That, and keeping Mary from contact with her mother over an extended time period, even when it became apparent Katherine was dying. So cruel to deprive her of the comfort of being with her mother and of the opportunity to say goodbye. I wonder how Mary psychologically came to terms with such cruelty on the part of Henry.
Along with refusing to allow her to marry at a young age and possibly have children. That monster ruined her life plus his own lineage. If Mary had married young and had at least one child there would have been an heir in the next generation.
Mary's personality reflected a lot of that of her maternal grandmother, Queen Isabella of Spain, also. She came from a long line of courageous but religiously fervent women.
My take is that I think she was all but incapable due to her ordeal and the abuse she and her mother suffered. Mary failed to sow religious peace in the kingdom where Elizabeth succeeded, because she was forced to be bitterly and dogmatically disposed to her faith, when, during her young life, it was all she had to cling to. They didn't call her Bloody Mary for nothing. All very sad.
There is an interesting recurring theme in Henry's relationships. Persons who had fallen out with him felt that matters could be repaired if they saw him in person. It seems significant that Anne Boleyn did not want Henry to meet with his daughter in person and sent Cromwell along to meet her instead. Yet, when Henry saw her, and her seeming gesture of submission, he softened enough to salute her. It also seems significant that Mary's requests to write directly to her father, the King, were also continually denied. People around Henry must have recognized some soft spot or sentimentality in him that could make it problematic or even dangerous if a person out of favor had a chance to meet him. Great video, Claire!
Thanks Claire for sharing this with us. I’ve always felt that there is much more to Mary as a person. All the adversities she endured definitely had a negative effect on her physically & emotionally. Even so, she was a survivor, a strong woman who had strength of character.
Thank you Claire 😊 Always love hearing about Mary, one of my fav Tudor figures, a misunderstood, pigeonholed woman and Queen who I have a lot of sympathy for. Just to think, had Mary not been put through all that pain, strain and heartache, she couldve led a fuller, more contented life with a lengthy, more positive and fruitful reign ❤ 🕊️ 👑
"Hello" Shane 👋 and not surprised to see you comment here, as I know that Mary is one of your favourite Tudor Monarchs and people. I enjoyed reading your comment too! 👏👏👏
@@Lyndell-P Hey Lynnie 👋 I always try and leave a comment regardless, even if it's just a 'thank you' or an emoji. Nice to be nice as you always are. I always look out for and enjoy reading your comments too, when you decide to leave one, be it long or short! 😂 And of course it's a treat when you add emojis too especially the Aussie themed ones 🦘 😍
@@Shane-Flanagan "Hello" 👋 again Shane. I just woke up (just after 7am here in rural Victoria, Australia) òn Saturday morning, to find your lovely comment. I love it 🥰 when I'm called "Lynnie" as called this by many family and close friends, and although I like my name of Lyndell, I am also called a 'variation' (of Lyndell) when in trouble (as a child) and at other times etc. 😉🤭 LOL 🤣 Anyway! Just thought I'd send you a few 'Aussie themed' emojis - just for you 🇭🇲 🦘🐨🦜🦎🐸🐢🐊🦎🦈🐬🦋🐞including our snakes🐍and flies🪰and mosquitoes 🦟 and spiders 🕷🕸 (some spider webs 🕸 I leave be, in the summer months as they are good at catching pesky mosquitoes 🦟 and flies 🪰) then other other bugs like ants 🐜 bees 🐝 and other variations of "all creatures great and small". I had 'other' Aussie animals in mind too, but I just don't have emojis for them, like the Platypus, Echidna, and Tasmanian Devil (not to be confused with the Tasmanian Tiger that became extinct only in the early 1900s when the last one died in captivity). I'll zip it now 🤐😉 and give you some peace and quiet. Hope you enjoy your weekend! love from your Aussie friend, Lynnie 😁🤗
@@Lyndell-P Rise and shine Lyndell 🌅 🌞 Furthermore, If I may boldly ask, how do you spell your equally lovely surname again? 🤔 One of the many gifts (I'm sure) bestowed upon you by your loving Bob upon your blessed and blissful union many moons ago. I miss seeing your surname accompanying lovely first name. Both unusual names in my neck of the woods 😊
Henry's behavior toward Mary was worse than just mere bullying... he struck not only at her position as a princess and sometime heir to the throne, but at her very identity as the legitimate daughter of a recognized long-term royal marriage. One would think that Henry, who considered himself such an enlightened monarch, might have realized that a strong sovereign didn't have to be male - he had the recent example of the successful reign of his own mother-in-law, Queen Isabel of Castile, to demonstrate that fact. Mary inherited a great deal of strength from both sides of her family. I really think that if Henry had trusted her to be his heir, treated her decently, and allowed her to marry at an age when she would have had a better chance of bearing an heir of her own, posterity would have remembered Mary as a successful and generous Queen. There are records of her liberality toward the poor of her realm that speak well of her.
