ACEO, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, watercolour, gouache and gold ink, August 2007. Mary was the daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine Of Aragon and was born in 1516. For the first few years of her life Henry doted on her and was immensely proud of her - she was well educated and given her own court, and several marriage contracts were discussed though none ever came to fruition. However, everything was soon to change. By 1527 Henry was looking for a way to escape his marriage to Katherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn, and by 1533 he had achieved this. The marriage to Katherine was declared void and Mary lost her status - she was now legally illegitimate and just known as Lady Mary. She was not allowed to see her mother again. She was sent away from court and later became a lady in waiting to the Princess Elizabeth who had gained all of Mary's previous privileges. Her relationship with Henry was also difficult and she was forced to recognise him as head of the Church. After Anne Boleyn's fall the relationship began to improve and she was godmother to Henry's son Edward. It was during Henry's marriage to Katherine Parr, and thanks to her, that both Mary and Elizabeth were returned to the line of succession , though legally they remained illegitimate. Mary was devotedly Catholic, and had remained so despite the religious changes of the times. When Edward, her half -brother, became King in 1547 it became a serious issue as he was Protestant. It was only after her cousin Charles V threatened England with war that she was allowed to practice her faith, though it had to be privately. After Edwards death in 1553 an attempt was made to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne, but this failed and Mary was crowned Queen. Mary was essentially a good person. She refused to agree to the execution of Jane Grey, believing she had been a pawn, until it became clear that the threat to her was too great. But she also politically naive and rather single minded - she was determined to return the country to Catholicism and this led to between 250 - 300 Protestants being burnt at the stake for heresy during her five year reign and gained her the nickname "Bloody Mary". In 1554, when 37 she married Philip Of Spain, another Catholic monarch. It was a deeply unpopular decision and lost her the goodwill of the people she had had when she succeeded the throne - England had not had a female ruler for 400 years and marriage to a foreign power was greatly feared. Philip however did not stay in England for long as he found her unattractive (she was 11 years older than him). Mary believed herself to be pregnant on two occasions, in 1554 and then in 1558 but it was not the case - the second time it is believed to have been ovarian cancer, and she died that year aged 42.