Mary Tudor

8 Pages 2113 Words

t. In January of 1533, after learning that Anne Boleyn was pregnant, Henry secretly married her to avoid the risk of having a son born out of wedlock. Four months later, his Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, declared Henry’s marriage to Catherine “null and absolutely void” and pronounced his marriage to Anne “good and lawful.” (www.newadvent.org/cathen/09766a.htm)
Between 1532 and 1534, Henry pressured Parliament into passing several laws, including the Act of Succession, which confirmed the succession through the children of Anne Boleyn. The Princess Mary was declared illegitimate, as Henry claimed his twenty-four-year marriage to her mother had never been lawful.
After Anne’s daughter Elizabeth was born, Mary, now seventeen was stripped of her title of princess and the members of her household, including the Countess of Salisbury, were dismissed. She was moved to Hatfield, where she was required to serve as her infant half-sister’s lady-in-waiting. Two of Anne’s female relatives were appointed, ostensibly to attend Mary, but in reality to spy on her.
Anne was intent on persecuting Mary and “alienating” (catholic encyclopedia, vol.9) the king from her. She became enraged if Henry even mentioned wishing to visit his elder daughter, and she demanded that Mary surrender all of her jewels to Elizabeth, who as Henry’s “true heir” (catholic encyclopedia, vol.9) had more right to them.
Part of Anne’s reason for trying to drive a wedge between Henry and Mary was undoubtedly her perception that Elizabeth’s right to the throne would remain uncertain as long as Mary existed as a rival candidate. But part of her reason must have been sheer re...