Henry I of England

Margaret Tudor, Mary had the strongest claim to the throne of England after the children of Henry VIII. This claim (and her Roman Catholicism) made Mary a threat to Elizabeth I of England (who was a protestant), as many English Catholics wanted Mary on the throne in the place of Elizabeth. Elizabeth had her executed after holding her captive for 19 years. However, Mary's son, James VI of Scotland, succeeded Elizabeth to the English throne as James I, as Elizabeth never married or had any…

brother Arthur, Henry VIII received special permission to wed his brother’s widow, Catherine of Aragon. But after many failed attempts at conceiving an heir to the throne, King Henry VIII decided he wanted an annulment. The request was denied by the Pope and eventually Henry VIII was excommunicated from the Catholic Church and, subsequently, so were his subjects. After a complicated power struggle with the Catholic Church, which involved political and theological issues, King Henry VIII split…

Queen Elizabeth I: Goddess of War “I know I have the body but of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too…” (“Speech to the Troops at Tilbury” ln. 11-12). In her speech, “Speech to the Troops at Tilbury”, Queen Elizabeth I demonstrated her strength, devotion and ability to rally. Even after describing herself as a “weak and feeble woman” she continued to speak and inspire the people of her country to fight. Queen Elizabeth I’s speech…

“I have no desire to make windows into men’s souls” – the famous words Elizabeth I told her subjects when she came to the throne in 1558. She was referring to the religious reforms and that she had no desire to interpret either Protestantism or Catholicism so closely to cause tensions or rebellions, like so many that had occurred during the reigns of her predecessors. Despite this, some would disagree and say it was the tough social, political or economic climate at the time that led to these…

Born on March 5th, 1133, Henry II was the eldest son of Geoffrey IV, Count of Anjou, and Matilda, daughter of Henry I. During his lifetime he ruled thrice as Count, twice as Duke, and once as King. He first became active in politics at age fourteen, while his mother was striving to seize the English throne. By eighteen he inherited his father’s estate. A bit later, he married Eleanor of Aquitaine. Together they had eight children: William, Young Henry, Richard, Matilda, Geoffrey, Eleanor, Joan,…

“I Know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king!” Queen Elizabeth I the only daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, received a first class education in literature. Elizabeth had also received an education of politics in England that was not much interesting to her. She had the parliament question her birth which led her to serving time in prison. At Woodstock, the princess wrote poetry, which later became famous. At the age of twenty-five Elizabeth…

or queens to help to help the king and other nobility with conflict and provide an heir to the throne. Eleanor of Aquitaine shows a great example as she became wealthy at the age of fifteen, and soon after became the queen of France and queen of England. She accompanied kings as they conquered great historical lands and bore many children to continue their legacy. Eleanor of Aquitaine held great responsibility at a young age, giving her the experience to rule with an iron fist. She became her…

From the Beginning Elizabeth I of London was the daughter to both King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who was the King's second wife. She was born on September 7, 1533, at around 3 o’clock in the Palace of Placentia. It is believed that she was named “Elizabeth” after her grandmother from her father’s side Elizabeth of York or maybe her grandmother Elizabeth Howard from her mother’s side or both. Also, from the beginning of her mother’s pregnancy (Anne Boleyn), it was assured that the newborn…

powerful woman during the middle Ages. One of the greatest abilities Eleanor developed was to subdue the people around her, in doing so; she succeeded to marry two men later turned to kings rendering her first, Queen of France and second, Queen of England. In spite of all the negative assumptions about Eleanor she proved to be tremendously intelligent, always one step ahead of…

Saint Thomas More truly was a great man, worthy of his canonization and throughout his life he exhibited many gifts, talents, and qualities. He was born February 7, 1478, became the councilor for King Henry VIII and Lord High Chancellor of England before his death on July 6, 1535. This man was called a ‘Man for All Seasons’ or in other words a Renaissance Man. This title, along with many of his other prestigious titles, was presented to him because of how he put God at the center of his…