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1534
Act of Supremacy
King Henry VIII became the Supreme head of the Church of England after his excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church, because of his divorce. It created a schism between Catholicism and Protestantism. -
1536
The Pilgrimage of Grace
A year of rebellions against the disbandment of monasteries and Reformation.
The repression of this revolt was violent, including public hangings. -
1536
Disbandment of Monasteries
From 1536 to 1541
Henry VIII considered that monks were "bastions of the popery". The crown also appropriated their incomes and lands. -
1537
Tyndale Bible become mandatory
The Bible which was only in latin had been translated into vernacular English and became compulsory in every church. -
1547
Beginning of Edward VI's reign
The young King, he was only nine years old when he started his reign.
He reigned from 1547 to 1553 -
1549
Series of Religious measures under Edward VI
Revision of the Mass Book and publication of the Book of Common Prayer.
Eradication of Roman Catholics practices like the mass being now in English. -
1553
Beginning of Mary I's reign
She reigned from 1553 to 1558
Under her reign Catholicism was Restorated.
She was called "Bloody Mary" because she had over 200 protestants going to the skate. -
1558
Beginning of Queen Elizabeth I's reign
She reigned from 1558 to 1603.
She was called the Virgin Queen and was Anne Bolleyn's daughter (second wife of Henry VIII); so she had to prove her legitimacy. -
1558
The Tilbury Speech
First speech of Queen Elizabeth I, to rally the troops during the attempt of invasion of the Spanish Armada.
"I know I have the body of a weak woman but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and a king of England too." -
1559
Middle-Way
Queen Elizabeth I had to find a compromise between Catholicism and Protestantism.
So, she instituted a series of laws between 1559 to 1563, which adopted new Protestants measures, but also retained Catholic features. -
1570
Excommunication of the Queen
The Pope Pius V excommunicated Queen Elizabeth I in a papal bull and called her a "so-called Queen"; which questioned her legitimacy. -
1571
Treason Act
In response to the Papal Bull, a new law made it treason to question the queen's legitimacy; it led to death penalty. -
1581
Repression of Catholics
The 1581 Act provided death sentence for Catholics or the interdiction to participate to a Catholic mass. 163 people were killed during this repression. -
1581
Rules about the Queen's portraits
Her portraits had to represent her highness and her power. The painters used a lot of medieval symbols to depict the grandeur of the Queen. (Like here for example with the Pelican Portrait.) -
Babigton Plot and execution of Mary Queen of Scots
Plots to replace Elizabeth I by her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots took place, because for the Catholics, she was the legitimate Queen.
The Babington Plot in which Mary had been accused to be a part of, led to her execution in 1587. -
The victory against the Spanish Armada
The England victory settled Queen Elizabeth I's legitimacy. The storm that helped England winning this battle is perceived as a God sent and help to settle Protestantism. -
Beginning of James I's reign
He was Mary Queen of Scots' son. -
The Gunpowder Plot
Plot organized by some Catholics to blow up the Parliament, which failed because of the arrestation of Guy Fawkes, the guard of the door where the explosives were. -
Establishment of the first colonies
First colonies in North America, establishment of Jamestown in Virginia. -
The Great Contract
Proposition made by the King, to received a fixed sum of money, instead of asking the Parliament anytime he needed it. Refused by the Parliament because they feared the king would not need them anymore. As a response, the king dissolved the Parliament; this event led to the disbandment of Parliament several times -
Period: to
Thirty Years War
England supported the Elector Palatine who was invited to take the throne in place of the Emperor Ferdinand Habsburg; because he was James I's son in law and he was protestant. -
Beginning of Charles I's reign
He reigned until 1640 and had been beheaded. -
The Petition of Rights
Members of Parliaments requested the king to admit all his illegal acts and to recognize parliament was a limit to his power; members of Parliament also discussed Lord Buckingham's impeaning (king's advisor). the Parliament was again suspended. -
The Personal Rule
Eleven years were the King ruled without the Parliament.
Some historians call it "The Eleven Years of Tyranny". It ended in 1640. -
The Three Resolutions
Members of Parliament firmly made "enemy of the kingdom" anyone who tried to alter Protestantism by bringing in "Popery or Arminianism". this was seen as an act of open defiance because the King has always favored Arminians. -
The Scottish Crisis
From 1636 to 1640
Rebellions in Scotland caused by the changes the arminian archibishop Laud, which were seen as a return to Catholicism. The revision of the Book of Common Prayer by Laud set Scotland aflame. -
The Short Parliament
For the first time in eleven years, Charles I called a Parliament. -
The Irish Rebellion
Irish rebellion against protestants, massacre of 3 000/4 000 protestants. Rumors said 200 000 protestants were killed which reinforced the anti catholicism sentiment. -
The Great Remonstrance
Document voted by the Parliament to summarize all the wrong practices of Charles I and conclude by "revolutionary" demands.
(example: the right for the parliament to reform the church) -
Period: to
The Civil War
Why did the king declared war to the parliament ?
-in January, the king believed members of parliament plotted against the queen and arrested them by himself.
-the parliament proposed the 19 Propostions to the king that would made him a consitutional monarch. -
The New Model Army
New Army ruled by the Parliament, made of 22 000 men. Differences with the regular army: soldiers wearing redcoat, centralized army, religious fervor; also called the "praying army" -
Pride's Purge
Colonel Pride arrested 45 conservative members of the Parliament, while the remaining members put the King on trial for high treason. -
England became a Commonwealth
The monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished and England was declared a Commonwealth. -
Period: to
The Interregnum
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Execution of Charles I
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The Instrument of Government
England's first and only written Constitution, that protected religious freedom except for Catholicism. -
The Cromwellian Protectorate
From 1654 to 1658.
Military dictatorship led by the Lord Protector Cromwell, a military man that repressed rebellions during the Commonwealth. -
The Declaration of Breda
Charles II, Charles I's son issued this declaration that promised for example a general amnesty or to continue the religious toleration; in exchange of the return of Monarchy. -
The Restoration
Charles II became King of England.
But, he did not say what he promised and ordered the execution of his father's death warrants. -
Period: to
The Execution Crisis
The parliament tried to debar James II from the throne, denying the divine rights of Kings. -
Beginning of James II's reign
Charles II's brother. Catholic King, people were afraid of catholic absolutism. -
The Glorious Revolution
The Parliament invited James II's son in law, William of Orange, to invade England and to seize the throne.
He became King William III. It made England a Constitutional Monarchy. -
The Toleration Act
Law establishing religious pluralism and freedom for all protestants. -
The Bill of Rights
Document listing all James II's misdeeds and fixed limits on sovereign's powers. -
The Act of Settlement
Law ensuring a protestant succession, because of the fear of the catholic absolutism. -
Act of Union between England and Scotland
Creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. -
Period: to
The Georgian Era
Named after the Hanoverian Kings. -
Period: to
Jacobite Risings
The Jacobites were a part of the population loyal to the Stuarts. -
Period: to
The American Revolution
Marked by the Declaration of Independence of the United States; made Britain lost its colonies. -
The Irish Rebellion
Irish rebelling against the British rule. -
Second Act of Union
Creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Scotland,d and Ireland).