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Period: Apr 21, 1509 to Jan 28, 1547
Henry VIII's reign
Well-known English King, Henry VIII is known for his 6 wives and the unexpected turn he brought to England.
He acceded to the throne on the death of Henry VII in 1509 and died in 1547 due to cardiac insufficiency. -
Oct 31, 1517
The publication of "The Ninety-Five Theses" by Martin Luther
Martin Luther, a German monk, believed that the sale of indulgences was nowhere allowed in the Bible.
On October 31, 1517, he posted his propositions on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.
Writing them in Latin, he did not want to break with the Church, but believed that his propositions were logical and would be listened to. Nevertheless, the propagation of his ideas led to his excommunication in 1521. This event is considered the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. -
1526
Publication of the Tyndale Bible
Influenced by great Protestant leaders such as Martin Luther, William Tyndale published different parts of the New Testament in English, directly inspired by Greek and Hebrew texts.
Compiled as what we know today as the Tyndale Bible, his work enormously influenced the propagation of Protestant beliefs: everyone should be able to have a relationship with God, and therefore, to read God's Words.
The Church condemns Tyndale as a heretic, he is strangled and burned at the stake in 1536. -
Nov 3, 1534
The first Act of Supremacy: a schism
For years, Henry VIII had been unable to have a male heir with his wife, Catherine of Aragon. He repeatedly asked the Pope for an annulment of his marriage, a marriage that the Pope himself had approved earlier. Facing several refusals, the King passed in 1534 the Act of Supremacy, making the monarch the supreme head of the Church, and breaking with Rome's one.
More political and personal than theological, the King benefited from this Act, marrying Ann Boleyn, and strengthening his power. -
Period: Jan 28, 1547 to Jul 6, 1553
Edward VI's reign
Edward VI was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. He acceded to the throne at only 9 years old and reigned until his own death 6 years later. As a minor, he was supervised by first Edward Seymour and then John Dudley. Edward VI continued his father’s Protestant impulse with concrete actions still constitutive of the Anglican Church.
For example, the publication of the "Book of Common Prayer" in 1549 was an important event, and despite having been revised several times, is still in use today. -
Period: Oct 1, 1553 to Nov 17, 1558
Mary I's reign
Daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon, Mary I is the second Henry's child --and the first woman ever-- to accede to the throne of England.
Known as "Bloody Mary", she vigorously tried to restore Catholicism in England. This repression against the previous Protestant regimes resulted in hundreds of executions and a mass flee of Protestants.
Married to King Philip II of Spain, her legitimacy as the head of the country was questioned: she must be submitted to her husband. -
Period: Nov 17, 1558 to
Elizabeth I's reign
Elizabeth acceded to the throne in 1558 with several difficulties ahead.
She was a 25-year-old unmarried woman who needed to prove her legitimacy as a Queen. She was going to deal with a bankrupt and religiously unstable country.
She faced these difficulties, restoring Protestantism, staying unmarried, and conserving her exclusive power thanks to the "Two-Bodies" theory.
The reign of the "Virgin Queen" is considered a golden Age, and Elizabeth's death signifies the end of the Tudor dynasty. -
Feb 24, 1570
Elizabeth I's excommunication
Even if the 1559 Act of Supremacy had abolished the Pope's authority, the compromises made by Elizabeth made Pope Pius V believe that she would turn back to Catholicism. In fact, many Catholic suitors were courting Elizabeth, and she allowed Catholic practices in private. Nevertheless, after 11 years of waiting, the Pope finally declared Elizabeth a heretic in a papal bull.
This event is the beginning of persecution for Catholics, them being a menace to Elizabeth's authority and very life. -
The execution of Mary Queen of Scots
Mary became Queen of Scotland at the death of her father. Forced to abdicate in 1567, she fled to England, seeking the protection of her cousin Elizabeth.
Nevertheless, as her cousin, Mary had revendications on England's throne, and was supported by the revolted Catholics, who wanted to have a Catholic monarch.
Therefore, Elizabeth virtually imprisoned Mary for 18 years. When it was discovered that Mary was part of the Babington Plot, she was executed, Elizabeth getting rid of a huge threat. -
The Tilbury Speech
In 1588, the reputed "invincible" Spanish armada planned to attack England. Facing this menace, Elizabeth I gathered her army and pronounced, in a cuirass, a speech in Tilbury. During this speech, she established her main theory, upon which lies her legitimacy as a monarch: the 2 bodies theory. As she said: "I know I have the body but of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too."
England's victory over the Armada reinforced her legitimacy. -
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James I's reign
As Mary Queen of Scots' son, James was crowned King of Scotland in 1567. He replaced his cousin Elizabeth I and became King of England at her death, on 03/24/1603.
A strong believer in the divine right of Kings, James I had a complicated relationship with the Parliament, for example, illustrated by his speech in 1609, clearly placing himself over the Parliament's authority and claiming to rely on God only. -
The Millenary Petition
During the reign of James I, both the Puritans and the Catholics thought their beliefs would bloom. While Catholics relied on James's Catholic ascendance, the Puritans wanted to push further the Reformation: get rid of the remaining doctrines and rites of the Catholic Church (bowing in the name of Jesus, use of the clerical vestments, and so on.)
This Petition was refused by the King, who confirmed the Elizabethan status quo.
