In the space beneath the stone floors of Westminster Abbey lay the remains of numerous influential figures in English history. The space above the same floors is dedicated to the display of monuments for the wealthiest and most powerful among them. One of the most notable tombs is that of Elizabeth I, the last monarch to be laid to rest in the Abbey. The Abbey's website expounds upon the memorial to the late monarch, but only mentions in passing that her half-sister, Mary (often referred to as Bloody Mary), rests in the same tomb. Upon seeing this, two questions were raised:
1. Why were the two sisters of opposing faiths interred in the same tomb?
2. Why is Mary left bereft of substantial mention and monument?
1. The inscription beneath the base of the tomb provides some explanation behind the decision to bury Elizabeth atop Mary's grave:
Found on the Westminster Abbey History site
The Abbey's web page on the memorial explains that King James I founded the memorial to Elizabeth and oversaw the move of her remains to this memorial. However, the site fails to explain exactly how or why Elizabeth's remains ended up in the same tomb as her sister's. The two queens subscribed to violently opposing religions, murdering followers of the other's faith. This plaque seems to attempt to reconcile their differences by explaining that they both "laid down their lives for Christ and conscience sake." Perhaps the decision to bury them together was meant to mark the end of the religious turmoil, showing that the two queens who spearheaded each campaign were led by the same fundamental desires. In this interpretation, it can be surmised that by interring the queens in the same tomb, James I was symbolizing the country's reconciliation of religious differences.
2. The second question that is raised relates to the prominent mention of Elizabeth relative to the mention of Mary. Elizabeth is memorialized with a marble likeness upon the tomb and a lengthy, two-paragraph-long obituary in Latin upon the memorial. Mary is only mentioned on the base of the tomb, where her name falls after her younger sister's: "Partners in throne and grave, here we sleep, Elizabeth and Mary, sisters, in hope of the Resurrection." This monument and its old inscription represents the time's feelings toward Mary in relation to Elizabeth: she was unworthy of a monument or obituary, and is second to her sister in her only brief mention upon her resting place. This representation of the sisters is not unique to that time, however: the Abbey's website has an extensive page on Elizabeth's life and burial (linked above), but only a brief biography on Mary. The page relating to Elizabeth's monument mentions Mary just as briefly as the marble inscription does. At the time of Elizabeth's death, the country had been reformed to Protestantism after Mary's violent attempt at Catholic conversion. This reform has lasted until today; England is still officially Anglican. History has marked Mary as bloody, while her sister is the pure virgin queen. The villainization of Mary perfectly represents the idea that "history is written by the victor." Due to the outcome of the religious turmoil, Elizabeth, the victor, is blessed with a beautiful monument in the Abbey, while Mary is merely mentioned in passing.
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