Who Were The Tudor Kings and Queens? - A Speedy Guide to Tudor Monarchs

The Tudors were a family of English monarchs (kings and queens) that reigned across three generations from 1485 to 1603. The Tudor era brought many big changes - and lots of drama - to England. Find out more about the three kings and two kings that ruled during the Tudor era below:

Who Were The Tudor Kings and Queens?

King Henry VII

King Henry VII pulling the type of face you'd expect from a parent who had a son like Henry VIII

Reigned:

1485-1509

Married:

Elizabeth of York

Children:

Henry VII and Elizabeth had seven children, but only four survived into adulthood:

• Arthur, Prince of Wales - The heir to the throne who tragically died at 15 years old

• Margaret Tudor - Queen of Scotland after she married Jing James IV

• Henry VIII - Reigned as king after his father, Henry VII

• Mary Tudor - Briefly the Queen of France after she married King Louis XII

Known for:

Being the grand-father and founder of the Tudor dynasty. Henry VII became king after a victory at the Battle of Bosworth Field that united the Houses of Lancaster and York and ended the War of the Roses.

King Henry VIII

King Henry VIII showing off in all his posh kingly regalia before chopping off some heads!

Reigned:

1509-1547

Married:

Catherine of Aragon (annulled), Anne Boleyn (beheaded), Jane Seymour (died), Anne of Cleaves (annulled), Catherine Howard (beheaded), Katherine Parr (outlived Henry VIII).

Children:

Henry VIII had three children with three of his wives, all of whom ruled England for a time:

• Mary I - Mother: Catherine of Aragon

• Elizabeth I - Mother: Anne Boleyn

• Edward VI - Mother: Jane Seymour

Known for:

His marriages to six different women over his reign and his escapades in trying to separate from them - including the beheading of his second and fifth wives! He broke away from the Catholic church and established himself as the head of a new church, the Church of England, all so he could annul (erase or cancel) his marriage to his first wife.

King Edward VI

King Edward VI, probably cringing every time somebody compares him to his dad.

Reigned:

1547-1553

Married:

Nobody

Children:

None

Known for:

Being Henry VIII’s much-sought-after son. Edward VI was the first English monarch to be raised as a protestant. He was crowned as king of England at nine years old but tragically died a few years later at the age of fifteen.

Queen Mary I

Looks like Queen Mary I might have just spotted a protestant she hasn't executed yet - eek!

Reigned:

1553-1558

Married:

King Philip II of Spain

Children:

None

Known for:

Executing many protestants, earning her the nickname "Bloody Mary”. Mary I was a staunch Catholic and put to death many non-Catholic believers in an attempt to reverse the English Reformation put into action by her father, Henry VIII.

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I pulls a solemn face whilst considering her dad's reputation with marriage and decides it's just not worth it!

Reigned:

1558-1603

Married:

Nobody

Children:

None

Known for:

Reigning without a husband (who can blame her after the escapades of her dad, Henry VIII), earning her the nickname, the “Virgin Queen”. Her reign, also referred to as the Elizabethan age, was a golden era of prosperity for England. After she died, Elizabeth I passed the throne to her closest living relative, King James VI of Scotland (who then became King James I of England), ending the Tudor dynasty and starting the Stuart era.