Mary I's Government

Did Mary I establish her authority over England?

Mary was successful in overthrowing Lady Jane Grey and establishing her authority as Queen in 1553. Her main power base of advisors and Parliament would often not speak their mind concerning matters of religion, even though they were majorly compromised of Protestants. However, Parliament refused to allow her to return Monastic lands to the Catholic Church, the only time when they refused to pass her legislation. The 1554 Wyatt's Rebellion was also suppressed easily, and further complaints about her marriage were silenced with the 1554 Queen Mary's Marriage Act.

Was Mary’s Privy Council effective?

Mary hardly used her Privy Council throughout her reign, relying exclusively on Gardiner, Paget, Cardinal Pole and Parliament to pass her legislation. She barely discussed important matters with the Privy Council, such as her marriage to Philip, and its influence decreased substantially during her reign.

Was Parliament important to Mary I?

Parliament was invaluable to Mary for the purposes of passing legislation to restore Catholicism. They passed the 1555 Act of Supremacy, restoring Papal Supremacy over the Church, and the 1554 Queen Mary's Marriage Act, which helped to suppress the Wyatt's Rebellion's influence. Parliament was limited by the fact that they did not entirely agree with her on her Catholic reforms, with the only recorded time that they refused to pass her legislation was concerning her demand to return monastic lands to the Catholic Church.

Did Mary or Philip have control of government?

While Philip had a far stronger power base than Mary did, and their marriage had significant influences on the English Government, such as the introduction of the Spanish Galleon ship to the navy, Philip did not have much power within England as a result of the 1554 Queen Mary’s Marriage Act, which forbade him from placing any foreigners into positions of government, and prevented England from coming into his possession upon the death of Mary I.

What were the greatest challenges to Mary I’s government?

The main challenge to Mary's government was her inability to reestablish Catholicism during her reign. She had little faith in Gardiner, Paget, or Pole to do so, alongside her Parliament, as they were all Protestant for the most part. Mary's reputation as a strong ruler was mainly tarnished amongst the general population following the loss of Calais in 1558. She faced great difficulties concerning her marriage with Philip and her allowance for the Wyatt's Rebellion to reach London, even if it was suppressed easily, appeared to show her indecision as a ruler.

Did Mary I control the regions well?

Mary made numerous mistakes in her suppression of the 1554 Wyatt's Rebellion, choosing not to suppress it with force until it reached London, by which it was able to be easily defeated. Although she had made sure that the rebellion would be easily suppressed, via the 1554 Queen Mary's Marriage Act causing most of its members to disband out of their demands being met, she leaving the rebellion until it reached London made her authority over the regions look weak. Especially so, as it was the first Tudor rebellion to accomplish such a goal.

Did Mary I govern well?

Mary was able to almost completely establish her authority over her key advisors and Parliament, with Parliament only refusing to pass legislation once during her reign. She made significant reforms to the navy, heavily increasing its effectiveness via the via innovating on ship designs and building numerous more. Although her marriage with Philip was unpopular at first, she was able to quell most of the backlash, and the Wyatt's Rebellion by extension via her passing of the 1554 Queen Mary's Marriage Act. However, she was highly unpopular with the general population due to her burning of Protestant heretics, with them being viewed as martyrs. She lost Calais in 1558, damaging both her and England's reputations as having large amounts of influence abroad. She ultimately failed to fully establish Catholicism throughout England after her reign.