Mary Tudor and Philip of Spain
Royal succession was one of key concerns in early modern history because weak monarchies lead to civil war. In England’s case, Henry VII started the Tudor dynasty after the bloody War of the Roses, Henry VIII expanded the monarchy (at great cost). While his son Edward VI inherited the throne, the boy king’s monarchy did not last and transitioned to Henry’s daughter – Mary I, England’s first queen to rule in her own right.
Mary suffered through years of religious and political marginalization during the reigns of her father, and Protestant half-brother Edward VI, saw marriage as a strategic move to continue the Tudor dynasty with a Catholic male heir and to deny the throne to the Protestant Elizabeth.
However, her marriage to Philip of Spain in 1554, was far from popular with the English nobility for several reasons. Amongst those, the Protestants that ascended into power feared that loss of both power and treasure to a Catholic monarch that wanted to restore the Church’s former holdings, and almost all feared the influence of a very powerful continental empire (and very foreign King who, did not speak any English.)
The Significance of the Philip and Mary Shillings
Mary was much taken by Philip, and from all accounts tried to incorporate him into the governance of the country. As a token of his status, these shillings, minted between 1554 and 1558, are one of the few English coins where both a king and queen’s portraits appeared together.
On one side, the coin features the busts of Philip and Mary, symbolizing their joint rule under one crown.
There were two issuances – the initial minting of the coins read that Philp and Mary listed all of their domains, including England, France, Naples and Spain. Later, the inscription read, “Philip and Mary, by the grace of God, King and Queen of England.”
The reverse of the coin featured the joined arms of England and Spain.
The Launch of the Historical Fiction Novel Sic Parvis Magna
As part of the launch of Sic Parvis Magna, I am thrilled to offer an exciting opportunity for history fiction fans: ten people will win a fine reproduction Philip and Mary shilling, crafted by Dorchesters Reproductions. Dorchesters specialize in museum-quality reproductions and mold their coins from originals to ensure accuracy.
How to Enter the Philip and Mary Shilling Contest
Entering the contest is simple. To be eligible to win one of these amazing copies of history, all you need to do is subscribe to my newsletter, here. This contest runs through the release of Sic Parvis Magna, which I am hopeful to do in the first half of 2025.
