Mary I of England (Queen of England 1553 – 1558)

Mary I (February 1516 – November 1558) was the Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death. Her executions of Protestants caused her opponents to give her the sobriquet “Bloody Mary”.  She was the only child of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon who survived to adulthood. Her younger half-brother Edward VI (son of Henry and Jane Seymour) succeeded their father in 1547. When Edward became mortally ill in 1553, he attempted to remove Mary from the line of succession because of religious differences. On his death their first cousin once removed, Lady Jane Grey, was initially proclaimed queen. Mary assembled a force in East Anglia and successfully deposed Jane, who was ultimately beheaded.

Father: Henry VIII
Mother:Catherine of Aragon
Spouse: Philip II of Spain

• George Evelyn of Long Ditton (Grandfather)

• Wikipedia article on Mary I, Queen of England

• Wikipedia for text and portait.