Mary I (1553
?)-(1558
?) was the first female ruler of England. She was the daughter of
Henry VIII and
Catherine of Aragon. She was alienated from her father, however, during his divorce from her mother. She rejected the
Anglican Church Henry had instituted and tried to turn England back to Roman Catholicism. This effort was carried out by force and a number of noted Protestant leaders were executed. This earned her the title of 'Bloody Mary.' Mary also set in motion currency reform to counteract the dramatic devaluation of the currency that characterized the last few years of Henry III's reign and the reign of Edward VI (
somebody please check number). Mary's deep religious convictions also inspired her to institue social reforms, although these were largely unsuccessful. She was deeply unpopular, but did not last long on the throne being succeeded by her younger sister
Elizabeth I, who quickly undid most of Mary's changes. Marian apologists have pointed out that fewer Protestants died under Mary than Catholics under Elizabeth, but admit that, averaged over a length of reign, the Marian death toll was indeed higher.