Page "Mary I of England" Paragraph 13

In 1536, Queen Anne fell from the king's favour and was beheaded.

Elizabeth, like Mary, was downgraded to the status of Lady and removed from the line of succession.

Within two weeks of Anne's execution, Henry married Jane Seymour.

Jane urged her husband to make peace with Mary.

Henry insisted that Mary recognise him as head of the Church of England, repudiate papal authority, acknowledge that the marriage between her parents was unlawful, and accept her own illegitimacy.

She attempted to reconcile with him by submitting to his authority as far as " God and my conscience " permitted, but she was eventually bullied into signing a document agreeing to all of Henry's demands.

Reconciled with her father, Mary resumed her place at court.

Henry granted her a household ( which included the reinstatement of Mary's favourite Susan Clarencieux ).

Her privy purse expenses for this period show that Hatfield House, the Palace of Beaulieu ( also called Newhall ), Richmond and Hunsdon were among her principal places of residence, as well as Henry's palaces at Greenwich, Westminster and Hampton Court.

Her expenses included fine clothes and gambling at cards, one of her favourite pastimes.

Rebels in the North of England, including Lord Hussey, Mary's former chamberlain, campaigned against Henry's religious reforms, and one of their demands was that Mary be made legitimate.

The rebellion, known as the Pilgrimage of Grace, was ruthlessly suppressed.

Along with other rebels, Hussey was executed, but there was no suggestion that Mary was directly involved.

The following year, 1537, Jane died after giving birth to a son, Edward.

Mary was made godmother to her half-brother Edward and acted as chief mourner at the queen's funeral.