Mary was eleven, when Henry started to seek his marriage annulment. It’s a very vulnerable age: just about to be married , yet her youth years were wasted on her father’s turmoil. It must have been very painful she couldn’t be married and fulfilled her destiny as a woman, mother and wife. Elisabeth’s never known any different , so it was easier for her to say: I’m married to my kingdom.
🇭🇲 I believe that King Henry VIII's treatment of Mary's mother (and of Mary herself) MUST HAVE had a huge influence on the woman and the monarch that Mary grew up to be! Not forgetting that Mary had always thought it was Anne Boleyn who had torn her from her father, until Anne fell from favour, was beheaded (murdered) but nothing much changed for Mary. So, Mary then realising that it had been her father's doing regarding her mother and herself (and not Anne Boleyn's). Of course, later rejoining court as the King's much loved daughter, but the psychological damage was already done. Wasn't it? I do realise that being a Catholic had alot to do with who Mary was too; but all that Mary had been through couldn't be undone! Could it? A very interesting and informative account of what did (and might) have influenced Mary. I have nothing to add, as 'others' have so well said - what they think too! "Thank you" so much Claire xx
Another interesting video 💜 I too believe that Mary was heavily affected by her father's poor treatment of her. I wonder if Henry ever spared a thought for his daughter, even for a moment, to consider the immense upset he was causing her? Probably not. Henry blew hot and cold, one minute you're in and the next you're out. It's unnerving behaviour... What would have happened to Mary if she still refused to sign the submission to her father? I dread to think...
Interesting that Mary chose to believe Elizabeth (when accused of treachery), free her, allow her to follow her Protestant faith, and then accept that a Protestant would, in fact, rule after her own death. It's not consistent with the tenet that religion was the ultimate driving force in Mary's life. But then, what was? Was it family above religion when most of her life was about putting religion above family?
I think it's consistent with her wanting to follow her father's wishes in his will. He named her after Edward and then Elizabeth. I think Mary was very concerned with doing what was right and proper.
Thank you, Claire!! Years ago, I read “A Child Called It.” The boy in the story was horrifically abused by his mother and she facilitated his abuse by others; yet, he still wanted her love and acceptance. After what that mother put her son through I was totally surprised he still wanted her love. Back to Mary: she was dependent on Henry. What choices did she have but to survive the best way she knew how-through prayer, her faith, and support from a few people she could trust. I do think her physical health suffered because of the mental anguish she must have endured. When we’re young we don’t have life experiences and critical thinking skills to figure out what is going on around us. We try to figure it out the best we can. Our mind, body, and Spirit are all impacted by our environment. Mary coped the best way she could. I think Mary’s menstrual problem could be diagnosed today as premenstrual dysphoric disorder. I used to refer to it as Wicked PMS before there was such a diagnosis. Being alienated from her mother was cruel for both of them. It must have been such a relief when she was finally back at Court and in her father’s good graces. But even then she had to know that could all change again. I think her phantom pregnancy must have been psychosomatic. After all she’d witnessed re: the importance of a male heir and how that could save her throne, she must have desperately wanted a son. I’m not sure I’d want to live in the Tudor times even if I was nobility! Since being introduced to your channel, I’ve studied a lot of Tudor history. I have so much more respect for Queen Catherine. She was born to be Queen and was magnificent in this role. It would have never occurred to her that Henry would banish her from Court and keep her daughter from her. Why couldn’t a female be a Queen? Catherine’s mother was a Queen! Why would Catherine ever have reason to believe Henry would abandon her? 😊That Catherine died from some type of heart disease must have resulted from her broken and aching heart. (PS: I wouldn’t recommend the book I mentioned at the beginning of this post if abuse is triggering for you. I think the book was made into a movie but I haven’t watched it.)
