British history: 1534 - 1801

By chlsr
  • Period: 1455 to 1485

    War of the Roses

    The War of the Roses was a series of civil wars in England opposing two houses, the House of York (the white rose) and the House of Lancaster (the red rose). The end of the War was marked by the Battle of Bosworth (1485) and the Tudor dynasty.
  • Period: 1485 to 1509

    Reign of Henry VII

    He succeeded to Edward III and had a very popular reign marked by the practice of attainders, the creation of the Star Chamber and the Privy Counsil.
  • 1509

    Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon

    Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon
    Catherine of Aragon was the daughter of the King of Spain.
  • Period: 1509 to 1547

    Reign of Henry VIII

    Henry VIII was Protestant king especially known for his opposition to the political power of the Catholic Church in England which led to the break of England with Rome. He restructured the Church of England with the "Ten Articles" for instance.
  • Apr 21, 1509

    Death of Henry VII

  • 1517

    Martin Luther wrote the "Ninety-Five Theses"

    Martin Luther wrote the "Ninety-Five Theses"
    Martin Luther was a German monk and major Protestant Reformer who challenged the Church authority with his "Ninety-Five Theses". He wrote against indulgences for instance.
  • 1532

    Henry VIII divorces Catherine of Aragon

    Henry VIII divorces Catherine of Aragon
    Even agaisnt the Church and the Pope will Henry VIII divorced Catherine of Aragon mostly because he thought she was not able to give him a male heir.
  • 1533

    Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn

    Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn
    Elizabeth I will be born from this marriage.
  • 1533

    Act in Restraint of Appeals

    Anything that happens can’t be settled any else where that in England, people could not appeal to the Pope to overturn Henry VIII's rulings on the Church.
  • 1534

    Act of Supremacy

    Henry VIII is at the head of the Church and against the Pope authority, England is not Catholic anymore.
  • 1534

    Treasons Act

    As England is not catholic anymore the Act is aiming to make punishable by death the idea of challenging the authority or the supremacy of the Church.
  • 1536

    Pilgrimage of Grace

    Pilgrimage of Grace
    Movement of rebellion against changes in religion led in part by Robert Aske. The demands of the rebels were formulated on the Pontefract Argument, they ask for the Parliamient to be moved in the North and go back to catholic ways of worship for instance.
  • 1536

    Act of Union

    Wales joins England.
  • Period: 1536 to 1541

    Abolishment of the monasteries and seizing and sales of the lands

    This happens because of suspicions of corruption in the monasteries and espacially because of money and political power problems.
  • Period: 1542 to 1567

    Reign of Mary Queen of Scots

    She was a Catholic Queen and lived for an important part of her life in France. Because of these two factors people did not really liked her. She was forced to abdicate in 1567 because the population wanted her son to rule.
  • Period: 1547 to 1553

    Reign of Edward VI

    He also is a Protestant king which reign was marked by the "Book of Common Prayer" (1549) and the "Forty-two Articles".
  • Jan 28, 1547

    Death of Henry VIII

  • Period: 1553 to 1558

    Reign of Mary I

    Mary I was Catholic and led the Counter Reformation, she restored the Papal authority and a Catholic way of worship.
  • Jul 6, 1553

    Death of Edward VI

  • 1554

    Attempted coup against Mary Queen of Scots

  • 1556

    Mary I married Philip II of Spain

    Mary I married Philip II of Spain
    The marriage calmed the tensions between Spain and England as Spain was the ennemy since the break with Rome.
  • Period: 1558 to

    Reign of Elizabeth I

    Elizabeth I was a Protestant, her reign was mainly marked by three main aspects: re-establishing the Reformation, she elaborated Anglicanism, the political stability and the development of English power. Through the years she spread Protestanism through the British Isles.
  • Period: 1558 to 1559

    War between England and France

    The war is marked by the Loss of Calais in 1558.
    The french troops invade Scotland but were defeated which led to a stable Protestant Church in Scotland.
  • Nov 17, 1558

    Death of Mary I

  • 1559

    Mary Queen of Scots marries Francis II

    Francis II was a dauphin of France, by marrying him Mary became Queen of France.
  • 1559

    Re-establishing the Reformation

  • 1559

    Act of Supremacy

  • Period: 1559 to 1581

    Treason Acts

    These are ways to negociate the security of Elizabeth power.
  • 1560

    Death of Francis II and Mary of Guise

    After the death of Mary Queen of Scots' mother and husband she becomes Queen of France and Scotland.
  • Period: 1567 to

    Reign of James VI in Scotland

  • 1570

    Excommunication of Elizabeth I

    Excommunication of Elizabeth I
    Elizabeth I is excommunicated by Pope Pius V for being a heretic.
  • Period: to

    England allies itself with the Netherlands and France

    The alliance is formed against Spain during the Anglo-Spanish War.
  • Mary Queen of Scots is executed

    She is executed because she was found guilty of ploting against Elizabeth I.
  • Attempted Spanish invasion in England

    Spain tries to invade England with the "Invincible Armada", but is defeated. It led to greater opposition between England and Spain.
  • Period: to

