February 18, 1516: The birth of Mary I of England

On Feb. 18, 1516, Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon had a daughter who would be their only to reach adulthood. Mary I of England was born at Greenwich Palace.

There are a lot of articles that focus on Mary's later life. We spend our time analyzing what Henry's actions later in her life did to her and how they affected her mental state later. Many look at what she did during her reign. However, today, I want to look at her early life -- her birth and the earliest years.

Henry and Catherine had failed to have a child that would survive infancy at this point. Despite Henry's likely disappointment that Mary was a girl, he would have also had the feeling that she would be another that wouldn't live past a few months. Catherine would have been terrified of losing another child -- and not because of what it meant for her life.

By this point, Henry VIII hadn't started discarding wives that had disappointed him. He and Catherine had been married for seven years and there was really no reason for her to fear for her position or that of her daughter's.

Losing children was sadly a part of the times. Catherine had multiple pregnancies and births that led to a mixture of miscarriages, stillbirths, and death in infancy. However, Mary gave the couple hope. When she survived, there was a chance that other children between the couple would live, too.

It's clear that she wasn't that much of a disappointment. Mary quickly became a political pawn for her father, as despite not being what he wanted as an heir to the throne, she was still important for relationships with other countries. Henry VIII understood that and quickly got to work setting up betrothals with the French and Spanish.

When it was clear that no more children would come from the marriage with Catherine, Henry didn't immediately discard his daughter. She was sent to Ludlow Castle, where Henry's brother and Catherine of Aragon had previously lived. This was the place for the Prince of Wales, and by nine-years-old, Mary was the definite heir to the throne and presumed Princess of Wales, even though never officially given the title.

Of course, things would never fully work out. After moving to Ludlow Castle, things took a turn for the worst between her parents. But that is for another article.