She was a survivor of abuse. In a world where Queen consorts could be put aside or executed, on the King's whim, she must have known how precarious her position had become. Nobody was safe. Survival made her tough enough to claim the throne, but she remained terribly insecure, as I see it. The marriage to Philip was a mistake, which only increased her insecurity. I wonder what would have happened if she'd married some lesser Prince? She would probably still have died from her same illness, but maybe she would have died a happier, and more popular, monarch?
Yes certainly agree that Mary's strength throughout her life is very admirable, given everything she went through earlier in life.. And then Elizabeth also likely learned from observing Mary's reign, and the decisions she made, which she (Elizabeth) then applied to her own reign..
Henry VIII was a "transactional" parent. He didn't care what the impact of his behavior. He was all consumed with his agenda. As for seeing himself "God's own appointed" never saw the Queen Anne as the same, despite her coronation. Unfortunately, we see this parenting today. It's heartbreaking.
I've always felt very sorry for Mary, with her many problems of health, family, royal status, religious legal status, and courtly issues. What a lot to go through, especially a princess who was born with an assumed relatively predictable trajectory in life. She was an extremely strong person. Thank you for an honest video of her that leaves out the sensationalism of the propaganda that damaged her historically and the misogyny that often follows discussions of her. As regnant, Mary showed an uncommon amount of leniency towards her political enemies, maybe as if she were trying to heal familial wounds. Her show of fervor against heretics, while awful, was not more severe than the hunting of heretics of other monarchs past and her contemporaries. Even though routing out heretics was fashionable for the time, I can't help but think that the mistreatment from her father and her brother, which left her with nothing else to cling to except for her religion, had a profound affect on her response in trying to turn the nation back to Catholicism, which after her brother's Puritanical cancelling of things fun and festive, many people did actually want. 👸
This my favorite part of history. It had to affect her, I think that is why she burned so many & was called Bloody Mary. The stress probably didn't help with the cancer 😢
I love these videos and appreciate the complex perspectives that you present. However, I am a firm believer that Catherine of Aragon was the most dedicated, loyal, educated, smart and self-sacrificed out of Henry’s wives, and faced such a cruel and undeserved faith. This affected Mary deeply.
I believe Mary's sudden change of circumstance following the birth of Elizabeth did affect both her personality and future judgement. For me, her swift reaction after Edward's death demonstrates a familiarity of how fast the wheel of fortune can turn. Also, could it be that part of her reasoning behind the persecutions of the Counter Reformation stemmed, not only from an intense determination to return England to the 'true' religion... but to the religion 'of her childhood'? However, that being said, I find it puzzling (or perhaps admirable) that at no time, despite the feelings Mary must have held for Elizabeth in the past, did she make any move to alter the line of succession. Many thanks Claire, this was another really enjoyable broadcast.
A lot of Catherine’s (and therefore Mary’s) resilience, strength and hard headed personality came from Isabella queen of Spain, Isabella was queen of Castille in her own right after FIGHTING, and I mean FIGHTING to sit on that throne and her husband Ferdinand king of Aragon was only king consort of Castille, while they worked throughout their lives as a team she made it very clear when she married him that she wouldn’t just give up Castille to him and that he was only to be consort just as she was only consort to Aragon, Isabella wasn’t intimidated by the men in her life. When you look at Isabella’s life, actions and personality a lot of Catherine’s actions start to make sense: how well she handled herself when Henry trusted her as a regent, her involvement in the battle of Flodden, her overall competence as a queen, with the mother she had I’m sure she didn’t have the same hangs up Henry did about not having sons, she probably truly believed Mary could do a perfectly fine job in being a queen in her own right just like Isabella and I’m also sure the memory of her mother and having been raised seeing a competent woman ruling only drove her to fight harder for Mary’s legitimacy and position, she may have truly believed that not having sons wasn’t an excuse to break a marriage. I’m 99.99% sure that Catherine used her mother’s example to plead her and Mary’s case to Henry (with him probably telling her that England wasn’t Spain and a women had never ruled there and there was no way of telling if people there would accept it).
