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Period: 1509 to 1547
King Henry VIII " The 1st Tudor King"'s reign
Born in 1491, he became king at 17 as the first Tudor King. Under his reign, the Church of England separated from the Roman Catholic Church (schism). He is also known for having had 6 wives (2 divorced and 2 beheaded). He is one of the most famous and emblematic kings. He had 3 children who would all end up on the throne later on. -
1517
The Ninety Five Theses
written by German priest and theologian Martin Luther, it expressed his ideas about the Bible, religious authority, the role of the papacy in society and how to get to heaven. He mainly denounces the lucrative use of indulgences. The protestant reformation was the first modern media event. -
1521
Martin Luther excommunicated
After stating his opinion, that salvation was free and that any priest declaring that buying indulgences could free a man of his sins was lying, and should turn to charities instead. Martin Luther was excommunicated and declared heretic . -
1526
The Translation of The Ninety Five Theses
Due to it's success, the Ninety Five Theses were translated from Latin into German and distributed widely. -
1526
Publishing of the Tyndale Bible
In England, the Tyndale Bible was published by William Tyndale -
1527
King Henry VIII files for divorce from Catherine of Aragon
After 18 years of marriage with Catherine of Aragon and a daughter together,Mary, Henry goes against the Church of England in order to have his marriage annulled because she failed to conceive a male heir, because of her support to the Habsurgs when he wanted an alliance with France and most importantly, he wanted to marry Anne Boleyn (her lady in waiting). However he gives fake reasons such as his conscience, the forbidden romance of a man and his brother's wife. -
1527
Annulment request denied
Henry VIII requested an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon but Pope Clement VII refused. This led to the downfall of the Catholic Church in England. -
Period: 1529 to 1526
The break of England from the Catholic Church
The reformation parliament passed laws abolishing papal authority in England and declared Henry to be head of the Church of England. This new reform enabled Henry VIII to annul marriages. -
1533
Henry VIII married Ann Boleyn
After the new reformation, they were able to get married and for Ann to be a legitimate Queen. However the pope disagreed and excommunicated both, as he did not support protestant ideas. -
Nov 3, 1534
The Act of Supremacy
Founding of The English Church and makes King Henri VIII the only one with the sacred power. -
1536
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The smaller monasteries started disappearing and the greater ones followed two years later. This had important consequences on the population as a lot of monks and nuns lived there, some even leaving the profession. It also had an impact on the clergy's finances and the social fabric of communities as the church was involved in local life, education and hospitality. -
Period: 1536 to 1541
Crown overtakes the Church of England
Churches were disbanded and the Crown appropriated their income and land ( 25% of the land in England). The dissolution of the Monasteries was seen as nationalisation, with their valuables being confiscated and melted down. -
Period: 1536 to 1537
The Pilgrimage of Grace
The dissolution process was interrupted by rebellions in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, the greatest rebellion ever faced by a Tudor Monarch. It was ended by both peaceful negotiation and brutal suppression. The rebels were against the dissolution of Monasteries and the reformation as they also demanded the restoration of the pope and of Mary Tudor. -
May 19, 1536
Beheading of Ann Boleyn
She was Queen from 1533 to 1536 and the mother of Elizabeth I. He left his wife and the catholic religion to be with her. However, because she wouldn't give him a son, she was later beheaded under unconvincing evidence of engaging in sexual relations with her brother. Therefore killed for adultery, high treason and incest. -
May 30, 1536
Henry VIII and Jane Seymour Get married
Jane Seymour was known for her peaceful nature as she even managed to repair Henry's and Mary's relationship. She was considered as the true Queen, because she gave birth to the royal heir. -
1537
Permission of the English Bible
The English bible was made mandatory in the Church of England. -
Oct 24, 1537
Death of Jane Seymour
She was the only wife to receive a royal burial as she died 12 days after giving birth to the King's only son due to complications. -
Jan 6, 1540
Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves's marriage
She was his fourth wife and they were married for just 6 months. -
Jul 9, 1540
Anne of Cleves and Henry VIII get divorced
Henry VIII did not find her attractive enough, and as they never consummated the marriage it was annulled shortly after. -
Jul 28, 1540
Catherine Howard and Henry VIII get married
She was Henry VIII's fifth wife at only 16 -
Nov 1, 1542
Catherine Howard is beheaded
She was beheaded for he alleged adultery with Thomas Culpeper, Henry Mannox and Francis Dereham. She was stripped of her title as Queen and beheaded on the grounds of treason for committing adultery. -
