We start our quest in England, with its population of about 3½ Million, during the turbulent end-days of King Henry VIII's long reign. You know, the guy who had six wives¹, divorcing or beheading them as he progressed; and set up his own Church of England because he and the Pope in Rome couldn't agree about how to proceed with producing an heir! He started his reign brilliantly; good looking, an excellent administrator, fine sportsman and talented musician. His later photos (sorry portraits!) showed he had put on a bit too much weight (a common problem!). However, in spite of his physical and mental prowess he found it extremely difficult to beget a son and heir, even though he went into wife-swapping and murdering in a big way. When the Pope opposed him (more or less obliged to!) he closed the English monasteries and abbeys down; destroying some of them and turning them into ruins fit only for future sight-seers. He also encouraged significant changes (some say dumming-down) in cathedrals and churches, confiscated Church estates, outlawed Catholicism and made himself thoroughly disagreeable in many ways. Moreover, during his reign he triggered the Reformation² in England. He also encouraged the growth of schools and founded two major colleges: Christ Church College in Oxford in 1546, and, in an effort to be considered fair: Trinity College in Cambridge in the same year. AND he consolidated our coastal defences (mainly against the French) and started to build the first embryonic Royal Navy of 71 light, fast, flexible, heavily armed sailing vessels - no doubt in an effort to keep the Mademoiselles at arms length!

On Henry's death, we then pass through the difficult and dangerous transition of the five year tragic reign of his sickly son, the adamantly Protestant boy King Edward VI. During his reign, through powerful advisers, much social and political progress was made, and he also founded several local Grammar Schools. However he died neglected and frightened, whilst still a boy, of a series of illnesses including Smallpox. Maybe in addition to all his other worries and ailments, he was also being threatened with the 'Eleven-plus' examination! Who knows?

This is followed {well nearly followed - but we won't cloud the issue with Lady Jane Grey's reign (we encourage you to look this up some other time³)} by the horrifying six year reign of Henry's ailing ('officially designated bastard') daughter, the serenely beautiful and normally gentle and kind, ardently Catholic, Queen Mary I (Mary Tudor or 'Bloody Mary' as she was remembered) and her Spanish husband, Philip. Her initially promising reign became filled with terror and sorrow. This period saw much tearing up of hard-won social and political values. She died abandoned, childless (in spite of two phantom pregnancies), seriously ill, and of a broken heart and spirit; and with her realm in turmoil. She is said to have exclaimed that she would die with Calais (the loss of) engraved on her heart!

And finally we move into the long, glorious, restless, ambitious, but slightly more tolerant reign of her very much alive and with-it, vivacious, red-haired ('officially designated bastard') half-sister, Queen Elizabeth I (The Virgin Queen as she was remembered). This is when our story really starts hotting up . . .