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storytellers. Nevertheless, they're both important in dif-

    ferent ways. Edward's minority (he was a child of 9, but bright) tested two

    things: the Royal Supremacy and the Crown's control over the nobility. Henry

    VIII surrounded his son with men who turned out to be Protestants. These

    radical reformers converted both King Edward and the English Church, suc-

    cessfully sweeping away centuries of religious styles of worship. Mary is best

    remembered as Bloody Mary who burned Protestants, but she was far more

    than that. She was England's first ruling queen, and her marriage to King

    Philip of Spain brought up all sorts of questions about being a good sovereign

    and a good wife.

    Part IV: Ending with Elizabeth

    Elizabeth had a different agenda to Mary but took advantage of her half-

    sister's reign in several ways. First, the Crown had been `ungendered' for

    Mary's benefit, which gave Elizabeth a flying start. Second, she took on-board

    the lessons of her sister's example about how tricky marriage can be for a

    ruling queen. Although Elizabeth entered into several negotiations, she never

    tied the knot. Third, she exploited Mary's spiritual fervour and turned the

    whole religious settlement upside down. Although she's best remembered

    as Gloriana who beat the Spanish Armada, you see in this part that Elizabeth

    was simply a successful ruler who developed her own inimitable style and

    gave her kingdom status and self-respect. Having never married, sheer good

    luck enabled her to pass the crown to her cousin, her Protestant `brother of

    Scotland' James VI, who became King James I of England in 1603.

Introduction 5
    Part V: The Part of Tens

    If you want to impress your friends with your knowledge of Tudor England,

    you can do worse than start at the end of this book where you find a digest

    of information. We supply ten crucial moves and developments, such as

    England's break with Rome and the start of the war with Spain. We describe

    ten things that link the Tudors with the present day, including the right

    of female succession and an independent Church of England, and highlight

    ten areas where the Tudors got there first. And you can tour ten surviving

    buildings, some of which are only partly Tudor (such as Hampton Court).

    The list includes places you've probably never heard of but that are well

    worth a visit.

    Icons Used in This Book

    This book includes several icons to highlight special points and add addi-

    tional layers of understanding to your reading experience.

    The Tudor period is brimming with political and personal intrigues that result

    in surprising decisions and alliances. This icon points out some of the oddest

    moments in Tudor history.

    If you think that Henry VIII was an insatiable womaniser or Elizabeth I was a

    frosty virgin queen, think again! We replace commonly held beliefs with the facts.

    As with all things, you can look at a problem or the importance of an event in

    different ways. This icon points up some of the most intriguing examples.

    The Tudor legacy extends from 16th-century England to modern-day Great

    Britain � and beyond. We use this icon to emphasise these connections.

    These paragraphs contain essential information to bear in mind when getting

    to grips with the Tudors.

6 The Tudors For Dummies
    Although everything in this book is interesting, not every single paragraph is

    vital. If you want to skip the more complicated stuff (or save it for later), this

    icon shows the way.

    The events of the Tudor era have provided film makers with plenty of inspira-

    tion and have led to a number of memorable movies being made. Many of

    these are worth watching for an insight into Tudor times, so we highlight

    some of the best for you in these paragraphs.

    Where to Go from Here

    At this point you can turn the page and start at the beginning of the Tudors'

    story. Part I gives you a snapshot overview of the period and introduces you

    to the