I’m delighted to welcome Anthony Ruggiero to On the Tudor Trail, to tell us about his new book about Mary Tudor. Over to you, Anthony!
Overall, history is filled with a plethora of characters that are often depicted as heroes and villains in our history books. History judges these individuals based on their actions, which is reflected through various perspectives. One historical figure who is often vilified is Queen Mary I of England. My book, Mary Tudor: A Story of Triumph, Sorrow and Fire, discusses the early life and reign of England’s first Queen Regnant, Mary I. Mary is often regarded as a monster who burned hundreds of protestants. While this is a fair character analysis, I feel that people should buy my book in order to gain a further in-depth analysis of what led her to this decision-making as queen. I hope that people gain a different perspective of her as a person. Through her traumatic upbringing, short-lived triumphs and personal sorrow, I hope readers will be able to reflect on her decisions and why they were made.
I am currently a high school history teacher at St. Agnes Academic High School in College Point, New York. My inspiration for this book, as well as my interest in women’s history in general, comes from both the strong women who have raised me, as well as the fact that I teach in an all-female high school. I feel that through writing, I am able to honor them for their influence on my life. I hope to show educators and students alike that, despite how busy and challenging life can be, you can tackle various projects and accomplish anything you put your mind to. For instance, in addition to teaching, I have also been published in several magazines and blogs. I have been published previously in History Is Now magazine, Historic-U.K. magazine, Tudor Life magazine, Discover Britain magazine, The Odd Historian magazine, the Culture-Exchange blog, Inside History magazine, Adventures In Historyland blog, The New York History Review, Tudor Dynasty, Ancient Origins and The Freelance History Writer blog. Through continuing to research and write, I am able to share my findings with my students in order to engage them in their learning and help them succeed. My work can also be viewed on my Twitter handle: @Anthony10290122
Mary Tudor often gets a bad rap. She loved her people and her faith. Her sister Elizabeth was a deceitful liar and hypocrite. Elizabeth attended Mass during Mary’s reign. Mary never attended a Protestant service even after being commanded to do so by her brother King Edward. So often said that she would put her head on the block before renouncing the Old Faith.