The Significance of the Pressures on Mary Tudor

Pressure from Home

Being England’s first official queen regnant, Mary Tudor had to establish her authority amidst scepticism about female monarchical rule, which was particularly intense within the privy council. Her gender was considered a significant problem in a male-dominated society.
Prior to her ascension, there were attempts to assert the claim of Lady Jane Grey, further illustrating the pressures on Mary to establish her legitimacy.
Reverting England back to Catholicism was not an easy goal. Many had embraced Protestantism and were resistant or indifferent to her religious reforms.
Her decision to marry Philip II of Spain provoked a xenophobic response with fears of foreign domination. This hostility was evident in the form of Wyatt’s rebellion in 1554.
Mary’s inability to provide a Catholic heir, due to her false pregnancies, further intensified the pressures upon her reign.

Pressure from Abroad

Santa Maria and Carafa, the pontifical bulls issued by Pope Julius III, pressed Mary to undo the religious changes of previous reigns. The English Church’s reintegration with the Catholic Church came with its own pressures.
Spain, under Charles V and later Philip II, put significant pressure on Mary to support their Habsburg interests across Europe. This resulted in England’s reluctant involvement in war with France, culminating in the loss of Calais in 1558.
Another point of pressure was England’s strained relationship with France, mainly due to the historical animosity and Mary’s alignment with the Catholic Spanish.
As evidence of these pressures, the alliance with Spain and the subsequent war with France were unpopular and devastating to English interest, particularly to the merchants who lost trading benefits.

Legacy of the Previous Reigns

Mary inherited an unstable and divided kingdom. Edward VI’s reign had seen significant social unrest, financial mismanagement, debasement of the currency and Protestant reforms, all of which posed significant problems.
The issue of debased currency was important, leading to inflation and eroding public confidence in the Tudor economy.
The religious policies of Henry VIII and Edward VI had led to dramatic fluctuations in Church doctrine and practice, making it a challenging task to restore Catholicism.
Mary also inherited an unprecedented religious diversity, with substantial concentrations of Protestant sympathisers, further compounding the pressures she faced.