and his World//. 1. United States: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1979. Print.

unknown, "Elizabeth and Bloody Mary." __elixabethan-era__. unknown. 10 Mar 2009 .

unknown, "Mary Tudor-Bloody Mary." __elixabethan-era__. unknown. 08 Mar 2009 .