How did Mary I’s accession affect Thomas Cranmer?

The accession of Mary I in 1553 marked a catastrophic turning point for Thomas Cranmer. Initially, his involvement in a failed political plot to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne led to his conviction for treason in November 1553.1

However, the government’s primary objective was to destroy him for his role in promoting Protestantism. Mary’s government revived heresy laws to target him, and he was moved to Oxford for trial. Following a period of imprisonment and psychological pressure, Cranmer was induced to sign several recantations of his religious beliefs.12

Despite these efforts to force a public renunciation, Cranmer ultimately disavowed his recantations during his final moments. On March 21, 1556, he was burned at the stake, where he famously held his right hand—which had signed the false documents—into the flames as an act of defiance and repentance. His execution was a central component of the Marian Counter-Reformation’s attempt to extirpate heresy in England.231