The Six Tudor Monarchs In The Royal Family

Henry VII (1485 – 1509)

Parents: Edmund Tudor and Margaret Beaufort

Henry VII is best known as the father of King Henry VIII and the first Tudor king. He was a cunning ruler who amassed vast sums of money for the Crown. Despite having a shaky claim to the throne, Henry VII would go on to end the Wars of the Roses and establish the Tudor dynasty. Richard III’s Yorkists were defeated at the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485. Henry became King of England.

Henry VIII (1509–1547)

Parents: Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York

Henry VIII is one of the most well-known monarchs in English history. He founded the Church of England as well as the Royal Navy. He is the first Tudor monarch. When his father, Henry VII, died on April 21, 1509, he ascended to the crown. He was a charismatic figure and a powerful man, best known for his turbulent love life and the founding of the Church of England.

Edward VI (1547–1553)

Parents: Henry VIII and Jane Seymour

The English Prayer and the Forty-two Articles were introduced during the brief reign of King Edward VI, making this a key phase in the development of English Protestantism. 

Jane Grey (1553-1553)

Parents: Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, and Lady Frances Brandon

Jane Grey is one of Tudor England’s most glorified monarchs. Her nine-day reign was a failed attempt to keep Protestant rule in place. She lost the crown and her life as a result of the battle. Her life began with promise and high hopes but ended tragically, in part because of her father’s ambitions and the religious turmoil of the time. During the stormy fight, Jane Grey, the great-granddaughter of Henry VIII, was deposed by Mary Tudor.

Mary I (1553 – 1558)

Parents: Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon

Mary I, was best dubbed as’ Bloody Mary ‘by her Protestant opponents. She is well-remembered for her tenacious efforts to reverse the English Reformation, which began during her father’s reign, Henry VIII. Her unfavorable moniker stemmed from her persecution of Protestant heretics, which she burnt at the stakes in droves. While hundreds died during her reign, her dark memory may stem from the fact that she was a Catholic queen who was succeeded by a Protestant Queen in a Protestant kingdom.

Elizabeth I (1558 – 1603)

Parents: Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

Elizabeth I was the last of the Tudor House’s six monarchs. During her reign, Elizabeth I established Protestantism in England, defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, kept peace in her once-divided country, and created an environment conducive to the flourishing of the arts. She was dubbed the “Virgin Queen” because she was never married.