I'm not sure why this affects me so much. Mary was abused. Period. That psychopath of a father traumatized Mary. Henry loved Henry. Anything or anyone who got in the way of his love affair with himself probably traumatized everyone who came into contact with him. Even beheading Anne must have traumatized her. I think Henry did murder Mary with stressing her to the point of illness. All those paintings of Mary clearly show stress. I agree with you Claire with the psychological impacts Mary experienced. Just so sad
Claire, I appreciate your compassionate analysis of Queen Mary I. Your presentation didn't have the typical critical and unsympathetic undertones often smuggled in by historians such as yourself who are known to support Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey (often referred to as Queen Jane by you.)
Every person is affected by what surrounds them as they grow up, so having been through all those painful transitions in her young life, the circumstances would definitely have helped shape her into the adult she became. However, while those circumstances played their role, I think her catholic indoctrination was more likely the motivation behind the slaughter of Protestants during her reign. Elizabeth was also not above the prescribing of death to Catholics. People were driven by their religious beliefs back then but is it really any different from what we see today when witnessing people entrenched in religious dogma. I don’t believe so! Thanks for the very informative video Claire, I always enjoy them.
Her treatment was beyond the pale. It must have caused deep psychological damage to her. She must have been emotionally ravaged, however she had her mother’s strength and conviction.
Henry's abuse had to affect Mary in some way, although we can't really say how. It must have been hard to go from the "apple of Henry's eye" to being rejected. It must have been worse to be forced to face the fact that it was not Anne Boleyn behind the cruelty. In fact the real pressure that Henry brought happened after Anne was dead. I suspect that Mary was unable to really process that, because she did love her father and remembered when he loved her. Mary is a tragic figure. She was shaped by her father's cruelty, first and foremost, but Catherine refusing to give in and go to a nunnery, which was quite acceptable at the time, also put Mary in an untenable position. This was compounded by the religious conflicts of the day. Her faith kept her going through the hard times. Trying to reinstate her faith when she became queen led her to committing some heinous acts by today's standards, although they were quite acceptable at the time. I feel for Mary. She was treated so badly by Henry and then, when she finally became queen she failed in what was considered one of the most important tasks of a monarch, giving the country a legitimate heir.
I always thought Henry demanding Mary to declare his marriage to her mother invalid one of the cruelest actions.
That, and keeping Mary from contact with her mother over an extended time period, even when it became apparent Katherine was dying. So cruel to deprive her of the comfort of being with her mother and of the opportunity to say goodbye. I wonder how Mary psychologically came to terms with such cruelty on the part of Henry.
@@Mamolax3 Look what happened to anyone involved in her parents' divorce for an answer.
Yes! How can you treat someone you love like that?
I've always thought he was a cruel bastard period and deserved no legitimate sons considering how badly he treated women, including his daughters
Along with refusing to allow her to marry at a young age and possibly have children.
That monster ruined her life plus his own lineage. If Mary had married young and had at least one child there would have been an heir in the next generation.
Mary's personality reflected a lot of that of her maternal grandmother, Queen Isabella of Spain, also. She came from a long line of courageous but religiously fervent women.
Yes, I think so.
I’m surprised Mary survived without severe emotional damage that rendered her incapable. Amazing resilience 👑
My take is that I think she was all but incapable due to her ordeal and the abuse she and her mother suffered. Mary failed to sow religious peace in the kingdom where Elizabeth succeeded, because she was forced to be bitterly and dogmatically disposed to her faith, when, during her young life, it was all she had to cling to. They didn't call her Bloody Mary for nothing.
