Mary Tudor: A Life [Paperback]

Mr. Loades tells the story of the shy Princess of Wales who was, successively, virtually disowned by her father; hounded for her devotion to her mother and her Church; forced to compromise her beliefs; constantly threatened by her brother's regency council; almost deprived of her rightful elevation to the throne by an upstart cousin; and finally accepted as queen by most of her people; then ultimately branded as "Bloody Mary" by history.

In fact, as this book shows, Mary Tudor remained throughout her life a pious, quiet, trusting woman whose worst mistke was perhaps that she allowed herself to be too influenced by her advisers and confidantes (such as Emperor Charles V and Cardinal Pole). This "mildest and most merciful of the Tudors," when she acted harshly, did so only out of a sense of duty --- a monarch must punish wrongdoers and rebels.

As for the charge that Mary I tampered with her people's religious freedom, that is absurd. There was no such thing as religious freedom anywhere in Britain or the world in the sixteenth century. On the contrary, as Loades points out, Mary's religious views probably reflected those of most of her subjects. It was only after her death, when her sister Elizabeth took power, that Mary's reputation began to be soiled.

A good part of this book --- perhaps a bit too much of it --- is devoted to all the intrigues and "wheeling-and-dealing" involved in royal marriage arrangements. Not just involving Mary, but also Elizabeth, and their lusty father as well. Still, such details are necessary, if tedious, as marriage was an important concern of Medieval royalty.

To sum up, this is an excellent book, and should be read by all scholars and amateur historians interested in the Tudor period. I think it gives an accurate account of Mary I, without either ignoring her failures or concentrating solely on her (not deserved) reputation. If this book is still out of print, it should be reprinted. It is a necessary book.