This refusal led to an exilium of some Puritans on the Mayflower. -
The proposition of The Great Contract
James I's reign was marked with money troubles, in part due to the debt he inherited and his extravagance. The Great Contract, proposed by James I in 1610, aimed to address financial issues by exchanging royal prerogatives for parliamentary subsidies. However, the Parliament feared that the King would not need to call it for money anymore, and refused this Contract.
This refusal contributed to tensions that escalated in later reigns. -
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The Thirty Years war
James I sought peace by arranging marriages for his children, contributing to the conflict's cause. Wanting to aid his family and assert England as a Protestant power, James clashed with Parliament in 1621 over war funds. Tensions rose as Parliament preferred naval action, leading to its dissolution. The 1624 Parliament agreed to finance the war against Spain, but James's death in 1625 left the conflict for his son Charles I to manage. -
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Charles I's reign
Like his father, the previous King of England, Charles I firmly believed in the divine right of Kings. He inherited the throne at the death of James I.
He dealt with the Thirty Years War and tensions with the Parliament, which led to the Personal Rule.
His loss over the Scots led to his execution -- the first formal regicide -- and the beginning of the Interregnum -
The Petition of Rights
The Petition of Rights was a significant English constitutional document enacted in 1628. It addressed grievances against King Charles I, asserting parliamentary authority. The Petition emphasized limits on the king's power, protection of individual liberties, and opposition to arbitrary taxation and imprisonment without cause. -
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The Personal Rule - The Eleven Years of Tyranny
After another threat of Parliament's adjournment by the King, the Parliament members did not let the Speaker of the House put an end to the discussion, and passed The Three Resolutions.
This act of open defiance and rebellion infuriated the King, who imprisoned these members and declared that there would be no more Parliament.
During the 11 following years, he ruled without people's representation, leading to religious conflicts and the future Civil War. -
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The Scottish Crisis
The Scottish crisis, also known as the Bishops' Wars, unfolded in the 1630s during Charles I's reign. Tensions escalated due to Charles I's attempts to impose the English Prayer Book on Scotland, leading to resistance and military conflicts. These events further strained Charles I's rule and contributed to the political turmoil that eventually led to the English Civil War. -
The Grand Remonstrance
The Grand Remonstrance was an important document voted by Parliament after heated debates. It summarized all the wrongdoings of Charles I and concluded with revolutionary demands.
This document led to the separation of the Parliament into 2 groups, the Royalists and the Parliamentarians.
This event led to the English Civil War that started a year later when Charles I declared war on the Parliament on 22 August 1642. -
The Pride's Purge
This event took place during the English Civil War in 1648. Colonel Pride, a Parliamentarian, member of the Army, forcibly removed moderate Members of Parliament from the House, leaving only radical elements. He stopped the vote and arrested the 45 conservative leader MPs. This purge paved the way for the Rump Parliament, which later executed King Charles I. It symbolizes political radicalism and the shift towards republican rule in England. -
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The Commonwealth
The first English Commonwealth was established on May 19, 1649, following the execution of King Charles I. The Commonwealth, led by Oliver Cromwell, marked a period of republican rule in England. -
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The Protectorate
The Protectorate began when Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector of the Commonwealth, which became a military dictatorship
This shift was due to the instability of the Rump Parliament and Oliver Cromwell's desire to provide stable and decisive leadership, embodying all of the powers. This marked the transition from the Commonwealth to Cromwell's rule as the head of state.
During this period was published The Instrument of Government, England’s first and only written constitution -
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Charles II's reign - The Restoration
After a failure to invade England in 1650, Charles II issued in 1660 The Declaration of Breda, a compromise promising to share power with the Parliament in exchange for the restoration of the monarchy.
His demand was accepted, leading to the Restoration of the Stuart dynasty.
Nevertheless, the compromises and the religious toleration the King promised faded over time, leading to another oppressive regime.
Charles II faced several internal difficulties and political crises during is reign. -
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James II's reign
James II succeeded his brother Charles II at his death. Nevertheless, James II was Catholic. His beliefs led to great tensions before and during his reign, such as the Popish plot or the Exclusion crisis. He tried to bring back Catholicism in England, and some feared the return of Catholic absolutism. The end of his three-year reign is marked with a Revolution. -
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William III's reign - The Glorious Revolution
Parliament wanted to keep a Protestant leader at the head of England. However, James II had a male Protestant heir. In 1688, Parliament proposed William of Orange to invade England and seize the crown.
He landed with an army of 15,000 men and met no resistance.
James II fled to France and William became King William III.
This Revolution is called Glorious because of its quick and bloodless nature and the stability and freedoms it brought to England.
This marks the beginning of William's reign. -
The Act of Settlement
The Act of Settlement was passed on June 12, 1701. It secured the Protestant succession to the British throne, excluding dozens of Catholic heirs. This Act is an example of the compromise found between royalty and Parliament. -
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Anne's reign
Daughter of James II, Anne is the very last Stuart monarch. -
1707 Act of Union
This Act of Union marks the creation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain: England, Wales, and Scotland. Scotland lost its Parliament but gained seats in the House of Commons and of Lords. Scotland kept its religion too. -
Independence of the United States
The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. This historic document, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, declared the 13 American colonies independent from British rule, ending the first British Empire and marking the birth of the United States of America. -
1808 Act of Union
The Act of Union in 1801 united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland, forming the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It took effect on January 1, 1801. This union lasted until 1922 when most of Ireland gained independence, leading to the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.