All very sad.
I think it's a case of what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
There is an interesting recurring theme in Henry's relationships. Persons who had fallen out with him felt that matters could be repaired if they saw him in person. It seems significant that Anne Boleyn did not want Henry to meet with his daughter in person and sent Cromwell along to meet her instead. Yet, when Henry saw her, and her seeming gesture of submission, he softened enough to salute her. It also seems significant that Mary's requests to write directly to her father, the King, were also continually denied. People around Henry must have recognized some soft spot or sentimentality in him that could make it problematic or even dangerous if a person out of favor had a chance to meet him. Great video, Claire!
Yes, Henry seems to have found it hard to take brutal action against someone if they could get to him and explain themselves.
Thanks Claire for sharing this with us. I’ve always felt that there is much more to Mary as a person. All the adversities she endured definitely had a negative effect on her physically & emotionally. Even so, she was a survivor, a strong woman who had strength of character.
I think Henry's daughters went through so much in their youth.
Thank you Claire 😊
Always love hearing about Mary, one of my fav Tudor figures, a misunderstood, pigeonholed woman and Queen who I have a lot of sympathy for.
Just to think, had Mary not been put through all that pain, strain and heartache, she couldve led a fuller, more contented life with a lengthy, more positive and fruitful reign ❤ 🕊️ 👑
"Hello" Shane 👋 and not surprised to see you comment here, as I know that Mary is one of your favourite
Tudor Monarchs and people. I enjoyed reading your comment too! 👏👏👏
@@Lyndell-P Hey Lynnie 👋
I always try and leave a comment regardless, even if it's just a 'thank you' or an emoji. Nice to be nice as you always are.
I always look out for and enjoy reading your comments too, when you decide to leave one, be it long or short! 😂
And of course it's a treat when you add emojis too especially the Aussie themed ones 🦘 😍
Yes, yes and yes! She's often presented in a very 2D way, isn't she?
@@Shane-Flanagan "Hello" 👋 again Shane. I just woke up (just after 7am here in rural Victoria,
Australia) òn Saturday morning, to find your lovely comment. I love it 🥰 when I'm called "Lynnie" as called this by many family and close friends, and although I like my name of Lyndell, I am also called a 'variation' (of Lyndell) when in trouble (as a child) and at other times etc. 😉🤭 LOL 🤣 Anyway! Just thought I'd send you a few 'Aussie themed' emojis - just for you 🇭🇲 🦘🐨🦜🦎🐸🐢🐊🦎🦈🐬🦋🐞including our snakes🐍and flies🪰and mosquitoes 🦟 and spiders 🕷🕸 (some spider webs 🕸 I leave be, in the summer months as they are good at catching pesky mosquitoes 🦟 and flies 🪰) then other other bugs like ants 🐜 bees 🐝 and other variations of "all creatures great and small". I had 'other' Aussie animals in mind too, but I just don't have emojis for them, like the Platypus, Echidna, and Tasmanian Devil (not to be confused with the Tasmanian Tiger that became extinct only in the early 1900s when the last one died in captivity). I'll zip it now 🤐😉 and give you some peace and quiet. Hope you enjoy your weekend! love from your Aussie friend, Lynnie 😁🤗
@@Lyndell-P Rise and shine Lyndell 🌅 🌞
Furthermore, If I may boldly ask, how do you spell your equally lovely surname again? 🤔
One of the many gifts (I'm sure) bestowed upon you by your loving Bob upon your blessed and blissful union many moons ago. I miss seeing your surname accompanying lovely first name. Both unusual names in my neck of the woods 😊
I love this channel; it's like Tudor comfort food for the mind. ❤
Oh I love that description, thank you!
@anneboleynfiles You're welcome to use it, as a thank you for your work. 💕
Henry's behavior toward Mary was worse than just mere bullying... he struck not only at her position as a princess and sometime heir to the throne, but at her very identity as the legitimate daughter of a recognized long-term royal marriage. One would think that Henry, who considered himself such an enlightened monarch, might have realized that a strong sovereign didn't have to be male - he had the recent example of the successful reign of his own mother-in-law, Queen Isabel of Castile, to demonstrate that fact. Mary inherited a great deal of strength from both sides of her family.
