Tudors

Tudor

They were a welsh-English royal dynasty. The Tudors ruled England and Wales from 1485 to 1603. Important events during their reign include the Protestant Reformation, Shakespeare’s plays, and explorations to America. Henry VII became the first Tudor king after defeating Richard III.

The Stuarts

The House of Stuart was a British royal family. Robert II was the first Stuart monarch. They ruled England and Scotland from 1603 to 1714, a time of both cultural growth and instability, marked by plague, fire, and war.

Battle of Bosworth

The Battle of Bosworth was fought during the Wars of the Roses. Richard III, a Yorkist king, was unpopular, with rumors that he had killed his nephews. Henry Tudor, with a claim to the throne, wanted to overthrow Richard. Henry had 500 loyal followers and 1500 French soldiers but needed more help, which eventually came from his stepfather, Lord Stanley, and his brother, Sir William Stanley.

The battle began on August 22, 1485. At first, the Stanleys were undecided on whom to support. Both sides suffered heavy losses. When Richard charged at Henry, Henry’s bodyguards protected him, and Lord Stanley decided to side with Henry. Stanley attacked Richard, killing him, and Henry became King of England, ending Yorkist rule.

Which religion

At the start of the Tudor period, England was Catholic, with the Pope as the head of the Church. Later, Parliament rejected the Pope’s authority, and England became Protestant. During the Tudor and Stuart times, religion was taken very seriously, as people believed events were connected to God. Religion was important to monarchs for governing the country and helped people form opinions with the Church’s guidance.

Criticisms of the church

This is called anti-clericalism.

Some church leaders did not know how to read and write. Some priests had wives although they were not allowed to marry. Bishops lived a life of luxury yet they preached differently. Some got drunk and gambled a lot of the time.Most people felt that the Pope was controlling from Rome and not present in England to see problems.

Henry VIII and the break with the Pope

When King Henry VIII became king in 1509, he supported the Catholic Church and the Pope. However, he wanted a male heir, as it was believed a king should have a son to succeed him, with women seen as too weak to rule. By 1527, Henry had only a daughter and wanted to divorce Catherine to marry someone younger for an heir. When Pope Clement VII refused to annul his marriage, Henry broke ties with the Church, leading to England’s break from Catholicism.

How did Henry VIII deal with the monasteries

The dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII drastically changed England’s power structures. After breaking from the Catholic Church, Henry declared himself head of the Church of England. His goal was to gain wealth and suppress political opposition. Between 1536 and 1540, he took over more than 800 religious institutions, which housed over 10,000 monks, nuns, and clerics. Some of the wealth was used to fund new institutions like Trinity College, Cambridge, and Christ Church, Oxford.

A son and heir

At the time it was widely accepted that a king should have a male heir to succeed him. Without a son, a daughter would inherit the throne, but many people believe women could not rule. This belied added pressure on King Henry VIII to have a male heir. By 1527 Henry’s marriage to Catherine had resulted in only one surviving child, a daughter named Mary. Since Catherine was too old to have more kids, Henry divorced her for a younger woman named Anne Boelyn.

The divorce

n 1527, Henry sought an annulment from Pope clement VII to declare his marriage to Catherine invalid. Henrys expectations were thwarted when the Pope, who was effectively prisoner by Emperor Charles V- Catherines nephew refused to grant the divorce as he wanted to protect his Aunt from being mistreated by Henry.

Struck by the dart of love

Henry was in a difficult position, for some time he wanted to pursue Anne Boelyn consequently, he wanted to end his marriage with Catherine of Aragon. Since the Church was catholic, they did not allow divorce. So he instructed the leading churchman to grant him the annulment of marriage himself. After this was completed, Henry married Anne and awaited the birth of their child.

A son is born

Henry had married Anne for 3 years and she was beheaded in 1536 because she was accused for adultery and witch craft but the real crime was that she did nit give birth to a boy. Henry’s 3rd wife Jane Seymour gave him a son (Edward VI) but she died in 1537. Henry divorced Catherine without the Popes approval, he then decided its time for a formal break with the Pope.

