Who was the first Queen of England to rule in her own right?

Mary I (1516-1558), known as “Bloody Mary” because of her persecution of Protestants, was the first queen to rule England in her own right.

Mary was the only surviving child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Henry divorced Catherine to marry Anne Boleyn, claiming that his marriage to Catherine was incestuous and illegal, because she had been married to his late brother. His allegations of incest effectively bastardized Mary. Henry’s son from his marriage to Jane Seymour, Edward VI succeeded his father in 1547 and promoted Protestantism. Mary, however, remained a devout Catholic. On Edward's death in 1553, Lady Jane Grey was briefly acclaimed queen, but was never coronated. Mary had widespread popular support and within days made a triumphal entry into London and claimed her crown. Once queen, she married Philip II of Spain and tried to restore Catholicism.

During her reign, hundreds of Protestants were burned at the stake, provoking disillusionment with Mary. She died in 1558 and her dream for a Catholic England was never fulfilled.