Henry VIII's heirs

Clips on Henry VIII's succession.

Under the Act of Succession of 1543 Henry allowed all his surviving children, even his daughters who he viewed as illegitimate, a place in his succession. If they all died childless then the throne was to pass to the heirs of his younger sister Mary (and this meant Mary's daughter Frances Grey and her daughters).

Notably, Henry bypassed the heirs of his eldest sister Margaret. They of course included the Scottish royal family and Henry ensured that they were to be omitted from his will.

Ironically the succession did not go the way Henry intended. Eventually all three of his children came to the throne and all died childless. Instead of the throne passing to the heirs of Mary Tudor, his sister, it passed to the heirs of Margaret Tudor. Margaret's great grandson James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603.

There was of course an attempt to place one of Frances Grey's daughters on the throne in July 1553 (Jane Grey her eldest daughter). The attempt failed as overwhelming support was for Mary, the rightful claimant to the throne. The Grey's made themselves even more unpopular later on when Catherine and Mary Grey, Jane's sisters, married without the permission of the monarch at the time (Elizabeth I) and were subsequently imprisoned. Catherine had two sons both of whom were declared illegitimate and so they could not claim the throne. The Grey sisters died during Elizabeth's reign.

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• Henry
• VIII
• Edward
• VI
• Mary
• Elizabeth
• Tudor
• Act
• of
• Succession
• dynasty

[TudorRose85]

I think Mary I was very Beautiful look how the artist catured her beauty!

[queenme222]

funny how Elizabeth I was the farthest down the line of succession was the best female monarch of all

[Schaetzchen95]

@PrincessKarrah true, but it's heir not hair ;) and want not went :)

[PrincessKarrah]

I dont think Henry gave a damn about his daughters he just didnt went edward to be his only hair

[TeRauhina10]

I totally agree i love the tudors I believe I was alive in those times in a past life!!!Im obsessed :)

[xloisx1]

@TudorRose85: really? from all the portraits of her i have seen i tought she was rather ugly, but none of them where very beautiful

[ronaldsanchez52]

excelente pero no lo hay en español???

[Schaetzchen95]

@peacefulgal2007 I love reading about them too. I love watching TheTudors. It is not historically right but I like it. I made a presentation at school and I know nearly all the dates of marriage and death in Henry VIII 's family. <3

[psychkim2009]

I love the Renaissance history and the tudors.

[TudorRose85]

1:17 I have been to Hampton Court and I have sence this painting. It shows what a great beauty Mary was.

[ligreekguy]

Quite true. If the year was indeed 1544, Mary was 28, Elizabeth was only 11, and Edward was 7. The emotions are captured perfectly, however: the boyish confidence of Edward, the maternal judgmentalism of Mary, and the precociousness of Elizabeth.

[Crazyfrog432]

Thanks i know for sure that i am her half niece.