Mary I, also known as “Bloody Mary”, was the first Queen Regnant in English history. She reigned from 1553 to 1558 and was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.
Mary I was born in 1516 and was the only surviving child of her parents. She was declared heir to the throne after the death of her half-brother, Edward VI, in 1553. Mary was a devout Catholic and was determined to restore the Church of England to its former Catholic faith.
Upon her accession to the throne, Mary I immediately set about restoring Catholicism in England. She repealed the Protestant laws that had been passed during her half-brother’s reign and replaced them with Catholic laws. She also ordered the burning of hundreds of Protestants who refused to convert to Catholicism. This earned her the nickname “Bloody Mary”.
Mary I also sought to strengthen England’s ties with other Catholic countries. She married Philip II of Spain in 1554, and their marriage was intended to bring England and Spain closer together.
Mary I’s reign was short-lived, however. She died in 1558, leaving the throne to her half-sister, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth I was a Protestant and reversed many of Mary’s Catholic laws.
Mary I was the first Queen Regnant in English history. She was a devout Catholic and sought to restore the Church of England to its former Catholic faith. She also sought to strengthen England’s ties with other Catholic countries. Although her reign was short-lived, Mary I left a lasting legacy in England.
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