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Period: 1509 to 1547
The Reign of King Henry VIII.
King Henry VIII created the Anglican church and paved the way for Protestants. He also rejected the Pope's influence and strengthened the King's power. -
Oct 31, 1517
The Ninety-Five Theses by Martin Luther.
Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the the University in Wittenberg. This document is considered one of the foundational texts of the Protestant Reformation and marked the start of the European Reformation. -
1526
The Tyndale Bible
William Tyndale translated the New Testament into English for the first time. Before it was written in LATIN! -
1534
The Act of Supremacy
This Act laid the foundation for the creation of the Anglican Church and the king was made "supreme head of the Church of England”. -
1536
Pilgrimage of Grace
It was a six-month rebellion in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire that protested against the dissolution of monasteries and the Reformation. They demanded the restoration of the Pope and the reinstatement of Mary Tudor to the royal succession. They were the greatest rebellions ever faced by a Tudor monarch! -
Period: 1547 to 1553
Edward VI's reign
Son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. During his reign, a series of measures pushed England towards Protestantism. -
1549
The Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer, written in English, served as a guide for public worship. It was a revision of the traditional mass-book, standardizing the liturgy and practices for the Church of England. -
Period: 1553 to 1558
Mary I's reign
Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. She managed to restore Catholicism and repealed the Protestant legislation put in place by her father and half-brother(Edward VI). -
1558
Death of Cromwell
Cromwell died in 1558 and his son Richard became lord protector but resigned after 6 months. This led to a period of anarchy for England with 7 governments in less than a year ! -
Period: 1558 to
Queen Elizabeth I's reign
Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. She stabilised the Church of England by establishing principles that still exist today. She rule for 45 years and did so without ever getting married. Her reign is often associated with a golden age for the country. -
1559
The Second Act of Supremacy
This act declared Queen Elizabeth I as the “Supreme Governor of the Church of England” and abolished the authority of the Pope. This also reaffirmed the monarch’s control over religious matters in England, solidifying the break from Roman Catholicism. -
1559
The Act of Uniformity
This act laid down rules about religious services and required every parish to use the Book of Common Prayer. Additionally, people who did not attend an Anglican service were fined. -
1570
Pope Pius V Issued the Papal Bull.
The papal bull “Regnans in Excelsis” declared Queen Elizabeth I to be a heretic and officially excommunicated her from the Catholic Church. This made her a target for Catholic plots, as many saw her removal as justified or even necessary to restore Catholic rule in England. -
The Babington plot
It was the final event that led to the execution of Mary Stuart. A group of young Catholics plotted to assassinate Queen Elizabeth and place Mary Stuart on the throne. However, Francis Walsingham uncovered the plan by decoding a secret letter exchanged between Mary and the conspirators. Mary’s active endorsement of the plot and her direct involvement forced Elizabeth to order her execution. -
The Execution of Queen Mary Stuart.
Mary Stuart was executed in 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle, convicted of complicity in the Babington Plot. At her execution, she wore a bright red dress—the color of Catholic martyrs—making a powerful political statement. She recited her final prayers in Latin and declared that “I shed my blood for the ancient Catholic religion.” Her choice of attire and her final words underscored her commitment to her faith and her role as a symbol of Catholic resistance against Protestant England. -
The Defeat of the Spanish Armada
The Spanish Armada or the Invincible Armada was defeated by England, who benefited from superior resources, manpower, and favorable weather conditions. This victory was a significant event in Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, serving as powerful propaganda for her as the monarch. It also gave her an advantage in the religious battle, as the storm that helped defeat the Spanish fleet was interpreted as a sign of God’s favor for Protestanism and divine protection over Elizabeth's England. -
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James I's reign
The son of Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the first king of both England and Scotland. James confirmed the Elizabethan status quo and maintained a state of compromise. He also made an important contribution: the introduction of a new English translation of the Bible, known as the King James Bible, which was completed in 1611. -
GUNPOWDER PLOT
The Gunpowder Plot was a conspiracy devised by a small group of Catholics. Their aim was to blow up the English Parliament and assassinate James I, but it was an unsuccessful attempt at regicide. -
The Great Contract
James attempted to introduce a financial reform to increase Crown's income. Under this plan, the king would receive a fixed annual sum in exchange for certain concessions. However, the MPs refused to approve the contract, and for the first time, the king dismissed Parliament. -
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The Thirty Year’s war
