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Period: 1509 to 1547
Reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII is remembered for his complicated relationships with his 6 wives (with 2 of them executed) and most importantly because his desire to divorce with Catherine of Aragon (which is the reason why schism happened with Rome). -
Oct 31, 1517
The Ninety-Five Theses
The German monk, Martin Luther, wrote the famous text entitled "The Ninety-Five Theses". This text marks the start of the European Reformation. It denounced the Indulgences and abuses that the Catholic Church were doing. -
1526
the Tyndale bible
William Tyndall translated the New Testament into English and it was published in England. -
1529
Pope rejected Henry's petition for divorce
Henry VIII wanted an annul his wedding with Catherine of Aragon for three reasons : 1) His wife’s failure to bear a son (only one surviving daughter: Mary Tudor)
2) Her support of the Habsburgs, when Henry wanted an alliance with France
3) He was in love with Anne Boleyn However the Pope rejected his petition. -
Jan 25, 1533
Henry VIII's marriage with Ann Boleyn
This marriage was followed by a legislation entitled "act of succession" that required his subjects to accept the King's marriage to his second wife, Anne Boleyn, as 'undoubted, true, sincere and perfect'. Henry's annulment from his first wife, Catherine, had forced his break with the Roman Catholic Church. -
Period: 1534 to
Early Modern Period
This period was a dramatic and tumultuous chapter in the history of the British Isles. -
Nov 3, 1534
Act of Supremacy
At this point, the Anglican Church was now created.
Since this act was established, kings was made "Supreme Head of the Church of England" (this is also when the schism happened). Therefore, Henry VIII was made "Supreme Head of the Church of England". -
1537
Establishment of an English Bible
Henry VIII gave his permission for the establishment of an English Bible and not a Latin one. It soon became mandatory in every church. -
Period: 1545 to 1560
Council of Trent
This Council was held in the Italian city of Trent (symbol of Counter Reformation).
The Roman Catholic church attempted to correct some of the abuses of the church and harshly condemned protestant heresies. The Pope’s hostility to the Elizabethan religious settlement was growing and he instructed English Catholics not to attend Anglican church services. -
Period: 1547 to 1553
Reign of Edward VI
During his reign, Edward VI continued the religious trajectory that his dad began. He reinforced the protestantism and introduced the Book of Common Prayer. -
1549
Book of Common Prayer
This book was introduced under Edward VI's reign and it eradicated Roman Catholic practices, marriage of clergy were now allowed, the Prayer Book was imposed consequently it led to rebellions in Cornwall and Devon. -
Period: 1553 to 1558
Reign of Mary I
Mary I was the first Queen of England. Since her mother Catherine of Aragon was a Catholic, she decided to repeal the previous legislation. -
Period: 1555 to 1558
Bloody Mary
Her attempt to restore Catholicism led to a mass of persecution of protestants. Over 200 Protestants went to the stake (were burnt alive). Protestants were forced to leave the country and fled to the Continent : they were the “Marian exiles”. -
Period: 1558 to
Reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I stabilized the Church of England with a lasting "religious settlement," expanded England's influence abroad, and ruled for 45 years without marrying, reinforcing England's independence. Her reign is often seen as a Golden Age for the country. -
1559
Act of Uniformity & Supremacy
- The Act of Uniformity established that every parish had to use the Book of Common Prayer and people who did not attend an Anglican service were fined.
- The Act of Supremacy abolished the authority of the Pope, restored the authority of the Queen over the Church and Elizabeth I became “Supreme Governor of the Church of England”.
