British royal history is an intriguing topic if you are interested in old history and/or royal individuals. One of the most interesting times in British royal history comes back to the time of the Tudors. While Henry VIII and his six wives are the most recognized story of the Tudor dynasty, there is much more to this period than you might realize. From their battle with Catholicism that transformed Britain forever to their growing development of a British naval force that was at one time unmatched, the Tudors changed history.
The Tudor history is loaded with monarchs who took part in daring, often disastrous, ideas. They also lived celebrity lives, making outrageous decisions and taking part in actions that would have a normal commoner executed. Take Henry VIII for example; he broke away from Papacy in Rome for several reasons. For example, Britain was skint – taking over parts of the Roman empire would have given Britain a much-needed rise to their coffers.
The fact that the Catholic church was so disliked by large swathes of Europe at the time meant that Henry VIII could use the strife to his advantage. While he liked to make big sweeping changes away from home, at home he was also a fan of change. He was an infamous adulterer, and it is known that he spent plenty of time with at least five wives – and many other ladies.
He was the father of many children, and that led to many claims about the Tudor dynasty being made over the years.
What about Bloody Mary?
Another name of the Tudor dynasty was Mary Tudor. In her time, she had over 280 people executed for numerous (often futile) reasons. However, while she gained the name Bloody Mary, her execution count pales in comparison to other members of the family.
Henry VIII, it is believed, had over 70,000 people executed in his time in charge. Elizabeth, who came after Mary, had well over 600 executed by most counts. History has therefore seen Mary put down as some kind of butcher when in reality her ‘kill count’ is a fraction of what has been seen by other members of the Tudor family.
There is much to know about the Tudors, but the history and the chaos of the time of both Henry and Bloody Mary are arguably the most intriguing. Without them, Britain would be a very different place – whether that would be a good thing or not remains up for debate.