Tudor Dynasty

Tudor Dynasty (Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I)

King Henry VIII

• Catholic in the beginning and throghout his life personally
• Attacked Lutheranism
• Cause for Reformation: Desire to divorce his first wife
• Catherine of Aragon produced no male heir and he fell in love with lady-in-waiting Anne Bolyen
• Relied on Cardinal Wolsey to obtain marriage annulment from Pope Clement VII
• After few failed tries, Henry appoints two new advisers: Thomas Cranmer and Thomas Cromwell
• Married Anne Boleyn secretly in 1533 and later on in the year, Elizabeth is born
• Act of Supremacy (1534) - king is the head of the Church of England
• Treason Act - punish anyone who refuses to accept Act of Supremacy
• Six Articles Act of 1539 - confirmed aspects of the Catholic Doctrine
• Jane Seymour births future Edward VI

*Wives of Henry and their children*

• Catharine of Aragon - Mary I
• Anne Boleyn - Elizabeth I
• Jane Seymour - Edward VI
• Anne of Cleves - none (was apparently really ugly )
• Catharine Howard - none (commited adultery)
• Cathrine Parr - none & outlived Henry

Mary I

• "Bloody Mary"
• Catholic who wanted to restore Catholicism to England despite opposition
• Married Philip II of Spain (disliked in England)
• Burned more that 300 protestant heretics (hence the name Bloody Mary)
• Failed miserably in restoring Catholicism

Elizabeth I

• policy - moderation and compromise
• politics over religion - politique
• New Act of Supremacy made Elixabeth the sole supreme ruler
• Mary, Queen of Scots - next in line for throne and cousin of Elizabeth
• Beheaded in 1987 due to plots against Elizabeth
• Appeased Puritans
• Help from Sir William Cecil and Sir Francis Walsingham
• Indirectly encouraged attacks on Spanish ships and colonies
• Victorious in Spanish Armada