Chapter 1 Summary

English King Henry VIII dies in January 1547, survived by three children, Mary, Elizabeth and Edward, as well as his great-niece Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry's sister Mary. Henry's children are extremely intelligent and well read. Mary, age twenty-seven at his death, sees her mother, Catherine of Aragon (daughter of the King of Spain) divorced under English law so that Henry can marry Ann Boleyn, Elizabeth's mother. Mary is Catholic. She watches her father throw off Papal authority and declare himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England. She is banished by the king and remains staunchly Catholic.

Henry's second wife, Ann, refuses his advances for six years until he obtains a divorce from Catherine. Ann gives birth to Elizabeth, instead of Henry's much desired son and male heir. When Ann catches Henry making love to Jane Seymour, Ann is arrested and taken...