Histoire britannique

Martin Luther’s Ninety-five theses

Oct 31, 1517

A critique and protest against the corruption present in the Catholic Church concerning the sales of indulgences, obtained by doing good works, prayers or by donating money. Martin Luther believed salvation was free and one did not need to pay to obtain it, he decreed that if a priest said the opposite, he was inherently lying.

The Tyndale bible

1526

The Tyndale bible was published in Great Britain by William Tyndale, who translated the New Testament from Latin to the vernacular : English.

Act of supremacy

Nov 3, 1534

The king was made “supreme head of the Church of England”. This is when the schism happened, the king’s great matter, his divorce, had led England to break from the Roman Catholic Church. The break was gradual and it was mostly a political decision, Henry VIII did not support most Protestant ideas.

The dissolution of monasteries

1536

Henry VIII decided that monasteries were bastions of “popery”. They were disbanded and the crown appropriated their income and land, at this time, the church owned 25% of the land. The valuables were also confiscated and melted down.

The pilgrimage of grace

1536

The dissolution of monasteries resulted in massive rebellions in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, which interrupted the process for 6 months, from 1536 to 1537. They were the biggest rebellions ever face by a Tudor monarch and were called the “pilgrimage of grace”. The insurgents were common people as well as the gentry and the clergy. They were against the dissolution and the reformation. They also demanded the restoration of the pope and Mary Tudor to the royal line of succession.

Council of Trent

1545

This council was held in the Italian city of Trent and it was the symbol of counter reformation. The Roman Catholic Church attempted to correct some of the abuses of the church and harshly condemned Protestant heresies.

Death of Henry VIII

Jan 28, 1547

Henry VIII died at 55 years old and named his son, Edward VI, as his heir.

Death of Edward VI

Jun 6, 1553

Edward VI died at only 15 years old, it is suspected that he had tuberculosis.

Mary I (Tudor) became the first queen of England

Oct 1, 1553

Mary 1 was crowned queen of England on the 1st of October 1553.

The catholic restoration

Oct 1, 1553

Protestantism was confined to secrecy as over 200 heretics were burned at the stake between 1555 and 1558. They were forced to leave the country and many fled to Switzerland, where they were taught the teachings of Calvin, they were called the “Marian Exiles”.

Death of Mary 1

Nov 17, 1558

Mary 1 (Tudor) died at 42 years old.

The Act of Uniformity

1559

The aim of the Act of Uniformity was to target religious beliefs. Every parish had to use the Book of Common Prayer, and people who did not attend an Anglican service for a fined.

The Act of Supremacy

1559

The aim of the Act of Supremacy was to organise the Church of England, abolishing the authority of the pope and restoring the authority of the Queen, Elizabeth I, over the church. She became “supreme governor of the Church of England”.

The Northern rebellion

Nov 9, 1569

This rebellion was against religious reformers, there were 6000 insurgents. It was an attempt to replace Queen Elizabeth I with Mary, Queen of Scots. The revolt was led by the Earls of Westmorland and Northumberland.

Elizabeth I was excommunicated by the pope

Apr 27, 1570

Queen Elizabeth I was excommunicated by Pope Pius V, he issued the papal bull “Regnans in Excelsis”.

The 39 articled of faith

1571

This doctrine brought three important changes to the religious beliefs of the church: a new ecclesiology, a new doctrine of salvation and a new definition of sacraments and of the mass, that are still in use today.

Treasons act

May 21, 1571

This Act made it treason for anyone to say that Elizabeth I was not the true Queen of England and Wales.

The 1581 Act

1581

“The act to retain the queen’s majesty’s subjects in their dur obedience”. This provided for the death penalty for any person converting, or already converted to Catholicism. It was now forbidden to participate or celebrate the catholic mass. Anglican services were compulsory: 20£ per month fine.