Key Figures (Mary)
William Paulet
- 1488-1572
- First Marquess of Winchester
- One of the key financial administrators in Tudor England
- Served all three monarchs (Ed, Mary and Bess) as Lord Treasurer
- The "willow"
- Presided over significant reforms in financial administration
Phillip of Spain
- 1527-1598
- Son of the Holy Roman Emperor: Charles V
- A devout Catholic
- Wanted to marry Mary for political reasons to increase the power of Spain at the expense of France
Simon Renard
- 1513-1573
- Native of Tournai in the Spanish Netherlands
- Ambassador of Mary's cousin Charles V
- Developed close contacts with her even before her accession to the throne and remained her confidant during her reign
- Had a privileged position which made him a greater influence than most members of her coucil
Charles V
- 1500-1558
- Most powerful political figure in Western Europe
- King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor
- Owned land in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic
- Devout Catholic
- Cousin of Mary
- Mary regarded his advise and support as absolutely reliable
Reginald Pole
- Was a senior priest who had been forced into exile in Rome after opposing Henry VIII’s religious changes.
- Once the Pope had compromised over monastic land, Pole was in a position to return to England and take up his post as Archbishop of Canterbury (parliament reversed the law which had declared Pole guilty of treason)
- Pope Julius III died in 1555. His successor was Paul IV, who was suspicious of Pole, stopped Pole from acting on the Pope’s behalf, and named him as a heresy suspect. Mary refused to acknowledge Pole’s replacement (Peto)
- pg 41
Pope Paul
- Pope Paul also supported the French in their war with Spain and England, and was suspicious of Philip (Having fought to make England Catholic again, Mary was now effectively at war with the Pope!)
Sir Henry Dudley
- 1517-1568
- Related to John Dudley - Duke of Northumberland and also Lady Jane Grey
- During the Devise attempt Northumberland sent Henry to the French King to plea for an army to support his cause in return for the surrender of Calais and Guisnes
- When rumours began about Mary and Philip's marriage he came up with the plan to remove Mary and Philip and secure Elizabeth to the throne who would marry Edward Courtenay
- After the conspiracy failed he escaped to France
Thomas Stafford
- 1533-1557
- Descended from royalty on both sides of his family
- His uncle was Cardinal Pole
- Was involved in the Wyatt's rebellion and was imprisoned in the Fleet Prison before fleeing to France
- Unsuccessfully attempts to ingratiate himself with his uncle (Pole)
- Joined Sir Henry Dudley in the unsuccessful Dudley's conspiracy
- Called himself the heir of the English throne
- Stafford was beheaded for treason on 28 May 1557 on Tower Hill, after imprisonment in the Tower