Henry as supreme head

Henry VIII summoned the parliament in 1529. He encouraged them to attack the pope. In 1534 he was declared Supreme head of the Church of England by the parliament. Henry was in charge until he handed over the management of religion to his leading minister Thomas Cromwell in 1535. Henry demanded respect to the point that he executed those who opposed him like Thomas More

Monasteries and Nunneries

These religious homes played a crucial role in the catholic religious life, in the care of the sick and poor and in education. Now they were facing bad criticism as they were accused of neglecting religious responsibilities and of greed and laziness so there was hatred towards the wealth of these religious houses.

Cromwell’s inspectors

In 1535, Henry ordered Cromwell to send inspectors to investigate the 850 religious houses, as Henry was curious about their conditions and wealth. The reports showed that the monasteries owned a quarter of the country’s land and that many monks and nuns neglected their duties. Henry and Cromwell wanted the inspectors to find problems to justify closing the religious houses, leading to exaggerated reports.

The dissolution

Henry used the reports as an excuse to close down the religous houses between 1536 and 1539. He took their riches plus lands and sold it to the nobles of England. The closing down of monasteries brought him a lot of wealth and he was to waste the wealth, fighting an unsuccessful war with France

Fountain Abbey

This was a famous cistercian abbey at North Yorkshire. By the time of the dissolution of monasteries that had become one of the richest Abbey in the whole of England.

St. Benedict

Monks should follow vows of poverty, Chasity and obedience. The monks were divided into working part, studying part and praying part. The monks were to serve God through worship, charity work, hospitality to travelers and providing education

Robert Abbot

Isolation- Monasteries should be kept away from civilization. Self sufficiency- Monks were not supposed to accept outside help or rent land. Vegetarianism- monks should not eat meat unless ill

Edward VI- Protestantism strengthened

Henry VIII and Cromwell initiated England’s move toward becoming a Protestant country. When Henry died in 1547, his nine-year-old son, Edward VI, was the next in line to the throne. Though raised Protestant, England was still largely Catholic, with the mass in Latin. Since Edward was young, the country was governed by Protestant nobles, first the Duke of Somerset and later the Duke of Northumberland. During Edward’s brief reign, England fully embraced Protestantism.

Edward falls ill

Not everyone supported the religious changes in England. The new prayer book was unpopular, leading to the dismissal of three bishops who refused to use it and a serious rebellion in Cornwall in 1549. However, the greater threat to Protestantism was King Edward VI’s poor health; he was dying of tuberculosis in 1553. His heir, Mary, the devout Catholic daughter of Catherine of Aragon, prompted the Duke of Northumberland to attempt to prevent her from becoming queen to protect Protestantism.

Lady Jane Grey-Queen for nine days

Lady Jane Grey, the fifteen-year-old granddaughter-in-law of the Duke of Northumberland and great-granddaughter of Henry VIII’s sister, was named successor by King Edward VI. After his death, Northumberland attempted to capture Mary, the rightful heir, but Mary fled to East Anglia, where support for her grew. Northumberland was captured and executed, while Lady Jane surrendered. Although initially spared, she was executed with her husband on February 12, 1554, after a rebellion against Queen Mary.

Catholic vs Protestant

Catholic

Mass in Latin. The Pope is Christs representative of the head of the church on earth. What the church say should be obeyed. Churches should be highly decorated and priests should wear bright clothes. Pilgrimages and praying to saints help you get to heaven

Protestant

Service in English. The Pope has no authority, but a king, as Gods representative could have leadership over the church. Only what is in the Bible should be accepted as true religion. Churches should be plain and priests should wear plain clothes. The only way you can get to heaven is to have real faith through studying the Bible.