England was at war with Spain and France and it was faced with many military defeats. This war caused a huge strain on the country's finances and also had major impacts on the local population, as they were obligated to billet soldiers in their homes. -
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Charles' I Reign
Charles I, the son of James I, was married to the French princess Henrietta Maria who was a Catholic and an absolutist. He favored a minority wing of Anglicans, the Arminians, who were closely aligned with Catholicism and sought to restore traditional ceremonies and increase the authority of bishops and the clergy. -
The Petition of Rights
The MPs drafted a Petition of Rights, requesting the king to recognize the limits of the Crown's power. This act was a form of revolt against the King. To prevent the king from issuing another adjournment, the MPs refused to allow the Speaker of the House to end the discussion and pressured the king to admit to his wrongdoings. -
The Three Resolutions
The Three Resolutions was an open act of defiance towards Charles I. Although very subtle in tone, they were clear criticisms aimed directly towards the king. The resolution stated that anyone attempting to introduce either “Popery, Arminianism" or changes to the protestant forms of the Church of England was an enemy of the Kingdom. In response, Charles imprisoned the MPs involved and dissolved Parliament, marking the start of the period of his Personal Rule. -
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The personal Rule
Also called "The Eleven Years of Tyranny” it was a period after the dissolution of parliament where the king ruled without calling a parliament for 11 years. -
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The Scottish Crisis
It was one of the key events that triggered the end of Charles I’s Personal Rule and led to the outbreak of the Civil Wars. In 1637, Charles I attempted to draw the Church of Scotland (Calvinist) into line with the Church of England by imposing Anglican customs and beliefs. Scottish opposition intensified when Charles I introduced a new liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer. These changes provoked widespread riots which escalated to a larger rebellion known as the Bishop’s Wars. -
The Long Parliament
Charles I called Parliament again in 1640 for financial help as he had to pay the cost of Scot’s army after losing to the Scots and called it the Long Parliament because it wasn't dissolved until 1660.
The Long Parliament passed 2 acts: one ensuring that Parliament would meet at least every 3 years and another stating that the Parliament's dissolution required its consent. The Long Parliament also executed Earl Stafford, one of the King’s most powerful advisers. -
The Short Parliament
In 1640, Charles I needed funds to fight the Scots, so he called the parliament for the 1st time in 11 years. This session became known as "the Short Parliament" because Charles dissolved it after only three weeks when the MPs demanded and insisted the king to address their grievances before granting him financial support. -
The Militia Act
Parliament passed the Militia Act which gave them the power to appoint the generals who would control the army. This stripped the king's ability to appoint whomever he wanted to lead the military. -
The Irish Rebellion.
In October 1641, Irish Catholic rebels rose up against Protestant settlers, sparking an armed rebellion in Ireland. They attacked Protestant English and Scottish colonists, leading to the massacre of 3000 to 4000 Protestants by Irish Catholics. This exacerbated the crisis, as false rumors about the Irish atrocities, stated that around 200,000 Protestants had been massacred. These rumors fueled the anti-Catholic sentiment in England. -
The Grand Remonstance of 1641
It was an important document voted on by parliament that summarised all the wrongdoings of Charles I and concluded with “revolutionary” demands.
This text divided Parliament into 2 groups. The Parliamentarians believed that reform was necessary to safeguard the liberties, and the rights of Parliament and the Protestant Church. The Royalists, who opposed the Grand Remonstrance, thought its demands were too extreme. -
Charles declares war on parliament.
Charles, I marched into the House of Commons with troops and attempted to arrest 5 MPs whom he believed were plotting against the Queen. It was the catalyst for the English Civil War because this was a breach of privilege and showed that there could be no peace between the King and Parliament. In response, Parliament presented the 19 Propositions to the King which aimed to erode the King's powers. On 22nd August 1642, Charles formally declared war on Parliament. -
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The First Civil War
The First Civil War was a war between the Royalists, who believed in the divine right of kings, and the Parliamentarians, who believed that Parliament should make the laws. The war resulted in the loss of 190,000 English lives, either in combat or disease. It ended with a Parliamentarian victory when the King and the Royalists surrendered in May 1646. -
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The Second Civil War
In November 1647, the king escaped from army custody and allied himself with the Scots. Using a foreign army to wage war against his own people was seen as unacceptable and led to the Second Civil War, which took place from January to August 1648. The war consisted of a series of revolts in the South of England, Wales, and Scotland. The Royalists were easily defeated by Cromwell and his army. -
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The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of England was the republican government that ruled England after the regicide of Charles I.
