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Period: Apr 20, 1509 to Jan 28, 1547
Henry VIII's reign
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Oct 31, 1517
The Ninety-Five theses
The Ninety-Five Theses, written by Martin Luther (german Monk) in 1517, were a list of propositions challenging the practices of the Catholic Church, particularly the sale of indulgences. -
1526
The Tyndale Bible
William Tyndale translated the New Testament into english. -
1529
Rejection from the Pope
Henry VIII asked for his marriage with Catherine of Arragon to be annulled for various reasons (she failed to bear a son, supported of the Habsburgs and Henry was in love with Anne Boleyn, Catherine's lady in waiting) but the Pope rejected the petition. -
1533
Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn
The Act in Restraint of Appeals gave the King legal power to annul the marriage -
1534
The act of supremacy
The Act of Supremacy was a major law that passed in 1534 during the reign of King Henry VIII. It declared the king as the "Supreme Head of the Church of England" and therefore completly supressed the Pope's authority. -
Period: 1536 to 1537
Pilgrimage of Grace
Rebellions against the dissolution of the monasteries, the church reformation, they wanted the restoration of the Pope and of Mary Tudor -
1537
Permission for an English Bible
Before this, English translations were forbidden by the Church, which maintained Latin as the official language for scripture. This law gave everyone the access to the bible's content and had an impact on the writing and reading skills of the british population. -
Period: Jan 28, 1546 to Jul 6, 1553
Edward VI's reign
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1549
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is a foundational text for the Anglican Church. It was first published in 1549 during the English Reformation. -
1550
Increse in the nuber of protestant churches
There are protestants churches in Germany, Scandinavia and the Netherlands -
Period: Jul 19, 1552 to Nov 17, 1558
Mary Tudor's reign
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Period: 1555 to 1558
Protestantism was confined to secrecy as heretics
Over 200 protestants were burnt alive or forced to leave the country and fled to the Continent -
Period: Nov 17, 1558 to
Elizabeth I's reign
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Nov 20, 1558
Elizabeth's first speech
In this speech, she addressed the challenges she would face as a woman ruler and emphasized her commitment to her people. She dismisses the fact that she is a “weak” woman by saying she has "the heart and stomach of a king". -
Jan 15, 1559
Elizabeth the first's corronation
Elizabeth I's coronation took place on January 15, 1559, at Westminster Abbey in London, a few months after Mary Tudor's death. Her goal as new Queen was to return to protestantism, stabilize the Anglican Church and extend England's influence. -
Feb 2, 1559
The act of uniformity
This act declared that every parish had to use the Book of Common Prayer and the people who did not attend an Anglican services on Sundays and holy days were fined. -
May 8, 1559
The second Act of Supremacy
This act followed the original Act of Supremacy of 1534, which had established King Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church, breaking away from the authority of the Pope. Elizabeth's version declared her as "Supreme Governor" of the Church (anglican church). -
Feb 25, 1570
Excommunication of Elizabeth
The Pope Pius V declared Elizabeth a heretic and excommunicated her from the Catholic Church. He also released her subjects from any allegiance to her, urging them to disobey and even kill her. -
1581
The Construction of the Elizabethan Myth
Strict guidelines were introduced for royal portraits to promote Elizabeth as an eternal, divine monarch. This contributed to the "Golden Age" myth of Elizabeth's reign, symbolizing stability, exploration, and cultural flourishing. -
The Babington Plot
Major Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots, who was seen by many Catholics as the legitimate ruler of England. -
The execution of Mary Stuart Queen of Scots
After being held prisonner in England for 19 years, Mary was accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth and take the English throne. Despite her claims of innocence she was found guilty of treason. On the day of her execution, Mary dressed in a red gown (the colour of catholic martyrs). -
Defeat of the Spanish Armada
Philip II, King of Spain, launched a massive naval invasion to overthrow Elizabeth, but it was defeated by the English navy. This victory reinforced Elizabeth’s image as a strong ruler and secured Protestant dominance. -
Elizabeth’s Speech at Tilbury
Elizabeth addressed her troops before the Spanish Armada's invasion, declaring her commitment to defend England. She demonstrated her political and rhetorical skills and used the two bodies theory to show her strength as both a queen and a military leader. -
Period: to
James I's reign
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Union of the Crowns
James VI of Scotland became James I of England, uniting the crowns of the two kingdoms. Despite the shared monarch, Scotland and England remained distinct political entities with separate laws, churches, and governments. -
The Gunpowder Plot
A Catholic conspiracy to assassinate James I and blow up Parliament was foiled. It highlighted the continuing threat of Catholic extremism in the post-Elizabethan era. -
The “Great Contract”
Proposed agreement between King James I and Parliament to resolve royal financial issues.The House of Commons refused to vote in favour and James dismissed the Parliament. -
Period: to
Charles I's reign
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Petition of Rights
Constitutional document presented to King Charles I by Parliament. They requested the King to recognise the illegality of his acts. They asked for : no taxation without Parliament's consent, no imprisonment without due cause, no forced billeting of soldiers in private homes, no use of martial law in peacetime. -
Period: to
The personal rule
Charles I imprisoned the members of Parliament and declared there would be no more Parliament. He then on would rule "alone". -
Irish Rebellion
Irish Catholics rebelled against Protestant settlers. Reports of massacres fueled anti-Catholic sentiment in England, worsening the tensions between Charles I and Parliament over the control of the army. -
Charles I Attempts to Arrest MPs
Charles entered the House of Commons with troops to arrest five MPs. This violation of parliamentary privilege was a turning point, prompting his flight to York and the formal start of the Civil War on August 22, 1642. -
Battle of Naseby
Turning point in the First Civil War. -
Period: to
Interregnum
Governed by Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector (1653–1658) and briefly by his son Richard Cromwell. -
Execution of Charles I
Charles I was tried for high treason by the Rump Parliament and executed on January 30, 1649. The monarchy was abolished, and England was declared a Commonwealth. -
Cromwellian Protectorate
Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector, ruling as a de facto dictator. The Protectorate centralized power but faced opposition from both royalists and radicals. Similar to a monarchy without a King -
Period: to
Charles II's reign
Restored to the throne in 1660. -
Period: to
James II's reign
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The Glorious Revolution
James II fled to France as William of Orange was invited to take the throne. This bloodless transfer of power secured Protestant succession and reinforced parliamentary sovereignty. -
Bill of Rights
This document formalized limits on royal power and strengthened Parliament’s authority, laying the groundwork for constitutional monarchy. -
Period: to
William III and Mary II's reign
Began after the Glorious Revolution in 1688 -
Period: to
Queen Anne's reign
Oversaw the 1707 Act of Union, creating Great Britain. -
Act of Union (England and Scotland)
England and Scotland united into the Kingdom of Great Britain, creating a single political entity while preserving distinct legal and religious institutions. -
Union between Great britain and Ireland
This legislation merged the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into a single political entity. The union lasted until 1922.