Examining The Relationship Between Mary Tudor And Queen Elizabeth

Two of the most acclaimed sisters, Mary Tudor and Queen Elizabeth, struggled to get along from the very beginning of their lives, and the story of their relationship is a bitter one. From their adolescent years all the way into womanhood they were never able to build a fixed bond. Mary Tudor and Queen Elizabeth’s turbulent relationship is rooted in Mary’s intensely scaring childhood with her step mother Anne Boleyn, Mary and Elizabeth’s dramatic religious differences, their equivalent hunger for power, and the constant favoritism shown towards Elizabeth. Mary Tudor’s mother was cruelly torn away from her during her teenage years and replaced with Anne Boleyn who soon bore her half sister Elizabeth. Ever since her birth parent’s annulment
Mary was a Catholic and she devoted her rule to restoring the Roman Catholic Church. As a child Mary never budged from her Catholic beliefs and both of her siblings, Edward and Elizabeth, scolded her for that. (Catz) A man named Matthew Parker was a teacher of Elizabeth’s and an influential part of her childhood, but Mary hated him because of his Protestant beliefs. As she grew up her dedication to the Catholic church continued and she burned three hundred Protestant heretics at the stake over the course of three years during her rule. The many people she burned at the stake is the reason for her earning the nick name “Bloody Mary”. (Royal Household) Mary distrusted Protestants because of the many Protestant conspiracies that were formed to overthrow her during her reign. Eventually Mary’s religious differences were so detrimental to her relationship with Elizabeth that she placed her own sister in prison. Elizabeth was in prison for eight weeks and it is believed that Mary most likely kept her up there because she did not trust her during all the rebellions taking place. While Elizabeth was in prison she carved into the window at Woodstock Manor, “Much suspected by me, nothing proved can be.” Elizabeth was sneaky about her motives towards her sister and this quote can explain why Mary had so much distrust in her. (Alchin; Lindbuchler;
From the moment her sister was born Mary was instantly mistreated. She had grown up as a princess but once she her sister was born she was declared illegitimate. She no longer held the title of princess and instead she was referred to as “Lady Mary.” When Mary was forced to recognize her sister Elizabeth as princess she said that she knew of no princess but herself. Mary’s title had been cruelly stolen from her and she had trouble dealing with it. Around this time Mary fell ill and it is thought that it was from her stepmother, Anne Boleyn, poisoning her. However, it is most likely from all the recent life changing events that she had to cope with. Mary was forced to move into the house of her sister and watch her sister receive all the special and honorary treatment such as having her own dress maker, servants, and most pristine seats at the dinner table. Mary had to come to the reality that her household had been destroyed and she now belonged to the household of Elizabeth. Henry had many demands for Mary after Elizabeth was born. He commanded that she renounce her parent’s marriage for being unlawful, reject her faith, and recognize Henry as the supreme heard of the court. Henry gave Mary a dreadful lifestyle until she finally gave into his commands. After this Mary had a distrust for English men and a damaged upbringing. Coincidently Mary gave into these demands and her demotion