"Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary."
She's held responsible for the burning of nearly 300 protestants, granting her the infamous title little girls chant today in dark mirrors. But do you know her true story? The story of how her father bastardi...
The Wyatt Rebellion had only further complicated the awkward relationship between the Queen and her half-sister Elizabeth. Again, during the punishment of Northumberland, Renard and even Bishop Stephen Gardiner, wanted Elizabeth arrested. Mary defied the advice of her council, hoping that Elizabeth would eventually convert to Catholicism. Although her councilors saw Elizabeth as a threat to Mary's safety, the Queen saw hope. [57]
This hope was crushed with the Wyatt Rebellion. Not only was Elizabeth's name mentioned constantly as a replacement for Mary if she were dethroned, but there was also the case where a French translated letter between the Queen and Elizabeth was caught in the hands of a French spy, which raised doubts about Elizabeth's loyalty to her sister.
The Queen's mercy had been abused, and although Queen Mary did distance herself from her sister and had her imprisoned, she did not send her to the same fate that Lady Jane had undergone, even at the advice of Renard. Porter states that "Mary, as queen, could have destroyed [Elizabeth] if she had ever fully hardened her heart." [58] As Queen, Mary could have easily done away with Elizabeth, much like those who ruled before her. Yet many people ask why did she not do away with her sister?
There is no straightforward answer to this question, but one of the best inferences one can make upon Mary's mercy to her Protestant sister can be seen through her fierce determination to avoid her sister at all costs during her imprisonment and constant questioning following the Wyatt Rebellion. While Elizabeth was being questioned under house arrest in Whitehall, and eventually placed in the Tower, she constantly appealed for a meeting with the Queen. Porter explains, "Despite impassioned pleas, Mary refused to see [Elizabeth]. The queen evidently feared that there was still sufficient residual affection and family feeling for her judgment to be swayed at a critical time." [59] In other words, Queen Mary still cared for her younger half-sister, whom she looked after for three years when Elizabeth was just a baby. If Elizabeth did play a crucial role in the Wyatt Rebellion, Queen Mary did not wish to let her sisterly affection for Elizabeth get in the way of prosecuting Elizabeth. Mary's coldness was a deterrent to her emotional attachment to her sister. Although they were not the best of friends, they still shared the same father. After a lot of questioning and anxiety, Elizabeth was released and allowed to live on her own—but Mary kept a close eye on Elizabeth.
***Author's Note***
With Wyatt's Rebellion coming close to unseating Mary from the throne, she hardened her heart against her adversaries and started to take action. Since the rebellion was adamant about potentially replacing Mary with her sister Elizabeth, Mary started to lose the trust of the woman whom she cared for when Elizabeth was just a child. Yet, she still had hope that her relationship with Elizabeth would smooth out over time.
One can think of a different, and rather "bloody" means, Mary could have handled her sister. Mary could have killed Elizabeth and the threat she posed to the throne would be taken care of. If she wanted a more lighter route, she could have arrested Elizabeth. After all such was the advice of her counsel. Instead she decided to let her sister go free, but gave her the cold-shoulder. Considering Mary could have destroyed Elizabeth if she had truly been evil, this was a measly punishment.
After the Wyatt Rebellion, Mary had to focus on converting her kingdom back to Catholicism. She would do this through a massive propaganda campaign that would be led by the prominent Cardinal Reginald Pole.
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