Author Archives: Johanna

By virtue of being England’s first crowned queen regnant – a queen in her own right – Mary I set a precedent for English regnant queenship. She struggled to establish her reign amidst the religious, nationalist, and gendered contexts of sixteenth-century England. Focusing particularly at the moments of Mary’s marriage, her pregnancies, and her death,Continue reading “Remembering Mary I: The Role of Memory in the Creation of Mary’s Legacy”

Examining how Mary Queen of Scots and Christina of Sweden are portrayed in film, Johanna and Amy will explore how these depictions affect modern popular perceptions of these royal women. Perhaps the most tense early modern relationship to be depicted on film is that of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. A tale ofContinue reading “Queens on Screen: Victims, Villains, or Rebels”

Mary I is often seen in public memory as a cruel tyrant leading religious reform while Sir Arthur Harris is remembered as a cold calculated advocate of mass slaughter through aerial bombing. The truth, as always, is more complex and the legacies of both historical figures have been forged for a variety of reasons, suchContinue reading ““Bloody Mary” and “Bomber Harris”: Legacies Forged in Fire”