Timeline of the British History (Early Modern Period,1534-1801)

  • Period: 1509 to 1547

    The reign of Henry VIII

    He established the Church of England (Anglican).
  • 1517

    Publication of the Ninety-Five Theses

    Publication of the Ninety-Five Theses
    Written by Martin Luther, this aimed to critique and reform the practices of the Catholic Church, particularly regarding indulgences, and marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
  • 1526

    Publication of The Tyndale Bible

    Publication of The Tyndale Bible
    The New Testament translated into English by William Tyndale
  • 1534

    Act of Supremacy

    Act of Supremacy
    Separation of the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church (schism)
  • Period: 1536 to 1537

    Pilgrimage of Grace

    Major rebellion in response to the English Reformation and dissolution of the monasteries (also economic and political causes).
  • Period: 1544 to 1563

    The Council of Trent

    The aim of the Council was to combat Protestant ideas in matters of doctrine, and to reform the Catholic clergy, who until then had been the object of violent criticism. The Council of Trent strengthened Catholic unity around the Pope, whose supremacy in matters of religion was affirmed.
  • Period: 1547 to 1553

    The reign of Edward VI

    He promoted Protestantism in England, encouraging the adoption of religious reforms.
  • 1549

    Publication of the Book of Common Prayer

    Publication of the Book of Common Prayer
  • Period: 1553 to 1558

    The reign of Mary I

    She sought to restore Catholicism in England.
  • Period: 1554 to 1558

    The "Bloody Mary" Era

    The nickname "Bloody Mary" stems from Queen Mary I's aggressive measures to reestablish Catholicism in England, which involved persecuting and executing Protestants during her reign.
  • Period: 1558 to

    The reign of Elizabeth I

    She maintained the Church of England (Anglican) as the state church, establishing moderate Protestantism with some religious tolerance.
  • 1559

    Act of Supremacy

    Act of Supremacy
    abolished the authority of the Pope, restored authority of the Queen over the Church and made her "Supreme Superior of the Church of England.
  • 1559

    The Act of Uniformity

    The Act of Uniformity
    which states that every parish had to use the Book of Common Prayer, and also that people who didn't attend an Anglican service were fined.
  • Period: 1563 to 1571

    The 39 articles of faith

    stated the doctrine of the Church. 3 important changes : a new eccesiology, a new doctrine of Salvation and a new definition of the sacraments and the Mass.
  • 1569

    Northern Rebellion

    Northern Rebellion
    an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.
  • 1570

    Excommunication of Elizabeth I

    Excommunication of Elizabeth I
    Pope Pius V declared that Elizabeth was a heretic and, as such, she was excommunicated by way of a Papal Bull (order)
  • 1571

    The 1571 Treasons Act

    The 1571 Treasons Act
    In response to the excommunication, this act made it treason for anyone to say that Elizabeth I wasn't the legitimate and true Queen.
  • 1581

    The 1581 Act

    The 1581 Act
    Repression of Catholics following their attempt to remove Elizabeth I from the throne: death penalty for those who want to convert to Catholicism (or those who already are), ban on attending Catholic masses and Anglican services become compulsory (20£ per month)
  • The Babington Plot

    The Babington Plot
    it was a plan to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I, a Protestant, and put Mary, Queen of Scots, her Catholic cousin, on the throne.
  • Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.

    Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.
    convicted for complicity in the Babington Plot, she is sentenced to death by Queen Elizabeth I.
  • The defeat of the Spanish Armada

    The defeat of the Spanish Armada
    Philip II, King of Spain, loses his battle after attempting to invade England.
  • Period: to

    The reign of James I (King James VI of Scotland)

  • The Gunpowder Plot

    The Gunpowder Plot
    A conspiracy devised by a small group of Catholics to blow up
    Parliament and kill James I.
  • Establishment of Jamestown in Virginia

