Who was the worst Tudor Monarch?

Answer 1

It depends on your opinion of what makes a successful monarch.

Though longevity shouldn't be apart of it. Contrary to popular belief Queen Mary I 'Bloody Mary' had around 280 executed, a rather small figure compared with what many people assume to be in the thousands. A figure on a par with her half-siblings Elizabeth and Edward, and dwarfed by her father who had many tens of thousands executed.

In a religious sense Mary and Edward are the most definable, Edward was a committed evangelical protestant whilst Mary was a strict Roman Catholic. Mary had the difficult task of restoring a protestant country to Catholicism, and again contrary to popular belief she had plenty of support among the people.

Without a doubt Elizabeth was the best Tudor monarch, though had you only judged her first 5 years you wouldn't have thought so. Though both Mary and Edward would be judged differently had they reigned for longer.

Henry VIII was the worst Tudor monarch, i'll go further and say that Henry VIII was the worst tyrant (monarch or otherwise) England ever had. He killed people for the smallest of things, he killed his friends and his wives, and he would have killed his daughter Mary, had she not unwillingly signed an oath recognising Henry as head of the church, and her own illegitimacy. All in all, Mary's live was saved from both Henry and Edward because they both feared her cousin - the Holy Roman Emperor.

Henry presided over the English reformation, the dissolution or 'suppression' of the monasteries and the looting of the churches. Research the Pilgrims of Grace - the pilgrims who were loyal to their King who were branded rebels for wanting their monasteries back. Henry had the wives and children of these pilgrims killed, as well as the pilgrims them selves - thousands died.

I rate the disputed Queen Jane above Mary and Edward as she was an unfortunate pawn, and committed no wrongs in her 9 days as Queen

Worst (to best) Tudor Monarchs:

#1- Henry VIII

#3 - Edward and Mary

#4 - Jane

#5 - Elizabeth