B2 Bloody Mary

A. Watch the video and answer the questions?

1. What will Bloody Mary show you in the mirror according to a folklore tale?
She shows your future. Either your spouse or a skull meaning you will die.

2. Why did Bloody Mary burn people?

She burned protestants to stop religious reforms and forced people to watch. Who
was unwilling to watch would burn too. Pregnant women were burned for being
heretics.

3. Why was Mary taught Latin?

Catherine taught her latin, a man’s language, so Mary could one day become a
sovereign.

4. What was her mother´s nationality?

Catherine was Spanish.

5. What was the legal age for getting married at that time?
12

6. What event changed her life forever?

Henry the VIII fell for Anne Boleyn and divorced Catherine.

7. What illness did Mary suffer?

She had severe menstrual problems and had chronic cramps. The hormones
caused serious depression. She had endometriousis
8. What did King Henry VIII do to be able to divorce Catherine and marry Anne?
He split from the Roman catholic church and created the Church of England

9. What was Mary’s religion?

Catholic

10. What was Mary´s new role in the family after her father divorced her mother?
She was pronounced illegitimate and forced to serve her younger half sister
Elizabeth I. She was forbidden from seeing her mother.

11. What were the people saying about King Henry´s new life?
People believed that Anne bewitched him and that he stayed from god’s path.
They pitied Mary and thought she had a claim for the throne as they liked
Catherine much more than Anne who was called a homewrecker and a whore.

12. What was Mary symbol of among the people?

Heroic symbol of Rebellion

13. Why did Mary write to her father after Anne Boleyn was executed?
She wrote to him hoping that he would welcome her back and return her title as
princess now that Anne was dead. But he was still displeased with her
stubbornness and wanted her to submit to his law.
 14. What did she have to sign in order to be able to return to court?
Under the threat of death, she signed a document that proclaimed her illegitimate
and her parents marriage unlawful.

15. What was the order of successors to the throne after King Henry?
Edward, Mary, Elizabeth
16. How old was Mary when she became the queen?
37

17. What was Mary´s goal as the queen?

Restore Catholicism and take revenge on protestants

18. How was she described as a woman?

Fuelled by resentment, she wasn’t attractive, low with fragile structures, no
eyebrows, grey hair.

19. When Mary thought she was pregnant, what was probably happening instead?
Maybe a tumour or a phantom pregnancy

20. How was Mary´s wish disrespected after her death?

She wanted to be buried next to her mother, but was instead buried with Elizabeth
in a monument meant for Elizabeth.

B. Vocabulary: Try to explain in your own words and look up the unknown words
Burn someone at stake – burn someone alive on a pile of hay and wood
Spectators - onlookers
Understatement – something being less important than it is
Show mercy – let someone live
Heretic – non believer
Villain – the bad gay
Victim of circumstances
Inherit the throne – get the throne/ the position as the ruler after the previous ruler
dies
A sovereign – supreme ruler, monarch
Betrothal – promising to marry someone
Alter the course of history – change history
Repercussions – unwelcome sequence of events
Flare up – worsening of a disease
Disregard as illegitimate – name someone a bastard child with no claim to the
inheritance
Doting father – good father that cares for his children
Vicious - mean
Neglectful – doesn’t take care of someone like they are meant to, emotional or
physical
Events that transpired – what followed
Devoted Catholic – catholic with very strong believes
Ostracised - excluded
Spark and fuel the resentment – strengthen the reasons for hate
 Retaliate – attack in return for an attack
Popular but hushed belief – something is popular but can’t be spoken about in public
Bewitched – use magic to make someone fall in love with you
Be stripped of the title – the title gets take away
Relinquish the position – retreat, withdraw
Precarious situation – unsure positions
Allegations of treason – convicted of betrayal or conspiracy
Reluctantly – not so willingly
Line of succession – line of future rulers
Contempt - hate
Confidant – someone you tell your secrets to
Heir – the next in line for the throne
Beguiled – charm someone

C. Discussion:
What do you think of Queen Mary? Was she the villain or a victim?
Do you like history? Who is your favourite figure in history?