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Queen Mary the 1st was the daughter of king Henry VIII and Cathrine of Aragon. She was born February 18, 1516 at the palace of Placentina in Greenwich, London. Mary had many health problems, poor eyesight, sinus conditions and bad headaches.

When her father fell in love with another woman, Anne Boleyn, the marriage between Henry and Catherine was deemed void, which in turn Mary was deemed illegitimate. She lost her place in line for the royal throne and was named "Lady Mary" rather than "Princess Mary", due to her illegitimate status.

Her father expelled her from court, he had her servants dismissed and she became a lady-in- waiting to her half sister Elizabeth, daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn. During those years she was not allowed to see her mother, and when Catherine of Aragon died in 1536 Mary was not allowed to go to her funeral.

In 1547 the death of Henry VIII brought on the succession of his son Edward VI (son of Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife). At the time Edward was still a child so the passed to a regency council. Edward VI died on July 6, 1553 due to tuberculosis. Before his death he excluded Mary and Elizabeth from the line of succession, and devised that he be succeeded by Lady Jane Grey,the daughter in law of John Dudley. This exclusion contradicted the Act of Succession of 1544, therefore Mary and Elizabeth were restored to the line of succession.

On July 10, 1553 Jane Grey assumed the throne, but she was deposed nine days later. Mary then assumed the throne as Queen of England, Mary then had Jane Grey and John Dudley imprisoned and executed because she feared that the Lady Jane Grey would be a rallying point for rebels who were against Mary's rule.

On July 25, 1554 Queen Mary married the spanish prince Phillip, so that she could produce an heir to the throne and prevent her half sister Elizabeth from succeeding to the throne. Mary never produced an heir, although she thought she was pregnant twice, in reality it turned out to be false.

Mary was concerned about religious issues, she had England reconcile with Rome. She persuaded Parliament to repeal the Protestant laws, due to this fact many Protestant leaders were executed, around 800 left the country in exile. The persecution lasted about four years, there was an estimated 284 Martyrs who died because of their faith.

Queen Mary died on November 17, 1558 she was 42 years old. Since she left no heir to the throne, she was succeeded by her half sister, who became Elizabeth the First.

The persecution of Protestants earned Mary her infamous name "Bloody Mary".

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