Those who got a taste of the Tudors by watching the popular HBO television series of the same name can now own a piece of that British royal line through stamps.
Released this past April, The House of Tudor issue from Britain’s Royal Mail consists of six stamps each devoted to a monarch who reigned during the period from 1485 to 1603. (This year marks the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII taking over the throne).
The Tudor stamps are the latest in Royal Mail’s series spotlighting Britain’s kings and queens that started with last year’s Houses of Lancaster and York stamps.
The six monarchs featured on the stamps by chronological order of their reign:
- Henry VII (1485-1509) was the first Tudor king following the Battle of Bosworth. While having to stave off political instability from those who want to usurp his authority, Henry also made his kingdom strong through revenue increase and efficient government .
- Henry VIII (1509-1547) ascended to the throne after the death of his brother Prince Arthur. In popular culture, he is most famous for his six wives and being the father of future Queen Elizabeth. His reign was characterized by military battles with France, his break with the Roman Catholic Church and the creation of the English Protestant Reformation; the Dissolution of Monasteries, which led to more wealth for the monarchy; and, of course, Henry’s marriages and divorces.
- Edward VI (1547-1553), the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, became king upon his father’s death at the age of nine. He was best known as a strong advocate for Protestantism during which Roman Catholics practices were eliminated. Edward’s protector was his uncle, the Duke of Somerset, who was later usurped by the Duke of Northumberland. The young king died of tuberculosis in 1553.
- Lady Jane Grey (July 10-19, 1553) became queen through the machinations of the Duke of Northumberland, who convinced Edward VI to make her heir to the throne. Jane was a great niece to Henry VIII who later married the Duke’s son, Lord Guilford Dudley. Of the six Tudor monarchs, Jane’s reign was the shortest lasting only nine days. She proved unpopular throughout the country which led to a rebellion in favor of Henry VIII’s daughter Mary. In 1554, at age 16, Jane was executed along with her husband.
- Mary I (1553-1558), the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, became the first queen regnant in her land. Under her authority, Roman Catholicism was reintroduced; those who opposed this, especially Protestants, were deemed heretics and executed. In 1554 Mary married King Phillip of Spain—their union produced no children. She died perhaps of cancer in 1558.
- Elizabeth I (1558-1603) was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn who became perhaps the country’s greatest and popular monarch in history. The Elizabethan Age was characterized by exploration and the arts, most notably the works of playwright William Shakespeare for the latter. Elizabeth also survived plots against her authority, particularly from her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots, who was later executed in 1587. The age was also marked by England’s military battles with Spain that included the famous victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588. Throughout her reign, which ended in 1603 after her death, Elizabeth never married.
For more information on the House of Tudor stamps, visit Royal Mail’s Web site: www.royalmail.com.
Sources: Royal Mail, The British Monarchy Web site, English Monarchs Web site.
The copyright of the article Royal Mail Highlights The Tudors in Collecting Stamps/Coins is owned by David Chiu. Permission to republish Royal Mail Highlights The Tudors in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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