Written and presented by Dr David Starkey, this is the compelling story of two of England’s most striking monarchs: a brother and sister, tied by blood and affection, and torn apart by religion, power, and some of the bloodiest episodes in English history. Mary (who was to become England’s first reigning Queen since Matilda but who is best known to generations of British schoolchildren as Bloody Mary) was the first born child of Henry VIII. For 20 years she was heir to her adored father. Then came the birth of her little half-brother Edward, and Mary found herself cast into the shadows, ignored by her father and declared illegitimate by Act of Parliament. Nonetheless she became very attached to the motherless boy, and he to her, declaring her his dearest sister.
When Edward was just nine, their father died and the young boy became King, surrounded by advisors and further distanced from his beloved elder sister. But by now they were divided not just by power and status, but also by faith. Mary was a staunch Catholic, Edward a reforming Protestant: at this time such matters were not an issue of personal choice but matters of life or death, treason or heresy.
Within a few years Mary was under virtual house arrest and banned from celebrating mass; within a few more years Edward was dead at the tragically early age of 16 and Mary became Queen. She set about making England a Catholic country once more and hundreds of Protestants, including Edward’s most trusted advisors, were burnt at the stake because they refused to renounce their faith.
She was just following the Christian example of several popes before her.
Compared to Hillary this hag is just a piker.
Part of the glorious European history that lead to seekng and settling a new world that eventually got tired of rehashing European values, morality, and agendas, resulting in a country “of the people, by the people, for the people” and not for rich bureaucrats and families to lord it over the population. America was not to have a king or ruling elite.
How we have forgotten that a rich class rules in tyrannical and stupid fashion. Demonrats would set themselves up as “Nobelist oblige” of the new world.
That image of Mary certainly looks a lot like Moma…. who by the way I am fairly certain was never responsible for having someone actually burned at the stake.
“Speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act.” Geo. Orwell
David Starkey??!! Are we really listening to him? Might be good to check with less biased sources before making a call on who was the real religious persecutor of that era.
Toleration wasn’t tolerated in those days.
Her reign was scarcely a century before the 30 Years’ War, which, it is estimated, killed a quarter of Europe’s population, ostensibly for religious reasons.
She only reigned for a tad over 5 years in an age when England had over 200 crimes punishable by death.
A drunk was put to death by her father for publicly saying “It means no more than a knock on the King’s head …” which was interpreted as Treason (shouldn’t really be in quotes, as I don’t recall the exact phrase, but it was something equally innocuous).
Some caution is advised in this era of Anti-Catholicism to eras other than those “approved” by our “memory hole” censors.
izlamo delenda est …
Thanks for the link, MJA!
I noticed there is another documentary on Edward VI. I plan to watch that one later.
BTW: I noticed the 460th anniversary of Queen Mary’s death is this coming Saturday.
Nope, I don’t buy it. England had been Anti-Catholic for centuries, and still is (basically). It used to be against some UK “law” for a member of the (royal) family to marry a Catholic–may still be true. BTW, please don’t associate all Catholics with this Pope. “Bloody” is assigned by protestants.
If mankind doesn’t outgrow the fairy tales of our specie’s collective childhood it will surely end us. There are tens of thousands at least in the world today who would do much worse if they could for their chosen mythological creature.
LOL……that’s because she murdered Protestants…..
“Nope, I don’t buy it”……keep denying actual history…….
Yo! More like Auntie D …
izlamo delenda est …
That at this late date, people are still star-struck by ‘royalty’…….
Except for those military champions that protected their nations, the rest of them are playing bridge with FDR in Hell. Parasites that shamelessly luxuriated at the expense of fellow humans.
The ‘divine right of kings’ should offend everyone with a modicum of self-respect.
If you love history, you are star-struck by royalty?
“Divine Right of kings” might offend you, but keep in mind, but for the fact that you learn history, you wouldn’t know what it was in order to be offended.
Should we only study the parts of history that don’t offend us? Sounds like a college snowflake position if I ever heard one.
I know. Why am I wasting time replying to an anonymous commenter?
@Dianny (at 12:02 pm): Because feeding the trolls is a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.
🙂
Socialism, an “ideology” (a word invented in the late 1700s), is foisted as a religion and has killed far more people in its cause that all the religions of the world combined. All ideologies should be treated as religions and included in the First Amendment.
monarchies and royal bloodlines are evil
“Virtue is not hereditary” Thomas Paine
Dianny, I gave up utilizing an ‘identity’ a long time ago because the thought’s the thing. imo.
—I may in fact be a real life troll that takes offense when some people here regularly attribute my culture to internet mythical trolls.
You are correct about History, I agree with you.
My remark was aimed a the near constant glorification of present day ‘monarchs’, (“did the Queen enjoy the entertainment at the Olympics?”) their glorious ‘marriages’, and the omnipresent PBS dramas that fawn over the ‘romance’ of such arrogant parasites.
On behalf of centuries of abused ‘servants’, I fart in their general direction.
And thanks to the Founding Fathers, who no doubt read the Oath Of Alexander 2000 yrs. before them, GOD BLESS AMERICA and death be to tyrrants!!