Bloody Mary and "The Virgin Queen"
"Bloody Mary and the "Virgin Queen"
Mary and Elizabeth Tudor were both, by all accounts, strong and intelligent women endowed with many of the qualities that mark a successful ruler. However, only Elizabeth's legacy is a positive one; her reign has been called the "Golden Age" of England, and she remains a heroine in popular history and even modern film. Mary's reign is scowled at, and seen by most as a brief unpleasant period preceding the glorious ascension of Elizabeth. To account for this, one can examine each sovereign's maternal influences, governing styles, and choices regarding marriage.
Maternal Influence Mary's mother, Katherine of Aragon, has been described as a "staunch woman of misguided principles" (Weir 3). Betrothed to the English prince Arthur at the age of three, and sent from her homeland of Spain during adolescence, Katherine was accustomed to unquestioningly following the orders of her father (Weir 22). This was the normal course for a woman of that day, and Katherine remained obedient and subservient, in most meaningful ways, to men all her life. She admired her mother, Isabella, as the "supreme example of Christian queenship" and piety, and sought to emulate her (Weir 20). During her widowhood following Arthur's death only 6 months into their marriage, Katherine became "the pawn of ambitious men" determined to use her availability to serve their own political interests (Weir 51). Eventually, it was decided that Katherine should marry Henry VIII, the new heir to the English throne. Upon this marriage, Katherine adopted the motto "Humble and Loyal", which fairly accurately described her behavior through their alliance, which was plagued by Henry's well-known infidelity (Weir 81, 107). She took comfort in her daughter, Mary, whom she made certain received the very best religious instruction, as befitted a future Catholic queen (127). When Henry sought an annulment of their marriage in order to re-marry and perhaps father a male heir,
Mary and Elizabeth Tudor were both, by all accounts, strong and intelligent women endowed with many of the qualities that mark a successful ruler. However, only Elizabeth's legacy is a positive one; her reign has been called the "Golden Age" of England, and she remains a heroine in popular history and even modern film. Mary's reign is scowled at, and seen by most as a brief unpleasant period preceding the glorious ascension of Elizabeth. To account for this, one can examine each sovereign's maternal influences, governing styles, and choices regarding marriage.
Maternal Influence Mary's mother, Katherine of Aragon, has been described as a "staunch woman of misguided principles" (Weir 3). Betrothed to the English prince Arthur at the age of three, and sent from her homeland of Spain during adolescence, Katherine was accustomed to unquestioningly following the orders of her father (Weir 22). This was the normal course for a woman of that day, and Katherine remained obedient and subservient, in most meaningful ways, to men all her life. She admired her mother, Isabella, as the "supreme example of Christian queenship" and piety, and sought to emulate her (Weir 20). During her widowhood following Arthur's death only 6 months into their marriage, Katherine became "the pawn of ambitious men" determined to use her availability to serve their own political interests (Weir 51). Eventually, it was decided that Katherine should marry Henry VIII, the new heir to the English throne. Upon this marriage, Katherine adopted the motto "Humble and Loyal", which fairly accurately described her behavior through their alliance, which was plagued by Henry's well-known infidelity (Weir 81, 107). She took comfort in her daughter, Mary, whom she made certain received the very best religious instruction, as befitted a future Catholic queen (127). When Henry sought an annulment of their marriage in order to re-marry and perhaps father a male heir,
Cited: Erickson, Carolly. Bloody Mary St. Martins Griffin: New York, 1978. Erickson, Carolly (2). The First Elizabeth St. Martins Griffin: New York, 1983. Weir, Alison. The Six Wives of Henry VIII Grove Press: New York, 1991.