Hey everyone. I always wonder which Tudors are people's favourite. So what's everyone's favourite Tudor and why?
[ed. note - I thought this had come up before, but I didn't see it in the archives... I'm kind of surprised since it is something I often get asked personally, not that I ever have a satisfactory answer!]
13 comments:
I get a little geeky about Elizabeth I. When I was in labor with my daughter, (Charlotte Elizabeth) I told all my doctors that the baby had to hold out until the following day so that her birthday could be November 17- the day Elizabeth ascended the throne of England. I have also be known to become dangerously belligerent when people say Mary Queen of Scots was the rightful queen of England.
I would have to say that my favorite is Henry VIII. The reason for this is the amazing transformation of character that takes place in this larger-than-life (no pun intended! ;D) man, from knight in shining armor to tyrant. It is utterly fascinating how one man can encompass so much (again, no pun intended!) in that way.
Of course, he also changed the course of - not just English history - but world history, forever. (Think how different America and all other English colonies would've been if it hadn't been for him! When you consider how widespread England's dominion became, that's an impressive thing to consider.)
Anyway, I have a few other reasons, but that's largely it. Yay, Henry!
Bearded lady, that is pretty funny, in an adorable geeky way :)
I would have to say that I am stuck between Henry VIII and Elizabeth. They are both so interesting and have so many aspects to their personality that I never get bored.
Anne Boleyn for me. Her story is such a dramatic tale of power, sexual passion, fear, and tragedy.
She was also my first introduction to the Tudor period so holds a special place in my heart.
Although not strictly a Tudor (gosh, Anne really isn't a Tudor, is she?) Mary, Queen of Scots comes a close second.
As I alluded to in the question, I get asked this frequently but I always find it hard to answer. If I'm limited to the monarchs, I have to go with Elizabeth I. Although it was the story of the wives that really hooked me, Elizabeth was the first individual that I really got interested in. In particular I find her life before she became Queen to be fascinating. She was a survivor.
Now if I branch out, I've gotten interested in the early Tudors, in particular Jasper Tudor (Henry VII's uncle) and Margaret Beaufort (Henry VII's mother).
My favourite Tudors are as follows:
Anne Boleyn becuse she was a reformed lutheran/prodestant as we know it today.King Henry VIII broke with the church of Rome for her to marry her and make her his queen.After Luther tried to popularize lutheranism Anne made the new religion even more big and popular along with with king Henry VIII.
I also like her neclace with the famous B pendant that she wears around her neck.Also she gave birth to the daughter that could rule just as good if not better than any King.
Second I would say Henry VIII for breaking with rome aand making and also creating the church of England he changed the course of history if it was not for hiim we would all be worshipping as catholic.Also he was funny.
Catherine Howard because she was the most silly and immature and also the youngest of all of Henry's wives. She meddled with a few men behind Henry's back and thought she could get away with it and she did for a while.She stood out in ways others did not with her behaviour.But unfortunately her past and present behaviour was exposed by archbishop cranmer the king becme enranged but he did not beleive it. Then there was evidence brought before him to say that she was guilty.Also in 1542 the act of attainder was passed in parliment that said anyone woman who had been unchaste before the king got involved her must tell the king first otherwise it would be unlawful and also that it was ok to execute someone who was mad.
So poor catherine and lady Rochford would have and did fall victim staight away.So their was no way they could escape it.
After that I would say lady Jane Grey,ElizabethI and MaryStuart Queen of scots.Last but not least Thomas culpepper,Thomas More,Thomas cromwell and John Fisher Bishop/soon to be cardinal and he was only for one day and that ended with his execution Rochester.
I don't exactly have a favorite in the sense of the one that I admire the most. I think there were a lot of interesting people, and it was an interesting time.
Two people I would like to know more about what made them tick are John Dudley the Duke of Northumberland & William Cecil. Dudley was the son of a traitor, yet managed to rise to the highest office, only to be executed himself - and of course of was the father of Guildford & Robert. Perhaps it would make a good novel :). Cecil managed to serve under Edward, Jane & Mary before his long run with Elizabeth. I don't know much about his private life. Thomas Cromwell also strikes me as an interesting character.
As Lara says, I guess you kind of branch out after you get saturated with the major Tudors.
Anne Boleyn for me. Tracey said it well -- the center of a tale of power, sexual passion, fear, and tragedy.
I often wonder, what must she have thought and felt from one day to the next during her career? She was a young woman, well born but not royal, the fulcrum of the whole Tudor story in my opinion, and yet her character can be read in completely contradictory ways: as her father's pawn, as ambitious greedy minx, as religious reformer qua harpy. Finally as stunned victim of Cromwell, who needed only a month to bump her off when he decided she must go (Starkey, Six Wives.)
But what was it like to be her?
I have a few favorites. One of my favorites is Elizabeth I. Another is Anne Boleyn. For some reason I also like Jane Seymour.
I have a soft spot for Mary Tudor. Poor woman- what a tragic life she had. She may not have been the most itelligent of the Tudor monarchs but I think she was probably the 'nicest'. Such a shame Catherine's baby son died and Mary missed out on the life she should have had. I think she'd have made an excellent and very popular queen-concert to one of the European monarchs.
I feel like such a loser for saying this, but i keep thinking if i'll choose one, the ones i didn't choose will come into my dreams and yell at me. :) lol
i love them all so much it breaks my heart to choose
although, i have to say, if it were ANNE and ELIZABETH Vs. KATHERINE and MARY, i would go with Katherine and Mary, because they HAD known each other, so it was harder for them to be seperated, and completely unfair. although i love Elizabeth and Anne too, i just think that within the circumstances, poor KAtherine fought for Mary till she died (and Anne did it too, dont get me wrong) but Katherine's struggle for 24 years was a lot harder than Anne's 6 (was it 8?)
i love all the tudors, though. just when it comes to circumstances, some people had a longer time span to make it harder to seperate.
<33 all tudors!!!!!!!!
another reason you can tell i love them all, is that i named my dog after Catalina of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Jane Grey, Katherine Howard, KAtherine Grey, Katherine Parr, Anne of Cleaves, Elizabeth I, Mary I, Princess MAry Tudor (the sister,) and Mary Grey
her full name is Catalina Maria (latin for Mary, i dont know exactly why i didn't just go with MAry)
sorry, full name, i went on the Maria VS MAry tangent
Catalina MAria Katherine Elizabeth Anne Jane
Hi
Anne Boleyn is definatly my favourite,I don't know why but she is just a really interesting personality. I also like Elizabeth 1 and Henry V111. I feel sorry for Catherine of Aragon and Mary 1 because their whole lives were destroyed when Henry wanted Anne Boleyn, but i think Anne was innocent of the charges she was executed for. I have heard that at her death she asked for Mary's forgiveness. Has anyone else heard this?
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