Monarchs

King Henry VII

First Tudor king who won the Wars of the Roses and married Elizabeth of York to unite the Houses of Lancaster and York.

The Star Chamber

Court created by King Henry VII to dispense justice, initially for nobles but later became corrupt.

Act of Supremacy

Declared King Henry VIII as the leader of the Church of England.

Bloody Mary

Nickname for Mary Tudor, who returned England to Catholicism and executed Anglican archbishops.

Elizabethan Settlement

Policies established by Elizabeth I to end religious turmoil in England and restore Anglicanism.

Act of Uniformity

Legislation requiring all English subjects to use the Book of Common Prayer and attend church weekly.

Spanish Inquisition

Instituted by Queen Isabella to root out heresy and ensure only Catholicism in Spain.

Divine Right of Kings

Belief held by Louis XIV that he had the right to rule given by God.

The Prince

Book written by Machiavelli that advises rulers on the use of power and political strategy.

Jean Bodin

Early advocate for religious tolerance and proponent of absolute sovereignty in governance.

Natural Law

Theory by Hugo Grotius that asserts all humans are born with innate rights and should be governed by rational laws.

Medici Family

Wealthy banking family based in Florence that ruled the city and funded the arts during the Renaissance.