Who is Bloody Mary

Mary I of England, also known as Bloody Mary, was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, ruling as queen from 1553 to 1558. She is remembered for her intense efforts to restore Catholicism in England, which had been challenged by the Protestant Reformation. Her reign was marked by the Marian persecutions, during which she ordered the execution of around 280 Protestants by burning at the stake, earning her the nickname “Bloody Mary.” Despite her harsh methods, her attempts to reverse Protestantism were largely unsuccessful, and after her death, her half-sister Elizabeth I re-established Protestantism in England. Mary’s legacy is defined by religious conflict and persecution during her reign.

People pleased to see Mary?

People were pleased to see Mary as it marked the end of the Duke of Northumberland’s harsh rule he had strict policies such as the suppression of Catholic practices. Some people in rural areas were still faithful to Catholicism and hoped that she would restore it. Others were inspired by her determination to become queen while being opposed by powerful figures like the Duke of Northumberland. Some were angry when Edward VI and the Duke of Northumberland set Lady Jane Grey as the heir as they believed it as an interference with the initial line of descent. Many people saw her as the legitimate heir, as she was the daughter of Catherine of Aragon and King Henry VIII, and she was recognised by the Catholic religion and tradition and law.

Marys background

Mary was born in 1516 and, at age eleven, witnessed her mother’s divorce and dismissal from court. Declared illegitimate, her right to the throne was removed. After refusing to acknowledge her half-sister Elizabeth, her father, Henry VIII, refused to see her again. In 1536, Mary was forced to swear an oath accepting her mother’s divorce, though she secretly informed the Pope of her coercion. In 1553, after her brother Edward’s death, Mary became queen by overthrowing Northumberland and Lady Jane Grey.

Marys policy to restore Catholicism

Protestant clergy were encouraged to leave the country. It is thought that up to 800 went to exile.a

The mass and other catholic rituals were restored.

Leading Protestant clergymen such as Thomas Cranmer were arrested and replaced with Catholics

Catherine was declared to have been Henrys lawful wide and the law making Mary illegitimate was reversed.

Mary tried to re-open the monasteries and give them back their lands. Parliament refused because much of the land had been bought by Members of Parliament.

In 1554 Mary married Philip heir to the throne of Spain, the mightiest Catholic nation in Europe.

In 1555 Mary began a series of public executions in which Protestants were burned to death at the stake. There were 283 victims of this policy including Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and bishops Latimer and Ridley. Many people disliked these executions

Elizabeth I

1558-1603. She played an important role in shaping England’s religion by making the Church of England the official church. As a Protestant, she worked to bring peace to a country divided by religion. She introduced the Act of Uniformity, which made all churches use the Book of Common Prayer so services would be the same everywhere. This compromise between Catholic and Protestant ideas helped reduce conflicts and made England more united as a Protestant country during her rule.

New Queen

In November 1558 mos

Elizabeth and the Catholics

Elizabeth did not perseucte Catholics as she belived that the Catholic religion would eventually die out. Catholics were not allowed to attemd mass and had to pay fines if they did not attend Church of England services. However, Elizabeth did not actively persue her collection of these fines, so Catholics were mostly left alone. Elizabeth had another reason for this policy. She needed the support of major Catholic nobles like the Duke of Norfolk to help her run th country

Catholic Trouble

In 1569, two Catholic nobles, the Earls of Nothumberland and Cumburland, led a major uprising against Elizabeth’s religious policies. It ended when Nothumberland was captured ank killed. Then, in 1570 Pope Pius V issued a Papal Bull calling for Elizabeth’s deposed. Many of Elizabeth’s officials now saw Catholics as a threat to the government, especially because secret Catholic missionaries were being sent from Europe to convert people in England. Elizabeth was forced to tighten her poilicies. The fines for not attencing Church of England services were increased to £20 per month and the death penalty was introduced for priests trying to convert people to Catholicism. Missionaries had to hide in ‘priest holes’ to avouc capture. These were secret hiding places in Catholic houses

Catholic Plots

During the 1580s as relations between England and Catholic Spain grew worse, measures against Catholics became even harsher, particulary when plots to overthrow Elizabeth and replace her with her Catholic cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, were discovered. Between 1557 and 1603, 183 Catholics were executed - including Mary in 1587

Puritans

The Puritans was another group, who wanted the Church to be even more Protestant. This group was extremely influencial and had supporters amongst goverment officials such as Sir Walter Mildmay, the Chancellor of the Exechequer.