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Period: 1563 to 1571
39 articles of faith : Doctrine
It stated the doctrine of the Church and three important changes :
- A new ecclesiology
- A new doctrine of Salvation
- A new definition of sacraments and of the mass
still in use today -
1569
The Nothern Rebellion
This Rebellion, led by the Catholics, was against religious reforms. It attempted to replace Queen Elizabeth by Mary, Queen of Scots. The revolt was led by the Earls of Westmorland and Northumberland. However, it was crushed. -
Feb 25, 1570
Papal Bull “Regnans in Excelsis”
Pope Pius V issued the papal bull in which it called Elizabeth derogatory names and (almost) gave Catholics the permission to kill her and thus not being considered as a criminal by Rome. -
1571
The Treason Act
The 1571 Treasons Act was made in response of the "Papal Bull" issued by the Pope. It made it clear that anyone who says that Elizabeth was not the true Queen of England and Wales was accused of treason. -
1581
the 1581 Act
This act 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 and Anglican services were compulsory: £20 per month fine. -
Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
Mary Queen of Scots was seen as threat by Elizabeth I because Mary was Elizabeth’s cousin, and was Elizabeth’s legitimate heir. Her closeness to France and Spain endangered the English kingdom and most importantly to Catholics, she was the legitimate heir. She represented hope for a return back to roman Catholicism . The discovery of the Babington plot (1586) by Francis Walsingham gave Elizabeth her final answer on what to do to Mary Stuart : she needed to be executed. -
The Defeat of the Spanish Armada
Philip II, the Catholic King of Spain supported several plots against Elizabeth. In retaliation, and to support the cause of Protestantism, Elizabeth supported the Dutch Revolt against Spain. As a result, the King of Spain attempted to invade England. It was a complete defeat, England was victorious -
Period: to
Reign of James I
James I's reign was marked by tension with Parliament over taxation and his approach to governance, as well ass religious conflicts, particularly with Puritans. -
The Gunpowder Plot
This plot was a conspiracy devised by a small group of Catholics to blow up Parliament and James I -
The Three Resolutions
Charles declared that anyone promoting "Popery or Arminianism" or advising the King to collect duties without Parliament's consent was an enemy of the Kingdom. This led to the imprisonment of MPs and the dissolution of Parliament, marking the beginning of his "Personal Rule" with no more parliaments -
Period: to
The Thirty Years' War
England was at war against Spain France. -
Period: to
Reign of Charles I
Charles I was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. His conflicts with Parliament over power and religion led to the English Civil War. Defeated and captured, he was tried for treason and executed in 1649, ending the monarchy temporarily. -
Petition of Rights
The King was asked to recognize the illegality of certain actions, like extra-parliamentary taxation and imprisonment without trial, highlighting limits to his power. Though Charles signed it reluctantly, he was angry and suspended Parliament when impeachment of Lord Buckingham was discussed -
Period: to
Personal Rule
Also called "The Eleven Years Tyranny", it was when the King ruled without calling a Parliament for 11 years. -
Period: to
Scottish Crisis
The Scottish Crisis erupted when Charles I’s religious reforms sparked rebellion in 1637, leading to the Bishops' Wars and forcing him to recall Parliament, deepening political conflicts. -
Short Parliament
Charles I needed money to fight the Scots so he called the Parliament for the first time in 11 years. However, the MPs demanded the king to address their grievances first resulting in Charles dissolving it after only 3 weeks. -
Period: to
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament limited royal power, led to the English Civil War, and oversaw Charles I's execution before ending with the monarchy's restoration. -
The Irish Rebellion
It was an armed revolt with Irish Catholics against Protestant settlers -
The Grand Remonstrance of 1641
The Grand Remonstrance listed Charles I's misdeeds and demanded parliamentary control over ministers, the army, and Church reforms. It split Parliament into Parliamentarians, seeking reform, and Royalists, favoring negotiation, setting the stage for civil war. -
Interruption in the House of Commons
Charles I marched in the House of Commons with troops and attempted to arrest 5 MPs.