I really think that if Henry had trusted her to be his heir, treated her decently, and allowed her to marry at an age when she would have had a better chance of bearing an heir of her own, posterity would have remembered Mary as a successful and generous Queen. There are records of her liberality toward the poor of her realm that speak well of her.
Yes, I find Henry so hard to fathom. He seems to have been a man who could just turn his love on and off.
So you don’t think she would’ve still killed so many Protestant’s?
@@selecttravelvacations7472 She wouldn't have needed to. And hopefully her successors wouldn't have felt a need to kill so many Catholics.
I think Eustis was a very sharp cookie and wise diplomat.
Yes!
Mary was eleven, when Henry started to seek his marriage annulment. It’s a very vulnerable age: just about to be married , yet her youth years were wasted on her father’s turmoil. It must have been very painful she couldn’t be married and fulfilled her destiny as a woman, mother and wife. Elisabeth’s never known any different , so it was easier for her to say: I’m married to my kingdom.
🇭🇲 I believe that King Henry VIII's treatment of Mary's mother (and of Mary herself) MUST HAVE had a
huge influence on the woman and the monarch that Mary grew up to be! Not forgetting that Mary had always thought it was Anne Boleyn who had torn her from her father, until Anne fell from favour, was beheaded (murdered) but nothing much changed for Mary. So, Mary then realising that it had been her father's doing regarding her mother and herself (and not Anne Boleyn's). Of course, later rejoining court as the King's much loved daughter, but the psychological damage was already done. Wasn't it?
I do realise that being a Catholic had alot to do with who Mary was too; but all that Mary had been through couldn't be undone! Could it?
A very interesting and informative account of what did (and might) have influenced Mary. I have nothing to add, as 'others' have so well said - what they think too!
"Thank you" so much Claire xx
Yes, it surely must have affected her.
Another interesting video 💜 I too believe that Mary was heavily affected by her father's poor treatment of her. I wonder if Henry ever spared a thought for his daughter, even for a moment, to consider the immense upset he was causing her? Probably not. Henry blew hot and cold, one minute you're in and the next you're out. It's unnerving behaviour...
What would have happened to Mary if she still refused to sign the submission to her father? I dread to think...
Interesting that Mary chose to believe Elizabeth (when accused of treachery), free her, allow her to follow her Protestant faith, and then accept that a Protestant would, in fact, rule after her own death. It's not consistent with the tenet that religion was the ultimate driving force in Mary's life. But then, what was? Was it family above religion when most of her life was about putting religion above family?
Very good points! Especially your last sentence. Worth thinking about. "Thank you" 👋
I think it's consistent with her wanting to follow her father's wishes in his will. He named her after Edward and then Elizabeth. I think Mary was very concerned with doing what was right and proper.
Thank you, Claire!! Years ago, I read “A Child Called It.” The boy in the story was horrifically abused by his mother and she facilitated his abuse by others; yet, he still wanted her love and acceptance. After what that mother put her son through I was totally surprised he still wanted her love. Back to Mary: she was dependent on Henry. What choices did she have but to survive the best way she knew how-through prayer, her faith, and support from a few people she could trust. I do think her physical health suffered because of the mental anguish she must have endured. When we’re young we don’t have life experiences and critical thinking skills to figure out what is going on around us. We try to figure it out the best we can. Our mind, body, and Spirit are all impacted by our environment. Mary coped the best way she could. I think Mary’s menstrual problem could be diagnosed today as premenstrual dysphoric disorder. I used to refer to it as Wicked PMS before there was such a diagnosis. Being alienated from her mother was cruel for both of them. It must have been such a relief when she was finally back at Court and in her father’s good graces. But even then she had to know that could all change again. I think her phantom pregnancy must have been psychosomatic. After all she’d witnessed re: the importance of a male heir and how that could save her throne, she must have desperately wanted a son. I’m not sure I’d want to live in the Tudor times even if I was nobility! Since being introduced to your channel, I’ve studied a lot of Tudor history. I have so much more respect for Queen Catherine. She was born to be Queen and was magnificent in this role. It would have never occurred to her that Henry would banish her from Court and keep her daughter from her. Why couldn’t a female be a Queen? Catherine’s mother was a Queen! Why would Catherine ever have reason to believe Henry would abandon her? 😊That Catherine died from some type of heart disease must have resulted from her broken and aching heart. (PS: I wouldn’t recommend the book I mentioned at the beginning of this post if abuse is triggering for you. I think the book was made into a movie but I haven’t watched it.)
