Tudor Times is the online repository for all things Tudor and Stewart (1485–1625)

On 25th July 1554, Mary I, Queen of England and Philip II of Spain were married at Winchester Cathedral. In subsequent interpretations of Mary’s reign, the marriage has been seen as a mistake, but the situation at the time was more complex than later historians, who were overwhelmingly Protestant and anti-Spanish, reflected.

Whilst female rulers were not unknown (and Mary’s own grandmother, Isabella of Castile was one of the most successful mediaeval monarchs), it was a foregone conclusion that a Queen-regnant would marry, both to carry on her line, and for support, particularly in military matters. In many cases, the husband would effectively oust the wife from her position, as had happened to Mary’s aunt, Juana of Castile.

For Mary, marriage was urgent – she was thirty-seven, not robust, and keen to re-establish the Catholic faith in England. Philip was her cousin, and was also the representative of the traditional Anglo-Burgundian alliance that had been a feature of English politics and economics for at least one hundred years. The plans for the marriage split Mary’s Council, and led to the Wyatt Rebellion. However, the eventual treaty was very favourable to England, and prevented Philip having any claims on Mary’s throne, whilst any children would have inherited his Burgundian territories.

The 25th July is the Feast of St James, the patron saint of Spain, and the date was presumably chosen for that reason.

On 24th July 1567 Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate by the Scots Lords. Following rebellion, she, and her third husband, the Earl of Bothwell, had raised an army to confront the rebels at Carberry Hill. Battle was never joined, and, in the end, Mary surrendered when the Lords swore that if Bothwell were exiled, she and the Lords could find a compromise. They lied.

Mary was carried through the streets of Edinburgh disgraced and branded as a murderer and harlot. Pregnant, she was imprisoned at Lochleven Castle, where, at the end of her tether after a miscarriage, she was coerced into signing articles of abdication.

On 23rd July 1595, there was a raid by the Spanish on Cornwall. Although we tend to assume that the defeat of the Armada in 1588 was the end of the Spanish threat, in fact, the war continued until 1604 and there were repeated raids by both sides; the English concentrating on Cadiz, and the Spanish on Cornwall and Ireland.

On 23rd July, 4 ships were seen off Mousehole, and a force of up to 200 marines was landed, which burnt the town. The inhabitants fled to Penzance, and the Spanish proceeded to burn the next settlement, at Newlyn. Although the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Sir Francis Godolphin, was at Penzance, he was unable to muster a significant defence force, and this town, too was burnt, and Mass said by the Spanish, with a vow that a monastery would be founded there when England was conquered. The invaders then returned to their ships.