Through this break, Henry achieved several goals:
- He established the Church of England as separate and distinct from the Roman Catholic Church.
- He seized vast amounts of church lands, some of which he distributed to nobles to secure their loyalty.
- He gained the power to allow divorce, a major departure from Catholic doctrine.
While the new church remained essentially Catholic in its teachings, it was no longer subservient to the Pope.
Religious Volatility: Mary I and Elizabeth I
The death of Henry VIII in 1547 led to a period of intense religious instability as different monarchs attempted to steer the nation in opposing directions.
The Reign of "Bloody Mary"
Henry's daughter, Mary I, was a devout Catholic. Upon taking the throne, she sought to restore Roman Catholicism to England and married Philip II of Spain, a fierce defender of the Catholic faith. Her attempts to forcibly return England to Catholicism met with fierce resistance and led to the execution of approximately 5,000 Protestants. These actions earned her the enduring nickname "Bloody Mary".
Queen Mary I.
The Elizabethan Settlement
The religious pendulum swung back with the accession of Mary's half-sister, Elizabeth I, the daughter of Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth's reign (1558–1603) is often viewed as a golden age for England. She successfully converted the Church of England into a genuinely Protestant faith by revising teachings and introducing services in English.
Her era was also defined by military and colonial expansion. She famously defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, sent aid to Dutch Protestants, and oversaw the beginnings of English colonization in the New World.
Queen Elizabeth I.
The Struggle for Constitutionalism
As the religious landscape stabilized, a new conflict emerged: the struggle between the absolute power of the monarchy and the rights of Parliament.
The Rise of Parliament
The roots of English constitutionalism can be traced back to the Magna Carta in 1215, which established that even the King was subject to law and protected the rights of nobles. Over time, Parliament developed into two distinct houses: the House of Lords (comprising hereditary or appointed nobles) and the House of Commons (originally elected by nobles, later expanding to include representatives from towns and cities).
A crucial turning point occurred during the Hundred Years' War, when Parliament gained the "power of the purse"—the authority to raise and spend money. This gave Parliament significant leverage over the monarchy, as the King could not easily fund wars or governance without their consent.
Civil War and the Glorious Revolution
The tension between the Crown and Parliament reached a breaking point in the 17th century. Under King Charles I, the conflict escalated into a civil war. This struggle resulted in the unprecedented public execution of the King in 1649.
The execution of Charles I.
Following a period of rule under Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector, the monarchy was eventually restored. However, the struggle for power was not over. The reign of James II eventually led to the Glorious Revolution of 1688–1689. This revolution saw the ascension of William III and Mary II to the throne.
Exam Tip: When studying this period, remember that the "Glorious Revolution" is significant because it resulted in the English Bill of Rights (1689), which further solidified the constitutional limits on the monarchy and the authority of Parliament.
The transition from the absolute authority sought by the Tudors to the constitutional monarchy established by the Bill of Rights represents one of the most important evolutions in English political history.
William III and Mary II.
