Skeins-archive - ‘these Jewel-lakes, These Skeins Of Railroad Line’

ab. 1705 Francois de Troy - Princess Louisa Maria Stuart

Mary was born on the 18th of February 1516 in the Palace of Placentia in Greenwhich. She was the only child of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII to live past infancy. Mary’s gender would continue to be an issue for Henry who would divorce her mother in 1533 thus declaring Mary illegitimate and barring her from the throne. Henry would marry four more times and finally produce his longed for son Edward in 1537. Her brother Edward would not reign long and die at only 15 in 1553 not before writing Mary and their sister Elizabeth out of his will in favour of their cousin Lady Jane Grey. However Jane would not be accepted as queen and was deposed on the July 19th 1553 after only nine days. Mary was finally crowned on October 1st 1553, she would be the very first queen regnant of England.

“Elizabeth had always been popular, and though Mary had once been equally so, by the time of her death the warmth of feeling towards her had faded. She had become unpopular as a result of the religious persecution she had imposed upon her people, and for involving her realm in her husband Philip’s foreign wars. This had also resulted in the loss of Calais in 1557, England’s last remaining possession in France, which came as a devastating blow to the English. It was little wonder then that her subjects greeted Elizabeth’s succession with genuine heartfelt enthusiasm. Indeed, for the entirety of her reign Accession Day [17 November] would be enthusiastically celebrated each year.”

— Elizabeth’s Rival: The Tumultuous Life of The Countess Of Leicester, Nicola Tallis

‘Comparing Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon in a way that is unfavorable to the latter is evil and sexist’ yeah, well, Katherine of Aragon partisans do this all the time with her elder sister so :)

Charles’ brother, James, Duke of York, had two sons and a daughter in the 1660s with his mistress, Arabella Churchill, the sister of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough. He had other longstanding affairs, including Lady Southesk, Frances ‘La Belle Jennings’ - sister of the Duchess of Marlborough - and Catherine Sedley. Yet he was also devoted to his strong, stout wife, Anne. When Pepys saw the Yorks together in 1663, he winced at their 'impertinent and, methought, unnatural dalliances.’ They were far too physical than was decent for man and wife, 'before the whole world, such as kissing of hands and leaning on one another.’

Charles II: A Gambling Man // Jenny Uglow