Henry VIII religious timeline

  • 1527

    The King's great matter

    -Henry VII decides his marriage to Catherine of Aragon is unlawful; feels that the reason he doesn't have a male heir is due to his sin of marrying illegally
    -Henry wanted a male heir, due to his misogynistic values, felt that a female heir was a danger to the continuation of a Tudor dynasty (last female monarch = Matilda in 12th
    century= ruled around time of a civil war)
    -Catherine was 42; less likely to produce any heir
    -triggers the beginning of the reformation in Church
  • 1532

    First Act of Annates

    -banned payment of annates to Rome; source of papal revenue in England was removed + challenged the function of the Pope as a leader
  • 1532

    Submission of the Clergy

    -the clergy accepted the King and not the Pope as their lawmakers
    -led to the resignation of Thomas More the following day
  • 1533

    Act in Restraint of Appeals to Rome

    -based on the Collectanea Satis Copiosa= transfer powers from Pope to the King
    -king to become the supreme head of the Church
    -Cranmer declares Henry's marriage to Catherine null and void (Pope had no power to rule over matrimonial cases)
  • 1533

    Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn

    -marriage with Catherine of Aragon declared void
    -marries Anne
  • 1534

    Second Act of Annates

    -confirmed First Act of Annates
    -Abbots and bishops to be selected by King, not Pope
  • 1534

    First Act of Succession

    -registered Henry's marriage to Catherine as invalid
    -replaced by marriage to Anne
    -crown passed to their children
    -nation had to take an oath upholding their marriage
  • 1534

    Act of Supremacy

    -Supreme Head of the Church of England
  • 1534

    Act to Stop Peter's Pence

    abolishment of tax payment to Rome
  • 1534

    Execution of Elizabeth Barton

    -executed for 'heresy'; made comments against marriage of the king to Anne Boleyn
    -she was a nun
    -evidence of Henry's lack of toleration for religious diversity
  • 1534

    Cromwell= Vicegerent in Spirituals

    -King appoints him; his power significantly increases, being second only to the king
    -in charge of ecclesiastical matters= HE IS RESPONSIBLE limitation; this position didn't continue, died with him
  • 1535

    Executions

    -Carthusian monks
    -Bishop Fisher
    -Sir Thomas More
  • 1536

    Act of Ten Articles

    -the 'Seven Sacraments' of Catholic doctrine were rejected
    -leaving only three (baptism, the Eucharist, and penance)
    -signified a clear move towards Protestantism
  • 1536

    Act for Dissolution of Lesser Monasteries

    -the smaller monasteries are dissolved (those worth under £200)
    -used Valor Ecclesiasticus as evidence, even if it was fabricated evidence
    -monks were rehoused and were trained to become secular priests
    -greater monasteries were praised; was said it was a way of strengthening greater monasteries
  • 1536

    Pilgrimage of Grace

    -gained momentum especially since the Lincolnshire Rising was happening
    -started in Lincolnshire October; Pilgrimage of Grace spreads to West Riding of Yorkshire

    -leader was Robert Aske

    -combination of the dissolution + social + economic reasons (1536 Injunctions; attacking religion + resentment of taxation)
  • 1536

    first set of royal injunctions

    -restriction on the number of holy days + discouraged pilgrimage
  • 1537

    Thomas Matthew Bible

    • a very protestant version of the Bible, which has the King's permission
  • 1538

    Royal Injunctions to the clergy (issued by Cromwell)

    -English Bible to be placed in all parishes within 2 years
    -relics to be removed from churches
  • 1538

    John Lambert execution

    -execution of a PROTESTANT man for his rejection of transubstantiation
    -suggests Henry was committed to Catholicism
  • 1538

    Excommunication of Henry VIII

  • 1539

    Act of Six Articles

    -marked radical shift in doctrine
    -confirmed: transubstantiation + private masses + hearing of confession by priests
    -banned: marriage of priests + the taking of communion by lay people
  • 1539

    Act for the Dissolution of the Greater Monasteries

    -all monasteries were closed + land passed to the crown
  • 1543

    Act for the Advancement of True Religion

    -restricted access to the English Bible to upperclass mean and noblewomen in private
    -may suggest that Protestantism wasn't what Henry really believed and instead he used religion as a tool to advance power
  • 1543

    The Necessary Doctrine and Erudition of a Christian Man

    -also known as 'The King's Book'
    -revised the Bishop's Book; defended transubstantiation + 6 articles
    -was written by Henry himself
  • 1545

    Tutoring Edward

    -Sir John Cheke appointed as tutor of Edward (aged six)
  • 1546

    Anne Askew burned for denying transubstantiation

    -evidence of Henry's continued commitment to parts of Catholicism
  • 1546

    Regency Council for his heir

    -Henry named a heavily Protestant Council of Regency for his heir = ensured Protestant- influenced inheritance for Edward VI