Elizabeth once descried the Puritans as greater enemies than the Catholics. She even tried to take measures against them but she failed to wipe out the group

Puritan beliefs

1. Hard work and discipline – Believed in working hard as a way to honour God.

2. Predestination – Believed God had already chosen who would be saved or damned.

3. Simplicity in worship – Avoided rituals, music, and decorations in churches.

4. Moral behaviour – Focused on modesty, avoiding sin, and following strict rules.

5. Bible-centered life – Saw the Bible as the ultimate authority and guide for living.

6. Reforming the Church – Wanted to remove Catholic traditions from the Church of England.

7. Community example – Aimed to build a godly society as a model for others.

Margaret Clitherow

She was a butchers wife from York who was executed for her religious beliefs in March 1586. She was a recusant who had sheltered Catholic Priests in her house. One of her servants betrayed her and she was arrested. She refused to stant trial because she thought that her kids would be forced to give evidence against her. The punishment for refusing to stand trial was death by crushing. On the day of her execution the local officials hired 4 beggars to carry out her execution, even though they were supposed to do it themselves. She was tied down, face upwards and a large sharp stone put underneath her. Then a door was place over her and heavy stones placed on top. Eventually her body was crushed.

Differences between the Tudor and current parliament

The Tudor Parliament and the current UK Parliament are very different. In Tudor times, Parliament was controlled by the king or queen and only met when they called for it. It was mostly made up of nobles and rich landowners, and ordinary people had no say. Parliament helped with things like Henry VIII’s break from the Catholic Church, but the king or queen made the final decisions. Today, Parliament meets regularly, and people vote for Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent them in the House of Commons. The House of Lords now has life peers, bishops, and a few hereditary peers. The king or queen has very little power, and Parliament makes all the big decisions, working on modern issues like healthcare and education. Religion is also kept separate from government now.

Why did England become a protestant nation during Edward’s time?

During Edward VI’s reign (1547–1553), England became Protestant because his advisors wanted to move away from Catholic traditions. They introduced the Book of Common Prayer, which replaced Latin prayers with English ones, and they banned many Catholic practices, like honoring saints and holding traditional Mass. Protestant beliefs, such as faith being more important than church rituals, were taught, and Catholic objects in churches were removed. These changes made England a Protestant country, though this was briefly reversed when Mary I became queen.

Why did Henry divorce Catherine of Aragon

Henry VIII sought to divorce Catherine of Aragon for several reasons, including his desire to marry Anne Boleyn, whom he was deeply infatuated with. Henry hoped Anne would bear him a male heir, something Catherine had not been able to do after years of marriage, despite giving birth to a daughter, Mary. Additionally, Henry believed that his marriage to Catherine, who had previously been married to his brother Arthur, was cursed by God and that he needed a new marriage to secure his dynasty. Another factor was that Catherine’s relations with Spain, her home country, had become strained over time, especially as England’s political alliances shifted. These tensions, combined with Henry’s personal desires, led him to seek an annulment. When the Pope refused to grant it, Henry broke from the Catholic Church, creating the Church of England so he could divorce Catherine and marry Anne.

Tremendous progresses brought by the tudors

Protestant reformation- King Henry VIII established the Church of England by breaking with the Catholic Church

Exploration- Under Queen Elizabeth 1st time explorers like Sir Francis and Sir Christopher Cholombus led discoveries to America expanding Englands global influence

Culture- Writers like Sha