Highlights: Tudor & Stuart

Henry VII (d. 1509)

* Financially weak crown due to the Century War with France and the War of the Roses

Established the *King's Chamber** as a national treasury

Created the *Justices of the Peace** position to deal with local issues

Established the *Court of the Star Chamber** to bring more power to the central government

* Married alliances were important for boosting his kingdom

Henry VIII (1509-1547)

* Came to the throne and was more interested in personal matters than governance

* Made heavy use of the position of Chancellor, which ended up running the government

* Spoke out against Martin Luther and became known as the "Defender of the Faith"

* Wanted a divorce from Katherine of Aragon, which led to his break with Rome and establishment of the Church of England

* Passed legislation in Parliament to annul his marriage and establish himself as the head of the church

* Executed those who opposed him, including Thomas More and Anne Boleyn

The Six Articles (1539)

* Henry removed the Pope and kept most of Roman Catholic theology

* Forbade clerical marriage

Act for the Government of Wales (1536)

* Unified Wales with England and divided it into Shires

Marriages and Succession

* Henry VIII had six wives: Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Katherine Parr

* His children included Edward VI, Mary Tudor (Mary I), and Elizabeth I

Edward VI (1547-1553)

* Was raised as a Protestant and radicalized by Thomas Cranmer's influence

* Passed the Act of Uniformity in 1549, which established a set form for church services

* Died at a young age, leading to Lady Jane Grey's brief reign

Mary Tudor (Mary I) (1553-1558)

* Was a devout Catholic who returned England to Rome

* Married Philip II of Spain and executed Protestants who refused to convert back to Catholicism

* Died without children, creating fear among Catholics

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

* Was a Protestant who avoided marriage due to her mother's execution

* Established herself as Supreme Governor of the Church and negotiated a compromise between Catholics and Protestants

* Excommunicated by Rome and faced opposition from Puritans

* Died without an heir, creating succession problems

Other notable figures

* John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake were prominent figures during Elizabeth's reign, using their naval skills to help England defeat Spain.

* The Spanish Armada was defeated in 1588, solidifying Elizabeth's reputation as a skilled leader.