The England of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I Part 3 (Henry VIII and Mary I's Reign in England)

Youthful Description
- Impressive young man, described as:
- Lean and muscular
- Approximately six feet three inches tall
- Athletic with thick auburn hair
- Real sportsman
Physical Decline in the 1540s
- Significant weight gain
- Chronically ill
- Leg issues riddled with blood clots
- Experienced feverish conditions
- Death occurred near the end of January 1547

Death and Succession
- Upon Henry's death, his son Edward became king
- Title: Edward VI
- Only 9 years old at the time, too young to rule
- Establishment of a regency under a Lord Protector
- Period marked by instability in the crown
Edward VI's Death
- Died in 1553 from tuberculosis (known as "consumption")
- Created a succession crisis
- Crisis resolved with Mary emerging as the rightful successor
- Mary became queen later in 1553

Brief Mention of Lady Jane Grey
- Queen for about nine days in July 1553
- Later executed
Mary's Religious Position
- Considered a secure position from a Catholic perspective
- Henry VIII's deathbed command recognized all children as rightful heirs
- Light acknowledgment of Mary's previous consent to Henry's headship of the Church of England
- Remained a confessing Roman Catholic
- Expressed joy in succeeding to power
Dynastic Concerns
- Mary remained unmarried, raising concerns over succession
- Without an heir, Elizabeth, essentially a Protestant, would inherit the throne
- Seen as a potential disaster for Roman Catholics
Marriage to Philip II of Spain
- An attempt to solidify her reign by marrying a staunchly Catholic Philip II
- Philip viewed as less than ideal:
- Middle-aged by his standards
- Considered plain-looking and somewhat sickly
- Entered into a marriage that lacked romantic love (particularly from Philip's side)
- Marriage outcome: no heir produced

Mary's Reign and Protestant Plots
- Reigned for five years marked by fears of Protestant conspiracies against her
- Believed Elizabeth was connected to these plots
- Elizabeth imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1554 but later given apartments at Hampton Court Palace
- Increased animosity between Mary and Elizabeth
- Mary resented Elizabeth, associating her with Protestantism
- Anne Boleyn, seen as having usurped Mary's mother and birthed an illegitimate Elizabeth
- Mary attempted to arrange a foreign marriage for Elizabeth without success
Restoration of Roman Catholic Hierarchy
- Between 1553 and 1558, estimates suggest 200-300 Protestant executions
- Notable executions included:
- Nicholas Ridley
- Hugh Latimer
- Thomas Cranmer
- Growing perceptions that extreme anti-Protestant measures were unsustainable
- Supporters of Elizabeth argued for an end to these practices

Mary's Failing Health and Unpopularity
- Deeply unpopular, particularly among Protestants rallying around Elizabeth
- In January 1558, Mary summoned Elizabeth, possibly for reconciliation but ended up expressing her suspicions and anger
- Called Elizabeth the daughter of a usurper
Final Days and Death
- In November 1558, Mary sent for Elizabeth again before her death
- Offered Elizabeth the throne contingent upon agreeing to support Roman Catholicism and settling her debts
- Elizabeth agreed to both conditions
- Mary died on November 16, 1558
Immediate Succession of Elizabeth
- Upon Mary's death, Elizabeth was named as successor in her will
- Elizabeth was found in Hatfield reading her Greek Bible beneath an oak tree
- Upon hearing of her ascension, she quoted from Psalm 118: "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes."
- Elizabeth became queen at 25 years old, ruling over a divided populace (both Protestant and Roman Catholic)
- Future challenges included navigating her new role amidst existing religious tensions.