    Reign of James I in England

    He is the first Stuart and the first king to rule over two kingdoms. He is the theorist of absolute monarchy, he wrote two texts about it: "The True Law of Free Monarchies" (1597) and "Basilikon Doron" (1599). He is also well known for the "King James Bible" (1611) that people still use it today.
  • Death of Elizabeth I

  • End of the War with Spain

  • Guy Fawkes & the Gunpowder Plot

    Guy Fawkes & the Gunpowder Plot
    The plot was organized by a group of Catholics that wanted to re-established the Catholicism, they blew up the Parliament with gunpowder but the plot failed and led to serious consequences.
  • Period: to

    James VI / I rules without Parliament

  • Period: to

    Reign of Charles I

    He was officially Protestant but married a Catholic Queen and was close to Catholicism. He also believed in absolute monarchy.
  • Petition of Right

    The petition is about reasserting the Parliament position.
  • Period: to

    Charles I rules without Parliament

    This period is also called the "Eleven Years of Tyranny", the King is in troube as he is broke and needs to fight.
  • Period: to

    Bishops’ War

    The War is opposing the Scottish forces and the King’s army.
  • The covenanters challenge the King's power

    After the Scottish nobels signed "The Covenant" in 1638 they decided to challenge the power of the King, Charles I is forced to summon the Parliament as he has no money to raise an army to fight.
  • Period: to

    Long Parliament

  • Period: to

    Short Parliament

  • Massacres of English Protestant

    Rebellion of the Old English elite and the Irish Gaelic against Protestanism.
  • Period: to

    Breakdown of relations between Charles and the Parliament

  • Period: to

    English Civil War(s)

    The Civil War is the result of religious and political tensions.
  • Grand Remonstrance

  • Charles raises his standard at Nottingham

  • Period: to

    Second Civil War

  • Period: to

    The Commonwealth

    The Commonwealth is a republican structure instored after the abolition of monarchy marked by the regecide of Charles I.
  • Execution of Charles I

    Execution of Charles I
    Charles I on trial refused to plead and settle with the Parliament so he was executed, that is the Regecide.
  • Oliver Cromwell dissolves the Parliament

  • Period: to

    Oliver Cromwell is Lord Protector

    Oliver Cromwell was a Purtian. He became an MP of the Commonwealth and a succesful commander in the New Model Army.
  • The Lord Protector title becomes hereditary

    Cromwell was offered kingship by a Presbytarian petition but he refused. However the title of “Lord Protector” became hereditary.
  • Death of Oliver Cromwell

  • Period: to

    Richard Cromwell is Lord Protector

    He is the son and heir of Oliver Crowell. He resigned the following year as he was not able to deal with the problems the Commonwealth had to face.
  • Declaration of Breda

    Declaration of Breda
    The Declaration was released by Charles II and is an attempt to address the problems he was facing.
  • Period: to

    Reign of Charles II

    The monarchy was re-instored as Charles II was invited to take the crown. He had to deal with different problems during his reign: the change of the political circumstances, the new powerful men of the Commonwealth and religious tensions.
  • Corporation Act

    This Act came from the Parliament and aim for limited rights for the people that were not members of the Anglican Church.
  • Charles II married Princess Catherine of Braganza

    Charles II married Princess Catherine of Braganza
    This marriage was frowned upon as the princess was a Catholic.
  • Treaty of Dova

    Treaty between England and France against the Dutch Republic.
  • Declaration of Indulgence

    Declaration from the king who tried to force the toleration on the Parliament.
  • Test Act

    This Act is from the Parliament and is the contrary of the Declaration of Indulgence. It made the king back down.
  • William of Orange married Mary II

    William of Orange married Mary II
  • Test Act

    This Act is from the Parliament and is the contrary of the Declaration of Indulgence. It made the king back down.
  • Popish Plot

    Popish Plot
    A fictious plot revealed by Titus Oates that was about assassinating Charles II to place James (converted to Catholicism) on the throne.
  • Period: to

    Exclusion Crisis

    Opposed two factions in the Parliament: the Whigs that were in favour of the exclusion of James II and the Tories who were opposed to the exclusion.
  • Period: to

    Charles II rules without Parliament

  • Death of Charles II

  • Period: to

    Reign of James II

    James II was the last Stuart.
  • Decalaration of Indulgences

  • Glorious Revolution

    Glorious Revolution
    The Glorious Revolution was marked by the escape of James II to France and the reign of William of Orange and Mary II.
  • William of Orange invades England

    He was invited to do so by seven English noblemen (The Immortal Seven). He landed in Brixham with 20 000 soldiers.
  • Toleration Act

    Concessions to Dissenters.
  • Bill of Rights

    This made James II unworthy of the throne and embodies what Parliament monarchy is.
  • Period: to

    Reign of William of Orange in England

    After William of Orange invaded England, James II escaped to France which left the English throne vacant. Williame seized it.
  • Battle of the Boyne

    Battle of the Boyne
    William lands in Ireland with his army. He won the battle.
  • Treaty of Limerick

  • Act of Settlement

    Act that aim to assure a Protestant succession of the throne and the Parliament claims the right to decide who will reign.
  • Act of Security

    It concerned the Scottish Parliament.
  • Act of Union with Scotland

    Act of Union with Scotland
    It marked the beginning of the United Kingdom.
  • Period: to

    Reign of George I in England

    George I was made king as his mother (Sophia) died.