3. Female Monarchy

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About this Lecture

Lecture

In this module, we look at the 1553 Succession Crisis in more detail, as well as the question of gender in Mary's reign. We begin by thinking about Edward's attempts to find a Protestant successor, looking in particular his 'Devise for the Succession', which excluded Mary and Elizabeth from the succession, in favour of the (as yet non-existent) male child of Lady Jane Grey. After that, we turn to Mary's reign, and her attempts to overcome to disadvantage of her sex, thinking in particular about the inherent 'maleness' of royal rituals in England at this time, her marriage to Philip II of Spain, and the problem of her false pregnancies.

Course

In this course, Professor Sue Doran (University of Oxford) explores the reigns of Edward VI (1547-53) and Mary I (1553-58), a period which some historians have labelled the Mid-Tudor Crisis. We begin by thinking about the religious policies of Edward VI, focusing in particular on the nature of the changes and the key influencers on Edwardian policy in this period. After that, we think about faction in the reign of Edward, looking especially at the figure of Edward Seymour. In the third module, we consider the Succession Crisis of 1553 and the problems faced by Mary as a woman, before moving on in the fourth module to look more closely at her religious reforms, which were far more innovative, popular and progressive than Mary is often given credit for. In the fifth module, we think about how the religious changes of both Edward and Mary were felt in the parishes of England, before turning in the final module to think about the similarities and differences between the two major rebellions in the mid-Tudor period: Kett's Rebellion in 1549, and Wyatt's Rebellion in 1553.

Lecturer

Susan Doran is Professor of Early Modern British History at the University of Oxford. She has a substantial publishing record which reflects a particular interest in the religious and political history of the Tudors, especially Elizabeth I. She is also a Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College and Director of Studies in History at Regent’s Park College.