Life Was Cheap under the Tudors ... Quiz

Answer: all three reasons

She was indeed found guilty of all these (recent historians argue she was innocent). She miscarried during a tournament, when she feared for the life of her husband. This mark of love was all the more unfortunate since the foetus was reported to have been deformed.

The king, despite being eager to have a son, could not risk having an unhealthy heir to the throne. Anne Boleyn pleaded with him, bringing him their healthy child (the future Elizabeth I), but to no avail.

Answer: she died of puerperal fever

She died of puerperal fever shortly after giving birth to the future Edward VI, Henry's long-awaited son. Henry VIII beheaded "only" two of six wives, Anne Boleyn (number 2) and Catherine Howard (number 5), for adultery that she had indeed committed. Two others were simply dismissed, Catherine of Aragon (number 1) because she could no longer give him children (so he divorced her), and Anne of Cleves (number 4) because she "looked like a horse" (sic), so he had the union cancelled for non-consummation.

His last wife, Catherine Parr, survived him - against all the odds.

Answer: refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy recognizing the King as Head of the English Church

The question of Henry's divorce, and of the coronation of Anne Boleyn in 1533 (which More refused to attend), triggered the king's wrath against him. The other answers are totally false, except for the one about Bibles in English. Thomas More passed laws (with Henry VIII's consent) to make these illegal (proclamation of 20th June 1530) as he thought Biblical knowledge should distributed by superiors at their own discretion - but this was not the reason for his execution.

More's sucessor (Thomas Cromwell) was also beheaded, and his predecessor (Thomas Wolsey) died in prison with an execution looming ahead.

Answer: disbelief in transubstantiation

Under the reign of Edward VI, largely due to Somerset's influence, Henry VIII's structural reforms on religious authority became fully matched by theological reforms. Transubstantiation (the belief that the bread and wine during mass become the body and blood of Christ in a literal sense) was a Roman Catholic concept; if England was to become Protestant, disbelief in transsubstantiation could no longer be punished by death, for fear of having to kill almost the whole kingdom!

Answer: she had been her challenger to the English throne

Lady Jane Grey, with the Duke of Northumberland (her father-in-law and Lord President of the council under Edward VI), fought Mary Tudor for the English throne for nine days after the death of Edward VI. Jane Grey had the support of Edward VI, who had placed her first in his will, as he was loath to see his Catholic half-sister Mary on the throne.

But Jane's ploy did not work and she was beheaded with her supporters. Under English law, adultery as such has never been punishable by death, unless committed with a member of the royal family *and* likely to interfere with the succession to the throne.

Answer: he was burned alive

Archbishop Cranmer had found favour with Henry VIII during the divorce with Catherine of Aragon, thus becoming Archbishop of Canterbury. He had also played an important part with Edward VI, reluctantly signing the king's will where Jane Grey was designated as his successor.

He was burned alive, as were many of Mary's protestant opponents. Yet this cruel treatment might not have been so much due to Mary than to her Lord Chancellor, Stephen Gardiner, who had been imprisoned in the Tower since Thomas Cromwell's days and who was therefore eager for revenge. That said, in the 16th century burning for heresy was commonplace.

Answer: No

As military commander, Leicester failed to be victorious against Spain in Holland, and died soon after his ignominious return in December 1587. He wasn't beheaded by the Queen, however, but died in his own home, probably of stomach cancer. Elizabeth was devastated by the death of one who had once been the most likely to become her husband (some say he was her lover).

She preciously kept his last letter to her - it was found, annotated by her, in her treasure box when she died 15 years later. Leicester's enemies thought that his death was cause for as much (if not more) rejoicing than the victory over the Great Armada, on the same year (1588).

Answer: No

Henry VIII beheaded two faithful Lord High Chancellors - More and Cromwell) and summoned and had Cardinal Wolsey charged with high treason. (He died at Leceister on his way to London to face trial). Elizabeth got on well with her main adviser, William Cecil, and his life was never in danger, even at times when public opinion was against him.

Answer: she remained indecisive and let the Privy council carry it out

Elizabeth remained indecisive throughout. To start with, she had her cousin Mary Stuart imprisonned for many years. In February 1587, it was the Privy Council which made the decision - it was too dangerous to keep a prospective Catholic queen in the royal jails, especially as there was evidence of Roman Catholic plots to overthrow Elizabeth. (Mary Stuart was next in line to the throne after Elizabeth).

Answer: True

Elizabeth was at the Catholic end of the Protestant spectrum, having retained many Catholic trappings (incense, candles, vestments) so as not to antagonise her people. The Puritans wanted to go further in the Protestant reform, and said so in the 1572 admonitions. Elizabeth did not do what they wanted, but she did not persecute them either, unless they were intent on the creation of a new Church.

This she could not tolerate, as she wanted to unite her kingdom as much as possible - ideally one people and one kingdom in one Church.