    Establishment of Jamestown in Virginia
    It marked the founding of the first permanent English settlement in North America, representing a significant milestone in the colonization of the New World.
  • Period: to

    The Starving Time

    Period of starvation
  • The Great Contract

    The Great Contract
    It is the centrepiece of the financial reforms to face the financial difficulties at this times.
    It implied that the King would receive a fixed sum.
    The House of Commons refused to vote in favour of the Great Contract, and it led to James dismissing Parliament.
  • the King James’ Bible

    the King James’ Bible
    new English translation of the Bible
  • Period: to

    The Thirty Years’ War

    England at war with Spain and France.
    And Military defeats. It led to a huge strain on finances and the raising of troops (50 000) had important impacts on the local population.
  • Protestation of 1621

    Parliament discussed
    foreign policy, but it was the King's role.
    Parliament answered with a Protestation, asserting that
    Parliament’s privilege existed by right, and not by gift of the
    monarch.
    In response to that, James tore the Commons’ Protestation and dissolved Parliament.
  • Period: to

    The reign of Charles I

    He favoured a minority wing of
    Anglicans: the ARMINIANS.
  • Petition of Rights

    Petition of Rights
    MP's requested the King to recognise the illegality of extraparliamentary taxation, billeting, martial law, imprisonment without trial.
    They wanted to get Charles to recognise that there were limits to his powers.
    Charles signed it but suspended
    parliament seating.
  • the Three Resolutions

    the Three Resolutions
    The MPs declared that whoever tried to
    bring in “Popery or Arminianism” or
    to alter the protestant forms of the
    Church of England was an enemy
    of the Kingdom.
    Considering it an act of open defiance, Charles imprisoned these MPs
    and dissolved parliament.
  • Period: to

    The Personal Rule

    During this period of time, the King ruled without calling a parliament.
  • King Charles I attempted to draw the Church of Scotland (Calvinist) into line with the Church of England (Anglican)

    Scottish opposition came to the boil
    when Charles I attempted to impose a
    New Prayer Book (Book of Common
    Prayer
  • Period: to

    The Scottish crisis

    The end of the Personal Rule and the outbreak of the Civil war were caused by
    crises not just in England but in Scotland and Ireland.
  • the Scottish National Covenant

    the Scottish National Covenant
    Charles I’s leading opponents in
    Scotland signed a
    petition opposing Charles’ religious
    policy.
    Considered as an act of open
    rebellion by Charles, it led to Scotland and England both
    starting to form an army.
  • The Short Parliament

    The Short Parliament
    Needing money to fight the Scots, Charles called
    a parliament for the first time in 11 years.
  • The Long Parliament

    The Long Parliament
    Had for conditions that Parliament should meet at least every 3 years and that the dissolution of Parliament required its consent.
  • Militia Act

    Passed by Parliament to have the army placed
    under the control of a general appointed by Parliament, taking away the King’s ability to appoint whoever he wanted.
  • The Grand Remonstrance

    an important document voted by Parliament after heated debates.
    It summarized all the wrong doing of Charles I and concluded on
    “revolutionary” demands.
  • The Irish Rebellion

    The Irish Rebellion
    Irish Catholic rebels rose up against Protestant
    settlers.
  • Arrestation of The Five Members

    Arrestation of The Five Members
    Charles I marched into the House of Commons with troops and attempted to arrest the 5 MPs.
  • Period: to

    The First Civil War

    The First civil war would cost the lives of 190 000 Englishmen
    (in combat/from diseases) and last for four years.
  • Creation of The New Model Army

    Creation of The New Model Army
    Unlike the earlier regional armies,
    this was a national, centralized
    army, controlled and paid from
    Westminster rather than the counties.
  • END of the Battle of Naseby

    The King and the
    Royalists surrendered.
  • Agreement of the People

    Agreement of the People
    Issued by the Army, this social contract was influenced by the new politcal ideas (mostly about getting rid of the king).
    The King escaped from army custody and allied himself with the Scots.
  • New Model Army seizing the King