1543
Henry VIII and Catherine Parr get married
She was the sixth and last wife of Henry VIII, she is also best known for her role in the Third Succession Act as well as being the most married Queen of England (4 times). -
Period: 1547 to 1553
"Young King" Edward VI's reign
Edward was the son of Henri the VIII and Jane Seymour, however when his father died he was only nine years old therefore unable to properly reign. His uncle Lord Edward Seymour became his Lord Protector. During Edward's reign a series of measures pushed England towards Protestantism. -
Jan 28, 1547
Death of King Henry VIII
He died after being on his deathbed for a long time, preparing prince Edward to succeed him. -
Period: 1553 to 1558
Queen Mary I "Bloody Mary"'s reign
Born in 1516, she became the first Queen of England at 37 years old and she restored catholicism after just 18 months. She was also married to the very catholic Philip II of Spain as he made her an ally with Spain during the war against France. Under Bloody Mary's reign, protestantism was confined to secrecy as heretics were burned (over 200 protestants),protestants hid or fled. Her death was celebrated . -
Period: 1558 to
Queen Elizabeth I"the Virgin queen"'s reign
As Queen her goal was to pacify religious divisions as she had to appease religious tensions: she stabilised the Church of England by giving it religious settlements, she also expanded England's influence, she stayed queen for 45 years without getting married with reinforced independence in England. -
1559
2nd Act of Supremacy
This new law under Elizabeth I's reign dealt with the organisation of the Church of England: such as the abolition of the authority of the pope, the restoration of the authority of the Queen over the Church of England, the Queen was now known as "The supreme governor of the Church of England". -
1559
The Act of Uniformity
This act created under Elizabeth I'd reign dealt with the religious beliefs such as: every parish had to use the book of Common Prayers, individuals who did not attend an Anglican service were fined. -
Period: 1559 to 1563
New Legislation
In this period of time, multiple events took place such as the Act of Supremacy, the Act of Uniformity and the 39 Articles of Faith. -
Period: 1563 to 1571
The 39 Articles of Faith
These articles, published under Elizabeth I's reign, stated the doctrine of religious beliefs of the Church of England. There were three important changes, such as: a new ecclesiology, a new doctrine of salvation, a new definition of sacrements and of the mass. -
1569
The Northern Rebellion
This rebellion was against religious reforms with 6000 insurgents and an attempt to replace Queen Elizabeth by Mary Queen of Scots. The revolt was led by the Earls of Westmorland and Northumberland. -
Apr 27, 1570
Pope Pius V 's Bull against Elizabeth I
Given at St Peter's at Rome, this letter was an attack on the queen and on her protestant principles. He even denies her legitimacy as true Queen declaring her as a heretic. -
1571
The Treason Act
In response to Pope Pius V 's comments, it was deemed treason for anyone to say that Elizabeth was not the true Queen of England and Wales. -
1581
The 1581 Act
This act was issued to retain the Queen's Majesty's subjects in their due obedience. It provided for the death penalty for any person converting or already converted to Catholicism. It was now forbidden to celebrate or participate catholic mass. Anglican services were also compulsory or they were fined. A total of 163 people were killed during repression in Elizabeth's 26 years of reign. -
The Babington plot
Young Catholics had sworn to kill Queen Elizabeth and to put Mary Queen of Scots on the throne.However their strategies were discovered by the Queen's spy Francis Walsingham, when he managed to decipher a coded letter between Mary Stuart and this group. This led to her execution. -
The execution of Mary Queen of Scots
She was a threat to Elizabeth I,her cousin and next in line for the throne as well as the legitimate Queen of England according to the Catholics.Her closeness to France and Spain endangered the English Kingdom. There had been many plots by catholic nobilities to replace Elizabeth I by Mary Stuart.After imprisoning her for 19 years,instead of killing her,but new evidence came to light suggesting that Mary had been working with a group of catholics in order to kill her.She was beheaded wearing red -
Elizabeth I's speech to the troops at Tilbury
She gave this speech as England prepared for an invasion by king Philip of Spain and his powerful Armada. In the speech, Elizabeth I proved that a female monarch was as suited to lead a nation in wartime than a male. -
The defeat of the Spanish Armada
The navy battle between Spanish troops led by the "unbeatable" king of Spain, Philip II and Queen Elizabeth. This confrontation started because of several plots made by Philip II aiming to defeat her. In retaliation and to support the cause of protestantism, Elizabeth supported the dutch revolt against Spain . This resulted in an attempt of the king to invade England, however, due to Elizabeth's strategy and leadership, England emerged victorious. This event strengthened her power as a Queen. -
Poor Laws
This established the idea that central and local governments had a responsibility for helping the poor.
