Mary, Bloody Mary {Young Royals Lit-Based Unit Study}

Born in 1516, Mary Tudor experienced many hardships during her youth and formative years.  The eldest daughter of Henry VIII, she was staunchly religious and a devoted Catholic.  Her childhood and religious beliefs guided her during her years as Queen...earning her the nickname "Bloody Mary."

Legacy of Mary's Reign & Religious Strife

Mary was born of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII's first wife.  She was declared illegitimate in her youth when her father married Anne Boleyn (see Anne's unit).  In her youth, she was shunned, forcibly kept from her mother, and even locked in the Tower of London.  Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded their father at the age of nine, but died from consumption before he could truly rule.  Upon his death, Lady Jane Grey became Queen for a mere nine days.  Mary gathered the backing of her supporters, of which there were many, and beheaded Lady Jane.  

Mary campaigned for Queen as wanting freedom of religion, but quickly changed her stance.  England had, at one time, been under Catholic rule.  The priests held as much power as, if not more than, the royal family.  King Henry VIII had broken away from that Roman Catholicism, primarily because he wanted a divorce the religion would not grant, and created his own church - the Church of England - with himself at the head.  He punished those who would not convert to Protestantism and accept his rule.  After his death, Mary reverted the country back to Catholicism, and she became famous for killing Protestants who would not convert to Catholicism.  After her death, in 1558, Queen Elizabeth I reversed the religious decree once again.

Betrothals & Royal Marriage

Intermarriage, or the practice of members of ruling dynasties marrying into other reigning families, was very common in the past for political and diplomatic reasons. Put simply, it's hard to go to war with your wife's father. This was the tradition for most of Europe from the medieval era all the way until World War I. Around the world, there is evidence of royal intermarriage as far back as the Bronze Age.  Kinship by marriage could secure an alliance between two ruling powers, hopefully helping to reduce the sense of threat. It could also help to expand a dynasty, through colonization or inheritance.

Royals were often betrothed at a very young age. Parental figures arranged marriages that they hoped would create strong alliances. It was not just young women who were betrothed, and they did not actually married until they reached "adulthood," as defined by the culture. Young Louis XIV and his wife were betrothed as very young children, although they did not get married officially until many years later.

Falconry

When Mary is a young girl, she practices the art of falconry.  Falconry is when you use a raptor, such as a falcon, hawk, or eagle, to pursue live prey (rabbits, squirrels, small birds, etc).  While it is both a sport and a hobby, it is also a bit of a lifestyle, because you must tend to the birds every day, unlike a rifle or bow and arrow, which can both be put away until you are ready to hunt again.  If you are interested in learning more about raptors, see Guide to Raptors.  Want to try it yourself?  Learn how to become a falconer today.

Tower of London

On the north bank of the River Thames in the heart of London is the Tower of London.  Originally known as the White Tower, and built by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest, it has been historically known as a prison.  When it was first built, it was a royal residence, but after several periods of expansion in the 12th and 13th centuries, it is now a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat.

Over the years, the tower has served as a treasury, armory, home of the Royal Mint, a public records office, and the home of the Crown Jewels.  During the 15th through 17th centuries, the tower was most prominently used as a prison.  Today, you can visit the Tower of London and step through history to see it as it was in each century.  Can't get to England?  Take a video tour.

What came just before this?  Learn more in A Loyal Foe & Wars of the Roses

Read

• Mary, Bloody Mary - The story of Mary Tudor's childhood is a classic fairy tale: A princess who is to inherit the throne of England is separated from her mother; abused by an evil stepmother who has enchanted her father; stripped of her title; and forced to care for her baby stepsister, who inherits Mary's rights to the throne. Believe it or not, it's all true. Told in the voice of the young Mary, this novel explores the history and intrigue of the dramatic rule of Henry VIII, his outrageous affair with and marriage to the bewitching Anne Boleyn, and the consequences of that relationship for his firstborn daughter. This is a historical novel about love and loss, jealousy and fear--and a girl's struggle with forces far beyond her control.
• Tudor Boy Spy - Thomas Snoop is in training to become a spy. Entrusted with a top secret mission by the mysterious Lord Severn, right-hand man to the Tudor king, Thomas must travel to the magnificent Goldenhilt Hall - in the guise of a servant - in order to uncover traitors plotting against the crown. It will take all Thomas's wits and cunning to uncover the traitors lurking at Goldenhilt Hall - and he must do so without being discovered himself... Filled with amazing facts and historical trivia, you won't be able to put this secret diary down!

Watch

• Edward and Mary, the Unknown Tudors

Make / Do

• Make your family tree
• Print the Tudor Family Tree (found in the Young Royals bundle)
• Build the Tower of London
• Make your own Mary Rose warship
• Bake a batch of Tudor Gingerbread
• Download the Tudor Word Map to use with the Young Royals bundle
• Print the Guide to Tudor Clothing to use with the Young Royals bundle
• Complete the Off With Their Heads! activity pack

Vocabulary

• monarch
• armada
• execution
• reign
• vagrancy
• treason
• War of the Roses
• heir
• Tower of London

Think

• What were the long-term consequences of what has been described as "England's Terror"?
• Listen to this primary source document (read aloud).  What did people think of Mary?  Did they want her to be Queen?  Having read the book and studied history, why do you think this is?

Get the entire Young Royals bundle!

Includes seven unit studies covering the entire series. Each unit addresses a historic era from the eyes of a young royal, and these are told in living history format.  Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.

• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

Product samples:   Mary, Bloody Mary

Includes:

• Mary, Bloody Mary
• Beware, Princess Elizabeth
• Doomed Queen Anne
• Patience, Princess Catherine
• Duchessina: Catherine De'Medici
• Wild Queen: Mary, Queen of Scots
• Bad Queen: Marie Antoinette