The Tudors may be one of Western history's most well-known families. Their real-life traumas, dramas, and intrigues still inspire plot lines in popular media today. One of the often overlooked members of this family is Mary Tudor, the youngest daughter of Henry VII.

Although her story has been the inspiration for many a romance novel (she famously married for love rather than power) these fanciful tales fail to capture the character of the real woman. Mary Tudor was more than a swooning damsel. She was self-assured, determined, and fiercely loyal to those she loved. She may have also been the only person in England who would dare to defy the fearsome Henry VIII, her dearest big brother.