BUT it also established a distinction between the “deserving poor” and the “undeserving poor”.
Very harsh laws against beggars and vagrants
This system remained in place until the 19th century and it was one of the most famous legacy of the Queen’s reign -
James I of England heir to the throne
When Elizabeth died
She had secured the position of England in the world and had also imposed Protestantism.
Her heir was the son of her cousin Mary Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart)
James VI of Scotland: became James I of England. -
Period: to
James I's Reign
James I, son of Mary, Queen of Scots (and descended from Henry VII's daughter Margaret), had been King of Scotland for 36 years when he became King of England. Although he was King of both countries, James's attempt to create a full governmental union proved premature. -
The GUNPOWDER PLOT
A conspiracy devised by a small group of Catholics to blow up Parliament and kill James I as James continued Elizabeth’s harsh repressive laws. -
The first English colonies
The first English colonies were formed in North America with establishments such as Jamestown in Virginia.The first permanent settlement
(1585 : a failed attempt by Sir Walter Raleigh to establish a settlement in Roanoke, Virginia) it was named after James I -
Period: to
The Starving Time
This was a period of starvation, only 60 of the 500 colonists survived because of a shortage of drinkable water, insufficient growing of
crops and because of the conflicts with the Native
Powhatan tribe
Some settlers even turned to cannibalism -
The Great Contract
The king tried to introduce a financial reform, the “Great Contract”:
The King would receive a fixed sum. But some Members of parliament feared the King would not need to call up parliaments anymore to get money. Therefore, the House of Commons refused to vote in favour of the Great Contract , James dismissed Parliament. -
Period: to
The Thirty Years’ War
The 1624 Parliament agreed to finance the war on Spain but it would mostly be a war for the next king (Charles I) to lead as James I died in 1625.
Under Charles I's leadership , England was at war with Spain and France
Consequences of the war:
A huge strain on finances
The raising of troops had important impacts on the local population -
Period: to
Charles I's Reign
He became heir to the throne on the death of his brother, Prince Henry, in 1612. He succeeded, as the second Stuart King of Great Britain, in 1625.
Controversy and disputes dogged Charles throughout his reign. They eventually led to civil wars, first with the Scots, in Ireland, and then England . The wars deeply divided people at the time, and historians still disagree about the real causes of the conflict, but it is clear that Charles was not a successful ruler. -
Petition of rights
This petition was signed by the Members of Parliament in order to retaliate against Charles, requesting that the king recognise the illegality of extra parliamentary taxation, billeting, martial law, imprisonment without trial and wanted to get Charles to realise there were limits to his power. This led to the suspension of parliament seating. -
Three Resolutions
The Members of Parliament passed it and declared that whoever tried to bring in "Popery or Arminianism" or to alter the protestant forms of the Church of England was an enemy of the Kingdom. This also applied to anyone advising the King to collect custom duties without Parliament's consent. This was considered as an act of open defiance, Charles imprisoned these Members of Parliament and declared there would no longer be Parliament. This was the start of the "Personal Rule". -
Period: to
The Personal Rule
These were the 11 years when the King without calling a parliament, also known as "The Eleven Years Tyranny". -
Charles I's New Prayer Book
Scottish opposition came to the boil when Charles I attempted to impose a New Prayer Book (Book of Common Prayer)
The changes were deemed unacceptable and riot erupted in St Giles’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, on the reading of the New Prayer Book.
The riot would soon turn into a widespread rebellion known as the Bishops’ Wars -
Period: to
The Scottish crisis
Following the 1603 Union of the Crowns, Scotland and England began to share the same monarch, though the two countries were still independent kingdoms for the next hundred years.
