Ascended throne 1509.163 Originally the epitome of a medieval-style prince, Henry eventually became a Rennaissance tyrant. While his break with Rome is normally ascribed to his infatuation with Anne Boleyn, it had more to do with Henry’s growing sense that he should be able to do whatever he wanted and answer to no man. It betokened much harsher steps to come, and he eventually became a petty tyrant. His reign is red with the blood of his closest confidantes and advisors, including Cardinal Wolsey and St Thomas More. The parallels between this Henry’s interactions with this St Thomas and Henry II’s interactions with St Thomas a Becket are a fascinating historical tableau that shows how much had changed in the meantime.1

Henry declared his 20-year marriage to Katherine of Aragon invalid due to consanguinuity: she had first been the wife of his brother Arthur. Katherine steadfastly (and believably) clung to her claim that the marriage with Arthur was never consummated (they were both very young and Arthur was ill for much of their 6-month marriage before his death). Henry claimed the issue of consanguinuity had cursed their marriage, making it impossible for Katherine to bear a son. While he was married to Katherine he had two children by Mary Boleyn. When Mary faded in importance to him, he took up Mary’s sister Anne next. Years later, when he’d decided to rid himself of Anne, he trotted out the old issue again: their marriage could not posisbly be valid, since Henry had slept with Anne’s sister beforehand. While men like Thomas More went to the stake rather than submit to the concept that Henry’s marriage to Katherine was invalid (thereby disinheriting her daughter Princess Mary), no one protested by the time Henry used the same excuse to get rid of Anne. It was a sign not only of her unpopularlity but, more importantly, of the consolidation and extent of his power.1

Named after Princess Mary Tudor, youngest child of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York (sister to Henry VIII).566

Mary and William Carey did not have much of an opportunity for a married life; Mary spent much of the time as Henry VIII’s mistress before being put aside for her far more ambitious sister, Anne Boleyn.1 William didn’t mind, as it brought him wealth and power.554

Mary was banished from court and all preferment after her secret marriage to William Stafford. She was a member of the royal family and had married without permission—and to a commoner. She wrote numerous entreaties to Cromwell, begging him to intercede with Henry VIII on her behalf. Curiously, she begs him to get Henry to intercede for her with *Anne*, her sister, who was even more incensed at Mary’s neglect of duty than Henry was. Mary makes clear that the love she and Stafford felt for each other had overcome any reservations she’d had about the marriage and that she had no intention of putting him aside. She wanted to keep her William but be reinstated to the family’s (and the court’s) good graces.554

Mary escaped the persecutions of Henry VIII that led to the execution of her sister and brother. She lived peacefully with her husband William Stafford in Rochford until 1539, when her father died and she inherited the Boleyn estates in Essex. She and William raised Henry as their own child, though he was Henry VIII’s child, briefly Anne Boleyn’s ward, and carried Mary’s first husband’s name.553