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1485
Henry VII
Henry VII became the king after defeating Richard lll at the Battle of Bosworth. This battle saw the end of the Wars of the Roses.
The Wars of the Roses had been a constant battle between two of England's most powerful families - the families of York and Lancaster. Henry was a member of the Lancaster family. To bring the two families closer together he married Elizabeth of York (the niece of the man he had killed to become king). -
1509
Henry VIII
Son of Henry VII. He succeeded to the throne after his father's death on 21 April 1509. He was 17 years old when he became king. He had six wives! -
1547
Edward VI
Edward was the only son of Henry VIII.
Edward VI became king at the age of nine upon the death of his father, Henry Vlll. He was known as 'The Boy King'. His mother was Jane Seymour, Henry Vlll's third wife. -
1553
Lady Jane Grey
Jane Grey was the granddaughter of Henry VIII.
Henry VIII had specified that in the event of Edward dying early that firstly his daughter Mary should reign and secondly his daughter Elizabeth, but Edward changed it on his deathbed. Lady Jane Grey was the queen for only 9 days! -
1553
Mary I
Mary I was the first Queen Regnant (the first Queen in her own right, not through marriage).
Mary was the eldest daughter of Henry Vlll by his first wife Katherine of Aragon. She was named after Henry's favourite sister, Mary Tudor (the 'Tudor Rose'). -
1558
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I - the last Tudor monarch - was the youngest daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn.
When Elizabeth came to the throne, she was 25. She succeeded to the throne on her half-sister's death in November 1558. She was the Tudor monarch to reign the longest: for 45 years!
