Mary I 1553-1558 AD

The Groat of Mary I, the daughter of Henry VIII. Also known as 'Bloody Mary' for her ruthless and ultimately futile attempt to turn England back to Catholicism. Her marriage to Philip II of Spain produced no heirs, but gave Philip a claim to the throne of England which he tried unsuccessfully to seize from Mary's sister Elizabeth in 1588. The groat featured was minted during the joint reign of Philip and Mary but feature only the portrait of Mary.
Coins of Mary are quite difficult to find, especially in good condition.

Obverse:
Profile portrait of the Queen, facing left.
Reverse:
Royal Coat of Arms surrounded by Latin Legend which translates as 'I have made God my Helper'.

ary had been the king’s favourite, but in his later years he longed for a son and his daughter’s presence at court may have reminded him of his first wife. Mary was demoted to the status of lady-in-waiting to her young half-sister, Elizabeth, which she evidently resented. Elizabeth was herself demoted after the execution of Anne Boleyn, and both she and Mary lost power to their brother Edward. On Henry’s marriage to KatherineParr, the two girls were re-admitted to court but relations with their father were strained.

Edward feared that if Mary succeeded him, she would undo the Protestant reforms he and his father had undertaken; he therefore disinherited both his half-sisters and nominated Lady Jane Grey but she had little support and was soon disposed of after Mary entered London to popular acclaim. She was crowned in 1553 at the age of 37 but the combination of religious and political rivalry made her marriage to the Spanish nobleman, Prince Phillip, highly undesirable as it was feared that England might become a Spanish possession or satellite. Phillip’s attention turned to military affairs on the continent and he lost interest in marriage. Strained relations with Spain encouraged Phillip to persist in his attempts to win the queen’s affection, but this only inflamed English popular opinion both for and against Mary. (Phillip was technically King of England during Mary’s reign.)

The leading churchman, Thomas Cranmer, was burnt at the stake by her order and she abolished many of her half-brother’s laws. Currency reform and a crackdown on piracy were among the beneficial effects of her reign. She died in London in 1558 and was succeeded by her half-sister, Elizabeth I.