On the 22th of August 1642, Charles I formally declared war on Parliament. -
Period: to
Civil Wars
The English Civil War was a conflict between Charles I's Royalists and Parliamentarians over governance and religion. Parliament’s forces, led by Oliver Cromwell, defeated the king, leading to Charles’s execution and the rise of the Commonwealth. -
The Act of uniformity 1662
All ministers had to swear to conform to the Book of Common Prayer -
Period: to
1st Civil War & victory of Parliament
The First civil war would cost the lives of 190 000 Englishmen (in combat/from diseases) and last for four years. -
Battle of Naseby
It was the turning point saw the Royalist forces weaken. -
The King and Royalists surrendered
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Triggering of the Second Civil War
Charles I escaped custody, allied with the Scots, and promised Presbyterian reforms in exchange for their support to invade England. This move outraged Parliament and triggered the Second Civil War. -
Period: to
Second Civil War
It was a series of revolts who happened in the South of England, Wales and Scotland. The Royalists were easily defeated by Cromwell and it was a very short civil war (January-Autumn 1648). -
Period: to
The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth was a period after the execution of Charles I, during which England was ruled as a republic without a monarchy. Power was held by Parliament, but political instability led to Oliver Cromwell taking control as Lord Protector. -
Period: to
Interregnum
The Interregnum followed Charles I’s execution, during which England was a republic. Oliver Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector, but the period was marked by political instability and military control. It ended with the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II. -
Regicide of King Charles I
The King was put on trial for high treason and thus executed -
Blasphemy Act 1650
The Blasphemy Act of 1650 sought to suppress radical religious views and practices, imposing penalties for beliefs deemed heretical to uphold religious and social order. -
The Instrument of Government
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. -
Period: to
Cromwellian Protectorate
The Cromwellian Protectorate was a period of military rule under Oliver Cromwell, who became Lord Protector after dissolving the Rump Parliament. His government focused on religious reform and stability but faced political challenges. After Cromwell’s death, instability led to the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. -
Declaration of Breda
Charles II (the son of Charles I who had been executed in 1649) issued the Declaration of Breda. It promised:
- A general amnesty (pardon)
- To continue religious toleration
- To share power with Parliament
And in return for the restoration of monarchy. -
Period: to
The Clarendon Code
It was series of laws passed during the first 5 years of Restoration. It was repressive towards religious groups not belonging to the Anglican Church -
Period: to
Early Restoration
The Early Restoration marked the return of Charles II to the throne, restoring the monarchy after the Interregnum. This period focused on stabilizing the nation, but tensions arose between the king and Parliament, particularly over issues like finances and foreign policy, leading to political conflict. -
Period: to
The Great Plague
The Great Plague was a devastating outbreak of bubonic plague in England, killing thousands, particularly in London, before subsiding after the Great Fire of 1666. -
The Popish Plot 1678
A rumored French plot aimed to replace Charles II with his Catholic brother James II, sparking fears of pro-Catholic policies, absolute monarchy, and threats to Parliament. -
Period: to
The Exclusion crisis
Parliament tried to block James II’s succession, challenging the divine right of kings, prompting Charles II to dissolve Parliament. -
The Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution of 1688 occurred when James II’s Catholic son was born, threatening Protestantism and Parliament's power. In response, Parliament invited William of Orange to invade. With little resistance, William’s forces caused James II to flee to France. The revolution was "glorious" due to its bloodless nature, replacing James with William III and Mary, strengthening English liberties and ensuring a more stable political system. -
The Bill of Rights
It limited royal power, required parliamentary consent for laws, finances, and the army, barred Catholics from the throne, and established key rights like free elections and protection from cruel punishment. It influenced the U.S. Bill of Rights and reflected John Locke’s ideas on natural rights. -
The Bill of Rights
It limited the monarch’s power for the first time -
Toleration Act 1689
It established religious pluralism, and freedom of worship for all Protestants -
The Act of Settlement
The Act of Settlement secured a Protestant succession to the throne, excluding Catholic heirs, as William III and Mary II had no children. It also ended the monarchy-Parliament conflict, shifting the balance of power in favor of Parliament. -
First act of union
The creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 unified England and Scotland, realizing James I's vision. The Act of Union, under Queen Anne, merged the two countries, dissolving Scotland’s Parliament but giving it representation in the House of Commons and Lords. Scotland retained its Presbyterian church and legal system. -
Act of union
This act united the kingdom of Great Britain and the kingdom of Ireland. Thus the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is created.