    Thinking the war was over, the House of Commons decided to disband the New Model Army BUT without paying the soldiers what they were due (at that point they hadn’t being paid for months).
    This led to mutiny. In June 1647, the New Model Army seized the King.
  • Pride's Purge

    Pride's Purge
    The Army wanted the King to be tried, conservative MPs wanted to negotiate with the King.
    Colonel Pride (Army) entered the House of
    Commons, stopped the vote and arrested the 45 conservative leader MPs.
  • England being declared a Commonwealth

    England being declared a Commonwealth
    Monarchy and House of Lords abolished,
    England was declared a Commonwealth (a republic).
  • The Irish Rebellion

    It was led by Irish Catholics but was crushed by Cromwell and his troops.
  • Execution of King Charles I

    Execution of King Charles I
  • Blasphemy Act

    This act was enacted to address concerns about religious dissent and to protect the Church of England from perceived blasphemy.
  • The Instrument of GovernmenT

    The Instrument of GovernmenT
    England’s first and only written constitution;
  • Period: to

    The Commonwealth

  • Period: to

    The Cromwellian Protectorate

    The Protectorate was a MILITARY DICTATORSHIP
    Similar to a monarchy without a King;
  • Declaration of Breda

    Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda that promised
    A general amnesty, to continue religious toleration and
    to share power with Parliament in return for the restoration of monarchy.
    It was accepted, leading to the Restoration.
  • Period: to

    Early Restoration

    Monarchy is restored by Charles II.
  • Period: to

    The reign of Charles II

  • Outbreak of Plague

    Outbreak of Plague
  • Great Fire of London

    Great Fire of London
  • The Popish Plot

    The Popish Plot
    Rumour of a plot organised by the French to murder Charles II and replace him by his Catholic brother James II.
  • Period: to

    The Exclusion crisis

    Parliament attempted to debar James II from the succession to the English throne, leading to Charles II dissolving the Parliament.
  • Period: to

    The reign of James II

  • Period: to

    The Glorious Revolution

    William of Orange, along with his wife Mary, was invited to take the throne from James II who succeded Charles II. It led to the establishment of the constitutional monarchy by William and Mary.
  • Period: to

    The reign of William III and Mary II (joint monarchs)

  • The Bill of Rights

    The Bill of Rights
    It affirmed parliamentary supremacy, limited the powers of the monarchy, and established certain fundamental rights for citizens.
  • The Act of Settlement

    The Act of Settlement, among other things, secured the Protestant succession to the throne and further restricted royal powers.
  • Period: to

    The reign of Anne

  • Period: to

    War of the Spanish Succession

    Queen Anne’s War.
    Britain gained Acadia over the French.
  • Period: to

    The reign of George I

    The beginning of the Georgian era with the establishment of the House of Hanover on the British throne.
  • Period: to

    The reign of George II

  • Battle of Culloden (defeat)

    Battle of Culloden (defeat)
    The defeat of the Jacobite forces in this battle marked the end of the Jacobite uprisings and strengthened Hanoverian control in Britain.
  • Period: to

    Seven Years’ War

    Britain gained Florida over the Spanish and (most of) Canada over the French.
  • Period: to

    The reign of George III

  • Period: to

    The American War of Independence

    The conflict was a turning point for British history as it resulted in the loss of the Thirteen Colonies in North America. This marked the end of whatis now called the ‘First British Empire’.
  • The French Revolution

    The French Revolution
    It had a profound impact on England by inspiring political and social reform movements, generating debates about governance and inequality, and influencing the broader European political landscape.
  • Period: to

    French Revolutionary Wars

    Britain at war with France, combatting revolutionary ideology + maritime, colonial and economic motives.
  • Battle of Waterloo

    Battle of Waterloo
    End of the Napoleonic Wars Napoléon Bonaparte defeated
    by Wellington’s Army.
  • Period: to

    The reign of George IV