Scotland was Calvinist and in 1637 King Charles I attempted to draw the Church of Scotland (Calvinist) into line with the Church of England (Anglican). This led to widespread public discontent. -
the “Scottish National Covenant” and The Bishops' Wars
Charles I’s leading opponents in Scotland signed the “Scottish National Covenant”, a petition opposing Charles’ religious policy, it called for the spiritual independence of the Scottish Church to be maintained.
To Charles, this was an act of open rebellion.
Scotland and England both started to form an army known as The Bishops’ Wars. -
Militia Act
Parliament passed the Militia Act : the army should be placed under the control of a general appointed by Parliament, therefore taking away the King’s ability to appoint whoever he wanted. -
The Irish Rebellion
An armed revolt broke out in Ireland: The Irish Rebellion
James I had implemented a plantation policy, thus sending English and Scottish protestant colonists to Ireland, taking the lands of Irish Catholics
In Oct 1641, Irish Catholic rebels rose up against Protestant settlers
A Massacre of 3 000/4 000 protestants
False rumours: Irish atrocities, 200 000 protestants massacred, this would fuel the anti-Catholic sentiment in England -
The Grand Remonstrance of 1641
It was an important document voted by Parliament after heated debates.
All the wrong doing of Charles I and concluded on “revolutionary” demands:
the right of the House of commons to choose the King’s ministers, for Parliament to control any army sent to Ireland, for Parliament to reform the Church.
The text divided Parliament into 2 groups:
The Parliamentarians and The Royalists -
Charles formally declared war on Parliament.
Charles I believed that John Pym and 4 other MPs were plotting against the Queen. He wanted to impeach them, but Parliament refused.
Charles I marched into the House of Commons with troops and attempted to arrest the 5 MPs (January 1642) , this led to a breech of privilege which would lead him to declare war. -
Period: to
The First Civil War and the victory of Parliament
The First civil war would cost the lives of 190 000 Englishmen (in combat/from diseases) and last for four years. -
The new model army
A new army created by the Parliamentarians
Unlike the earlier regional armies, this was a national, centralized army, controlled and paid from Westminster rather than the counties "the roundheads". -
the King and the Royalists surrendered
Charles surrendered to the Scots, who handed him to Parliament.
Thinking the war was over, the House of Commons decided to disband the New Model Army BUT without paying the soldiers what they were due (at that point they hadn’t being paid for months, this led to mutiny. And In June 1647, the New Model Army seized the King. -
Period: to
The Second Civil War and the execution of the King
Nov 1647: the King escaped from army custody and allied himself with the Scots (he promised to introduce Presbyterianism/Calvinism into England, in return the Scottish army would invade England and restore him to power)
This horrified Parliament and led to the Second Civil War. It was made of a series of revolts in the South of England, Wales and Scotland
The Royalists were easily defeated by Cromwell -
The Irish Rebellion
The Irish Rebellion led by Irish Catholics was crushed by Cromwell and his troops.
Massacre of the Irish Royalist troops and civilians in Drogheda (1649)
Wexford massacre (every man, woman children killed)
the aftermath of Cromwell’s repression:
Catholicism was forbidden
Irish priests were arrested
Irish Catholics’ lands were confiscated -
England declared a Commonwealth
The Monarchy and House of Lords abolished, England was declared a Commonwealth. -
Period: to
The Interregnum
England declared a “Commonwealth" however failure to reach stability led to the creation of a “Military Protectorate” ruled by Cromwell.
The main problem was that any republican regime needed the support of both:
The propertied classes who wanted stability and order
The army who wanted religious toleration and reforms -
Period: to
The Common Wealth
A law abolished monarchy (described as “unnecessary, burdensome and dangerous”)
The House of Lords was abolished
The House of Commons had supreme authority
England was declared a Commonwealth
Ruled as a Republic -
King Charles I was executed
The King was put on trial for high treason and was later executed -
Blasphemy Act
The Quaker James Nayler was convicted for blasphemy and harshly punished. -
Defeat of the Scots Army
Cromwell defeated the Scots Army and crushed the uprising of the Scots Royalist force led by Charles II in 1651. -
The Instrument of Government
This was England’s first and only written constitution. -
Cromwell dissolved the Parliament
Riding through the House of Commons with soldiers, Cromwell ordered the MPs to leave. -
End of the Commonwealth
It was the end of the Commonwealth and start of the Cromwellian Protectorate (or Military Protectorate) -
The Battle of Naseby
weaken.
