Explore the twists and turns in the life of England’s first crowned queen regnant, whose burning convictions and steadfast pursuit of her birthright reshaped the kingdom
WORDS: DANNY BIRD
18 FEB 1516
Mary is born to King Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon at Greenwich Palace. She is baptised there two days later.
OCT 1518
Major European powers sign the Treaty of London and two-year-old Mary is betrothed to the French dauphin. The betrothal will be broken off in 1521 and Mary (aged six) will be contracted to marry her much older cousin, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.
1525
Henry VIII names Mary Princess of Wales (the first female holder of the title in her own right), although she may never have been formally invested as such.
1531
Henry VIII finally cuts ties with Catherine, having already begun proceedings to have their marriage annulled. Meanwhile, the Tudor king continues in his efforts to woo one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn.
JAN 1533
A pregnant Anne Boleyn marries Henry in a secret ceremony at Whitehall.
23 MAY 1533
The archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declares the marriage between Mary’s parents to be null and void and Catherine is stripped of the title of queen. Anne Boleyn is crowned queen at Westminster Abbey on 1 June.
7 SEP 1533
Anne gives birth to a daughter (the future Elizabeth I) in Greenwich.
DEC 1533
Mary is moved to Hatfield in Hertfordshire to join her half-sister. In 1534, Parliament passes the Act of Succession, officially rendering Mary illegitimate and thus no longer a princess.
7 JAN 1536
Catherine of Aragon dies in exile at Kimbolton Castle. Mary is denied permission to attend her mother’s funeral.
MAY 1536
Anne Boleyn is executed and Henry VIII marries his third wife, Jane Seymour. Elizabeth is declared illegitimate soon after.
JUN 1536
Mary succumbs to pressure and writes a letter acknowledging the annulment of her parents’ marriage, her own illegitimacy, and Henry’s position as supreme head of the Church of England.
12 OCT 1537
Henry VIII and Jane Seymour’s son, Edward (depicted left), is born. Jane dies 12 days later and Mary acts as chief mourner at the funeral.
1544
The Succession to the Crown Act restores Mary and Elizabeth to the line of succession after Edward and his heirs.
28 JAN 1547
