Anthony Ruggiero

Mary Tudor Anthony Ruggiero

The Tudor Dynasty of England, spanning from the late fifteenth century into the early seventeenth century, were numerous emblematic and impacted the country politically, economically, and socially. One of those monarchs was Mary Tudor, the daughter of King Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Mary ruled over England from July 1553 to her death in November 1558. Despite its initial promise and success, Mary Tudor's reign was unsuccessful due to the increased influence of foreign power. Mary's early life and struggle to the throne reflected her determination to rule, her strong religious conviction to Catholicism, and her reliance on Spain, her mother's native country. Mary's devotion to the Catholic faith and her inclination towards the Spanish would lead her to marry, Philip II of Spain, who would have a major influence on both her reign and her decline in popularity with her subjects. One such influence on Mary's decision making was her decision to go to war with France. The war with France, although initially successful, ended as a failure; she lost territory in France and drained the country of revenue.