However, the Commonwealth was considered a failure due to numerous Royalist revolts in Ireland and Scotland which were brutally repressed by Cromwell. Additionally, the Rumps Parliament harshly repressed internal critics and radical sects. -
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The Interregnum
The Interregnum was a period between 2 reigns, starting with the regicide of Charles I and ending with the restoration of his son, Charles II. This period follows a series of political experiments to rule without a king. It was first declared a “Commonwealth”, a type of republic, and later, England was governed by a military protectorate, also called the Cromwellian Protectorate. -
Execution of Charles I
King Charles I was executed in January 1649, and in March 1649, the monarchy and the House of Lords were abolished. England was declared a Commonwealth (a republic). -
The Blasphemy Act
The Rump Parliament brutally repressed religious groups, using the Blasphemy Act of 1650 to punish and penalize Protestant sects, particularly the Quakers, who denied that the Bible was the word of God. -
The Instrument of Government
The Instrument of Government was the first and only written constitution of England. It was drafted by Major-General John Lambert in 1653. -
The end of Commonwealth.
After Cromwell dissolved the Rump Parliament on 20th April 1653, 16th December 1653 officially marked the end of the Commonwealth and the start of the Cromwellian Protectorate. -
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The Cromwellian Protectorate
The Protectorate was a military dictatorship, similar to a monarchy without a king. Under this protectorate, Cromwell was appointed Lord Protector; he held all the executive power, controlled the military and diplomacy, and ruled with the help of Parliament. -
The Declaration of Breda.
The Declaration of Breda was a proclamation issued by Charles II in which he promised a general amnesty to anyone involved in the execution of his father, Charles I. He also promised to continue religious toleration and share power with Parliament. In return, he requested to restoration of the monarchy. The Declaration of Breda successfully worked! -
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Early restoration 1660 -1671
Once the monarchy was restored, Charles II completely ignored the promises he made in the Declaration of Breda. He issued the execution of the 100 people who had signed Charles I’s death warrant. He also enacted the Clarendon Code, a series of repressive laws aimed at groups who practiced their faith separate from the Anglican church, and implemented fines for anyone attending non-conformist meetings under the Five Miles Act. -
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Charles II's Reign.
Charles II, the son of Charles I, was proclaimed the King of Scotland after his father's execution. In 1660. Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda in return for monarchy restoration and later completely ignored the promises. He was faced with domestic and foreign disasters such as The 2nd Anglo-Dutch War, the 1665 Outbreak of Plague, and the 1666 Great Fire of London. -
The Restoration
The king was formally restored to his kingdoms and proclaimed King of Great Britain and Ireland. Charles II staged an extravagant coronation to mark his restoration. -
The Act of Uniformity
Under the Act of Uniformity, all ministers were required to swear an oath to conform to the Book of Common Prayer. This act also restored bishops to the House of Lords and to other places in the Church. -
The Outbreak of Plague
The outbreak of plague in 1665 was the worst outbreak of plague in England's history. London lost roughly 15% of its population, with over 100,000 deaths recorded. The wealthy fled to the countryside, while the poor suffered in horrific conditions. If a member of a family was infected with the plague, they were forced to remain locked in their house with the rest of the family until everyone died or was magically cured. -
The Great Fire of London.
The Great Fire of London was yet another domestic disaster faced by Charles II. However, in a way, this disaster or the fire helped eradicate the plague by killing many rats that spread the disease. -
The Popish Plot
There were rumors of a plot organized by the French to murder Charles II and replace him with his Catholic brother, James II. It was believed that James, as a king, would implement pro-Catholic policies, try to restore absolute monarchy, and potentially try to threaten Parliament. -
The exclusion crisis 1679 -1681
It was Parliament's attempt to exclude James II from the succession to the English throne. Parliament tried to modify the rules of succession, challenging the divine rights of the King. In response, Charles II dissolved Parliament leading to a division within Parliament: the TORIES, who supported James and the doctrine of hereditary rights, and the WHIGS, who opposed James and were discredited by a plot to kill Charles. -
The Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution refers to the series of events in 1688 that culminated in the exile of King James II and the accession to the throne of William and Mary. In 1688, when James II's wife gave birth to a male Catholic heir, Parliament invited the king’s son-in-law, William of Orange, to invade England and seize the crown. The Glorious Revolution was a key event in leading Britain towards a Constitutional Monarchy. -
The Toleration Act
This act established religious pluralism in England by granting freedom of worship to all Protestants. It allowed Protestant dissenters to practice religion freely. -
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights was a key political text that established fixed limitations on the sovereign's powers for the first time. It gave more authority to Parliament, as they now had to consent to new laws and had control over finances and the army. The text also set out the rights of Parliament, assuring regular parliaments, free elections, and freedom of speech. It set out the basic civil rights including freedom from cruel and excessive punishment, and freedom to bear arms. -
The Act of Settlement
The Act was to ensure a Protestant succession to the English throne especially after King William III and Queen Mary II had no surviving children. It also excluded many Catholic heirs from the throne to ensure a Protestant succession. -
1707 Act of Union Between England and Scotland..
This Act led to the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which united the kingdoms of England, Wales, and Scotland. It fulfilled an old dream of James I to create the "Perfect Union".