The Battle of Naseby was a turning point and saw the Royalist forces weaken. -
Period: to
The Cromwellian Protectorate
The Protectorate was a military dictatorship and
Cromwell was appointed Lord Protector and had the
executive power in addition to controlling the military, diplomacy and ruling with the help of the legislative power:Parliaments of 460 MPs were elected every 3 years and be allowed to vote, a man had to own £200 of personal property. -
the Declaration of Breda
Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda.
It promised:
A general amnesty
To continue religious toleration
To share power with Parliament and in return for the restoration of monarchy.
This was the end of the Protectorate. -
Period: to
Charles II's reign
After eleven years of Parliamentary rule known as the Interregnum. The king had no legitimate children, and he was well aware that the Scots viewed with alarm the prospect of his Roman Catholic brother James succeeding him.
Charles died with the problem still unresolved. -
The Act of uniformity
All ministers had to swear to conform to the Book of Common Prayer. -
The outbreak of the Plague
The outbreak hit London and killed around 75 000 deaths, about 20% of the population. -
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London burned day and night for almost four days in 1666 until only a tiny fraction of the City remained. -
The Popish Plot
Rumour of a plot organised by the French to murder Charles II and replace him by his Catholic brother James II
They were fears that James as king would implement pro-Catholic politics and that he might try to restore an absolute monarchy, threatening Parliament -
Period: to
The Exclusion crisis
Parliament attempted to debar James II from the succession to the English throne.
Therefore, Charles dissolved the Parliament. -
Rise of William III to the throne
After Parliament invited the King’s son in law William of Orange to invade England and seize the crown,
he landed with an army of 15 000 men and met no resistance
James’ army disintegrated, officers deserted.
James II fled to France and William became King William III. -
Toleration Act 1689
This act established religious pluralism, and freedom of worship for all Protestants -
The Bill of Rights
This law limited the monarch’s power for the first time. -
Period: to
William III and Mary II' Reign
William was the stadholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands as William III (1672–1702) and king of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1689–1702), reigning jointly with Queen Mary II (until her death in 1694). He directed the European opposition to Louis XIV of France and, in Great Britain, secured the triumph of Protestantism and of Parliament. -
1707 Act of Union between England and Scotland
Creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain: England (and Wales) and Scotland.
Scotland had being occupied under Cromwell
Under Restoration, it had regained control of its own Parliament but the King of England was Scotland’s Monarch. However there was always the threat of French invasion through Scotland, or of rising in favour of James. -
The 1701 Act of Settlement
Ensured a Protestant succession -
Period: to
Anne's Reign
Anne was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland , and Queen of Great Britain and Ireland following the ratification of the Acts of Union 1707 merging the kingdoms of Scotland and England -
Period: to
War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession also known as Queen Anne’s War, Britain gained Acadia over the French -
Period: to
George I's Reign
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland and ruler of the Electorate of Hanover within the Holy Roman Empire from 23 January 1698. He was the first British monarch of the House of Hanover. -
The 1715 Jacobite Rising
The 1715 Jacobite Rising led by the “Old Pretender” James Francis Edward Stuart -
Period: to
George II's Reign
He was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 (O.S.) until his death in 1760. -
The 1745 Jacobite Rising
The 1745 Jacobite Rising led by the “Young Pretender” Bonnie Prince Charlie (the grandson of James II) -
1746: Final defeat of the Jacobites
1746: Final defeat of the Jacobites at Culloden -
Period: to
Seven Years’ War
Britain gained Florida over the Spanish and (most of) Canada over the French -
Period: to
George III's Reign "The Mad King"
Despite George III's many accomplishments and complex reign, he is most remembered for periods marred by physical and mental illness in 1788-89, 1801 and 1804, and his final illness from 1810 until his death. George is often referred to as 'The Mad King', and his periods of ill health as his 'madness'.The Acts of Union 1800 unified Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with George as its king. -
Period: to
The end of the ‘First British Empire’
The years 1775-1783 were a turning point in British history, as the nation lost a huge part of its empire in the American War of Independence.This marked the end of what is now called the ‘First British Empire’. -
1776: Declaration of Independence
Grievances against George III -
1783: Treaty of Paris
1783: Treaty of Paris Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States -
Act of Union
This Act of Union united the Great British Empire and The Irish one.