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The English barons rebelled against King John’s heavy taxation and arbitrary use of power. This led to the signing of the Magna Carta, a charter designed to limit the king’s authority and protect certain legal rights. It laid the foundations of the rule of law and constitutional government in England. -
King Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church after the Pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The Act of Supremacy made the king the Supreme Head of the Church of England. This led to the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536–1541). -
Martin Luther published the Ninety-Five Theses, denouncing abuses within the Catholic Church, particularly the sale of indulgences and the doctrine of purgatory. His actions sparked the Protestant Reformation. He was excommunicated by the Pope in 1521. -
Under Henry VIII, the Acts of Union integrated Wales into the Kingdom of England. English law was extended to Wales, Welsh MPs were allowed to sit in the English Parliament, and English became the official language of courts and administration. -
Queen Mary I (Mary Tudor) attempted to restore Catholicism in England. During her reign, hundreds of Protestants were persecuted and executed by burning at the stake, earning her the nickname “Bloody Mary”. After her death, her half-sister Elizabeth I restored Protestantism and sought religious compromise. -
Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic and cousin of Elizabeth I, was seen as a threat to the English throne. After being implicated in several plots against Elizabeth, she was executed in 1587, strengthening Protestant rule in England. -
A conflict between Royalists (supporters of King Charles I) and Parliamentarians over power, religion, and taxation. The war ended with the defeat of the king, who was tried and executed in 1649—the only English monarch to be executed. -
Following the regicide, England became a republic known as the Commonwealth. It was dominated by Oliver Cromwell, who ruled as Lord Protector. The period ended with the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660. -
King James II was overthrown and replaced by William III and Mary II. The Bill of Rights limited royal power and affirmed the supremacy of Parliament, establishing a constitutional monarchy
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The Act of Union united England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. Both countries shared a single Parliament at Westminster, though Scotland retained its legal and educational systems. -
The Act of Union joined Great Britain and Ireland, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It followed the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and aimed to strengthen British control over Ireland. -
Irish nationalists fought for independence from Britain. The conflict ended with the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922, while Northern Ireland remained part of the UK. -
A violent conflict in Northern Ireland between Unionists (mostly Protestant, pro-UK) and Nationalists (mostly Catholic, pro-Ireland). It resulted in thousands of deaths before ending with the Good Friday Agreement. -
The UK government granted devolved powers to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, allowing them to have their own parliaments or assemblies with control over certain domestic policies. -
In a national referendum, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. Brexit officially came into effect in 2020 and has had major political, economic, and social consequences. -
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, King Charles III was crowned in 2023, marking a new era in the British monarchy.