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Chapter 3

The Tudors and Stuarts

Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, the English Civil War, and more

Table of Contents

Chapter 3: The Tudors and Stuarts

Henry VII

Henry VII strengthened England's central administration and reduced the power of the nobility after the Wars of the Roses.

Henry VIII and the Reformation

Henry VIII is famous for breaking away from the Church of Rome and for marrying six times.

Henry VIII's Six Wives

| Wife | Key Facts | |------|-----------| | Catherine of Aragon | Spanish princess; bore only a daughter, Mary | | Anne Boleyn | English; gave birth to Elizabeth; executed for alleged infidelity | | Jane Seymour | Produced the desired male heir, Edward; died shortly after childbirth | | Anne of Cleves | German princess; married for political reasons; quickly divorced | | Catherine Howard | Anne Boleyn's cousin; also executed | | Catherine Parr | Widow who outlived Henry |

When the Pope refused to annul Henry's first marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry established the Church of England, placing the monarch as head of the church with authority over religious appointments and worship.

The Reformation's Impact

The Protestant Reformation swept across Europe, emphasising personal faith over papal authority.

  • Wales was formally unified with England through the Act for the Government of Wales
  • Attempts to impose Protestantism on Ireland sparked rebellion and conflict
  • Edward VI advanced Protestant reforms and commissioned the Book of Common Prayer
  • Mary I (Henry's daughter by Catherine of Aragon) restored Catholicism and persecuted Protestants, earning the nickname "Bloody Mary"
  • Elizabeth I restored the Church of England as the official church but permitted religious diversity in private belief

Elizabeth I and the Elizabethan Era

Elizabeth's balanced approach prevented serious religious conflict. Her popularity surged after the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The Elizabethan Golden Age

  • Growing patriotism characterised this era
  • Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe aboard the Golden Hind, establishing England's naval traditions
  • English settlers began colonising America's eastern coast

William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564--1616) emerged as the greatest writer in the English language:

  • Created plays including Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet
  • Invented many words that are still in common use today
  • Portrayed ordinary people alongside historical figures
  • Performed at the Globe Theatre in London

Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots

  • Scotland abolished papal authority in 1560, establishing an independent Protestant church (the Presbyterian Church of Scotland)
  • Mary Stuart (Mary, Queen of Scots), a Catholic queen raised in France, became embroiled in political turmoil
  • After her husband's murder, Mary fled to England, where Elizabeth I imprisoned her for 20 years before having her executed

James I and the Union of Crowns

  • Elizabeth I died without an heir in 1603
  • Her cousin James VI of Scotland became James I of England, uniting the English and Scottish crowns
  • He commissioned the King James Bible, a translation still widely used in Protestant churches

Ireland Under English Rule

  • Henry VIII claimed the title "King of Ireland", extending English control
  • Elizabeth and James faced persistent rebellions from Catholic Irish
  • The English established "plantations" -- settlements of Scottish and English Protestants -- particularly in Ulster
  • These plantations had severe and long-lasting consequences for Anglo-Irish relations

The English Civil War

Causes

  • James I and Charles I believed in the "Divine Right of Kings" -- the idea that monarchs were appointed by God and did not need to answer to Parliament
  • Charles I attempted to impose Anglican practices on Presbyterian Scotland, sparking conflict
  • When Parliament refused military funding, civil war erupted in 1642

The Two Sides

  • Cavaliers (Royalists) -- supporters of the King
  • Roundheads (Parliamentarians) -- supporters of Parliament

Key Events

  • Oliver Cromwell led parliamentary forces to victory at the battles of Marston Moor and Naseby
  • Charles I was executed in 1649
  • England declared itself a Commonwealth (republic)
  • Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector until his death in 1658
  • Cromwell conducted brutal campaigns in Ireland that remain deeply controversial

The Restoration

Without Cromwell's leadership, the republic collapsed. Parliament invited Charles II from exile in 1660 to restore the monarchy.

Key Events During the Restoration

  • The Great Plague devastated London in 1665
  • The Great Fire of London destroyed much of the city in 1666
  • Sir Christopher Wren redesigned St Paul's Cathedral
  • Samuel Pepys documented these events in his famous diary
  • The Royal Society was founded to promote scientific knowledge
  • Isaac Newton and Edmund Halley were prominent members of the Royal Society

The Glorious Revolution

  • Charles II died without legitimate heirs in 1685
  • His Catholic brother became James II
  • James favoured Catholics for military and government positions and arrested Church of England bishops
  • When James's wife bore a son, fears of a permanent Catholic dynasty emerged
  • In 1688, Protestant leaders invited William of Orange (from the Netherlands) to invade
  • James fled to France without resistance
  • William III and his wife Mary ruled jointly

This became known as the "Glorious Revolution" -- a peaceful transition that secured parliamentary supremacy over the monarchy.

Aftermath

  • William defeated James at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland (1690) -- an event still commemorated today
  • The Massacre of Glencoe occurred when the MacDonalds delayed swearing loyalty to the new monarchs
  • Supporters of James became known as Jacobites, particularly strong in Scotland
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