This gave Mary Tudor ultimate power when she became queen Mary I. It is this ultimate power for which Mary Tudor has an infamous reputation. With her persecution of those who were of the protestant faith, by burning protestants at the stake, she is now renowned as Bloody Mary.
It is for Mary's religious persecutions that she is most known for, rather than being well known for the first female ruling monarch of England. Mary had followed in her fathers footsteps in burning so called 'heretics' at the stake. King Henry VIII is rumored to have executed between 57,000 and 72,000 people at the stake. Most likely due to being heretics. However, there is no actual evidence as to how many people Henry VIII did burn at the stake for religious reasons. Whereas, Queen Mary I is thought to have executed between270 and 300 protestants at the stake.
Although the title of Bloody Mary seems justified because of the notorious religious executions being carried out at her command, perhaps in someways the chosen name of 'Bloody Mary' can be seen in another way. Was the name of Bloody Mary really given to her because she was bloody? Or, was it a name given to her because of her Catholic faith, and therefore a way to demonize her? Or, was it a way to demonize her for being a female monarch, in a mans world? These two points are not being raised because she wasn't notorious, bloody or ruthless, she was. And evidence shows she was. These points are being raised because burning at the stake had been a method of execution in England since medieval times.
There is evidence that burning at the stake was a common method of execution since the medieval era in England, at least. It was a common method of execution to use on so called blasphemers. The law of monarchy of England routinely burned those at the stake who wereaccused of blasphemy. It was also used as a form of punishment and death before Mary became queen. Both in Scotland and in England. Below is a scene from The Tudors, which portrays the stake burning during Henry VIIIs reign.
There is evidence to suggest that Mary Tudor wasn't necessarily more bloody than previous monarchs. She was bloody, but so was her father before her. And monarchs before him. Executions of a religious nature at the time was 'the spirit of the age', as one historian put it. Which is accurate. But, whether we see the 'bloody' connotation given to Mary as something because of her religion, or sex is up for debate. Perhaps it is both. But it seems disingenuous to say that she was more bloody than previous monarchs.
Mary's ruthlessness is not only seen in the way she treated those with a different faith than her, it is also seen in her accession to power.
​Mary came to power on the back of the death of her half-brother, Edward VI. Though, before Mary came to power to become queen, Lady Jane Grey had briefly assumed to role as ruling monarch. Grey was Mary Tudors cousin, is also known as the nine day queen. The time she had spent in the role as queen. She was just a teenager at the time she was executed on command of Mary. Through both claiming the title of queen, and the role her allies played in leading a rebellion against the first female monarch. The way that Mary handle the situation, and crushed her opponents may have made her father change his mind about being obsessed with the need of a male monarch to continue the line. Though, that's hypothetical. Mary handled the situation and won like a king would. The notion that Henry needed a male heir for the succession of the Tudor line seems somewhat silly in hindsight. As Henry's two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth were strong in their own right. Ironically stronger than the son that Henry wanted so desperately. Mary Tudor may not have been a long reigning queen, however, she is a queen that made an impact on history. Mainly a notorious one. But, like her father Henry VIII and her half-sister Elizabeth I, Mary was anything but boring. Mary I died on this day, the 17th of November, 1558.
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