Yes, a lot of abused children crave recognition and love from their parents, the abusers, don't they?
She was a survivor of abuse. In a world where Queen consorts could be put aside or executed, on the King's whim, she must have known how precarious her position had become. Nobody was safe. Survival made her tough enough to claim the throne, but she remained terribly insecure, as I see it. The marriage to Philip was a mistake, which only increased her insecurity. I wonder what would have happened if she'd married some lesser Prince? She would probably still have died from her same illness, but maybe she would have died a happier, and more popular, monarch?
Yes, she went through so much and it is sad that her father didn't organise her marriage during his lifetime.
Thanks Ms. Claire! I enjoy your channel so much. I always learn something new about my favorite history era.❤
Aw, thank you!
Yes certainly agree that Mary's strength throughout her life is very admirable, given everything she went through earlier in life.. And then Elizabeth also likely learned from observing Mary's reign, and the decisions she made, which she (Elizabeth) then applied to her own reign..
Thank you for sharing this. I can't imagine what she went thru...
You're welcome.
Brilliant as ever, very enjoyable Thank you ❤️
Thank you!
Henry VIII was a "transactional" parent.
He didn't care what the impact of his behavior.
He was all consumed with his agenda.
As for seeing himself "God's own appointed" never saw the Queen Anne as the same, despite her coronation.
Unfortunately, we see this parenting today. It's heartbreaking.
Yes, I think so. I think he was a transactional person too.
I've always felt very sorry for Mary, with her many problems of health, family, royal status, religious legal status, and courtly issues. What a lot to go through, especially a princess who was born with an assumed relatively predictable trajectory in life. She was an extremely strong person. Thank you for an honest video of her that leaves out the sensationalism of the propaganda that damaged her historically and the misogyny that often follows discussions of her.
As regnant, Mary showed an uncommon amount of leniency towards her political enemies, maybe as if she were trying to heal familial wounds. Her show of fervor against heretics, while awful, was not more severe than the hunting of heretics of other monarchs past and her contemporaries. Even though routing out heretics was fashionable for the time, I can't help but think that the mistreatment from her father and her brother, which left her with nothing else to cling to except for her religion, had a profound affect on her response in trying to turn the nation back to Catholicism, which after her brother's Puritanical cancelling of things fun and festive, many people did actually want. 👸
Mary blamed a lot of people for what Henry did, she got the revenge she dreamt of.
Mary had a great kindness, but her revenge, is what we remember.
I think, thankfully, that we're now getting a more rounded Mary through both non-fiction and fiction.
I pity Mary but can’t bring myself to admire her
I admire lots about her but also hate lots about her too.
@@anneboleynfilesmakes sense
This my favorite part of history. It had to affect her, I think that is why she burned so many & was called Bloody Mary. The stress probably didn't help with the cancer 😢
Her stress certainly had a huge impact on her health.
I love these videos and appreciate the complex perspectives that you present. However, I am a firm believer that Catherine of Aragon was the most dedicated, loyal, educated, smart and self-sacrificed out of Henry’s wives, and faced such a cruel and undeserved faith. This affected Mary deeply.
I believe Mary's sudden change of circumstance following the birth of Elizabeth did affect both her personality and future judgement. For me, her swift reaction after Edward's death demonstrates a familiarity of how fast the wheel of fortune can turn. Also, could it be that part of her reasoning behind the persecutions of the Counter Reformation stemmed, not only from an intense determination to return England to the 'true' religion... but to the religion 'of her childhood'? However, that being said, I find it puzzling (or perhaps admirable) that at no time, despite the feelings Mary must have held for Elizabeth in the past, did she make any move to alter the line of succession. Many thanks Claire, this was another really enjoyable broadcast.
