There is a popular misconception that Henry VIII met his final wife, Catherine Parr, after she joined the household of his daughter, Mary, at some …
CATHERINE PARR WAS NOT MARY’S LADY-IN-WAITING
Mary I
MARY I AND THE CORRUPTED HOLY OIL
The most sacred moment of the coronation ceremony is the anointing with holy oil. When the archbishop of Canterbury touches the oil to the hands, …
PRINCE EDWARD’S LETTER ABOUT MARY’S DANCING
On the 12th May, 1546, a young Prince Edward wrote a letter to his stepmother, Catherine Parr, that sheds an interesting light on Edward’s early …
HENRY VIII’S TREATMENT OF MARY – FEBRUARY 1536
I have written previously about the plot to help Mary flee England in 1535 and 1536. Following Katherine of Aragon’s death, there was an increased …
MARY AND MUSIC
Amongst Mary’s many passions and accomplishments was a deep love of music. Letters, ambassadorial reports, and household expenses reveal just how devoted Mary was to …
THE NINE DAYS QUEEN?
Lady Jane Grey holds the tragic record for the shortest reign of any monarch of England. Known by the epithet ‘The Nine Days Queen,’ Jane’s …
A MISSING PORTRAIT OF MARY?
In 1546, two very famous Tudor portraits were created: the portrait of a young Lady Elizabeth, and the other of young Edward, Prince of Wales. …
MARY’S PLANNED FLIGHT FROM ENGLAND
It is well known that in 1550, Mary almost went through with a plan to flee England into the welcoming, Catholic embrace of Charles V …
MARY & CATHERINE HOWARD
It is well-known that the relationship between Mary and her fourth stepmother, Catherine Howard, was tense. Their relationship was the opposite of the warm affection …
A POEM ON MARY I’S LADIES
There is a curious poem, written at some point between 1553 and 1555, about eight ladies who served Mary I. The poem is signed R.E., …