Thank you so much!
I think Mary was intent on following what her father wanted for the succession.
Thank you so much for these videos.
Thank you so much for this presentation!
Thank you Claire. I really enjoyed this video!
Thanks Claire
A lot of Catherine’s (and therefore Mary’s) resilience, strength and hard headed personality came from Isabella queen of Spain, Isabella was queen of Castille in her own right after FIGHTING, and I mean FIGHTING to sit on that throne and her husband Ferdinand king of Aragon was only king consort of Castille, while they worked throughout their lives as a team she made it very clear when she married him that she wouldn’t just give up Castille to him and that he was only to be consort just as she was only consort to Aragon, Isabella wasn’t intimidated by the men in her life. When you look at Isabella’s life, actions and personality a lot of Catherine’s actions start to make sense: how well she handled herself when Henry trusted her as a regent, her involvement in the battle of Flodden, her overall competence as a queen, with the mother she had I’m sure she didn’t have the same hangs up Henry did about not having sons, she probably truly believed Mary could do a perfectly fine job in being a queen in her own right just like Isabella and I’m also sure the memory of her mother and having been raised seeing a competent woman ruling only drove her to fight harder for Mary’s legitimacy and position, she may have truly believed that not having sons wasn’t an excuse to break a marriage.
I’m 99.99% sure that Catherine used her mother’s example to plead her and Mary’s case to Henry (with him probably telling her that England wasn’t Spain and a women had never ruled there and there was no way of telling if people there would accept it).
Very interesting
I'm not sure why this affects me so much. Mary was abused. Period. That psychopath of a father traumatized Mary. Henry loved Henry. Anything or anyone who got in the way of his love affair with himself probably traumatized everyone who came into contact with him. Even beheading Anne must have traumatized her. I think Henry did murder Mary with stressing her to the point of illness. All those paintings of Mary clearly show stress. I agree with you Claire with the psychological impacts Mary experienced. Just so sad
Claire, I appreciate your compassionate analysis of Queen Mary I. Your presentation didn't have the typical critical and unsympathetic undertones often smuggled in by historians such as yourself who are known to support Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey (often referred to as Queen Jane by you.)
Every person is affected by what surrounds them as they grow up, so having been through all those painful transitions in her young life, the circumstances would definitely have helped shape her into the adult she became. However, while those circumstances played their role, I think her catholic indoctrination was more likely the motivation behind the slaughter of Protestants during her reign. Elizabeth was also not above the prescribing of death to Catholics. People were driven by their religious beliefs back then but is it really any different from what we see today when witnessing people entrenched in religious dogma. I don’t believe so! Thanks for the very informative video Claire, I always enjoy them.
Her treatment was beyond the pale. It must have caused deep psychological damage to her. She must have been emotionally ravaged, however she had her mother’s strength and conviction.
Henry's abuse had to affect Mary in some way, although we can't really say how. It must have been hard to go from the "apple of Henry's eye" to being rejected. It must have been worse to be forced to face the fact that it was not Anne Boleyn behind the cruelty. In fact the real pressure that Henry brought happened after Anne was dead. I suspect that Mary was unable to really process that, because she did love her father and remembered when he loved her. Mary is a tragic figure. She was shaped by her father's cruelty, first and foremost, but Catherine refusing to give in and go to a nunnery, which was quite acceptable at the time, also put Mary in an untenable position. This was compounded by the religious conflicts of the day. Her faith kept her going through the hard times. Trying to reinstate her faith when she became queen led her to committing some heinous acts by today's standards, although they were quite acceptable at the time. I feel for Mary. She was treated so badly by Henry and then, when she finally became queen she failed in what was considered one of the most important tasks of a monarch, giving the country a legitimate heir.
Her phantom pregnancies probably had also influence on her actions.
Thank you for Mary the 1st and not bloody Mary. She couldn’t compete with her murderous father.