Essay on Queen Elizabeth’s Treatment of Catholics

Known as The Golden Age in English history, the 45 year rule of Queen Elizabeth I turned the declining country of England, into one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world.

However, Protestantism continued to spread to areas in Europe. Other types of churches were made that was similar to Lutherism but different in ways of their own. For example, the Calvinists believed that no matter what people do, God has already decided their fate. One of the churches of Protestantism is the Anglican church. It was made by King Henry VIII, after the pope refused annulment from his wife. In the Act of Supremacy, English Parliament in 1534, Parliament, influenced by the monarchy and declared, “...that the king, our sovereign lord, his heir and successors, kings of this realm, shall be taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head in earth of the Church of England, called Anglicans

Henry the VIII was the second English Tudor king, after his father, Henry VII. He reigned over England from, 21st April 1509 until, 28th January 1547. During his childhood and his first marriage, Henry was a firm believer of the Catholic Church and of the Pope. However things changed and later in Henrys reign the English reformation came to England; the monasteries were closed and Henry separated himself from the Roman Catholic Church. Henry was definitely starting to look more and more like a protestant. There are many points that we can use to decipher whether or not Henry VIII was really Catholic or Protestant and in this essay these points will be discussed to draw a conclusion.

At the beginning of her reign, she made the Church of England the official religion of England and she fashioned her court after that of her fathers. For a woman during that era, Elizabeth was a very daring and smart ruler. For example, she secretly encouraged sailors such as Francis Drake to make raids on Spanish shipping and challenge their naval superiority. When she was a little girl, she was well educated and was able to speak several languages, including French, Spanish, and Latin. In addition, throughout Elizabeth's reign, there was always the threat of hostilities in some form or another. Elizabeth kept the peace between rival leaders of different religions by dominating her court so she could keep the balance of power.2 She was smart enough to come up with a plan which kept the church at bay with their questions of marriage.3 She also calmed the Spanish and the French by entertaining suitors of each respective country; Philip II of Spain and Duke of Anjou of France, but she never married either of them and was therefore known as " the Virgin queen".4 Elizabeth was a Protestant queen who was not always on good terms with most Catholic rulers of Europe. Because of that, there were several assassination plots against her so the Catholics could put Mary, Queen of Scots, in her place. During the 1580's, Elizabeth began to bring her full weight onto the catholic rebels. Hundreds of Catholics died at the stake just as the

Following the Reformation, there was a great division within the Church between the Catholics and Protestants. This tension was eased during the reign of Queen Elizabeth with the passing of the Act of Supremacy in 1559, which created the Church of England and consequently the Anglican Church. Eventually Anglicanism became known as the “New Catholicism”. While the pope was no longer recognized, bishops, and many aspects of medieval heritage was retained under the Anglican Church. It was highly supported by many elites due to its powerful expression of culture. In Voltaire’s letters, he acknowledges that even though everyone is allowed to practice their own religion, the “true religion that in which a man makes his fortune” is the Church of England. It was very difficult for people to obtain jobs in England and Ireland unless they were proclaimed followers. This especially depicted

Another thing Elizabeth had to do while queen was she had to decide whether England’s religion was going to be Catholic or Protestant without causing a fight.

Many other moves had also been previously made toward Protestantism, these include the spread of the vernacular bible which people could read and understand better than being told what the priests wanted them to hear. Another was the decline in the use of relics and the fact that churches were beginning to appear more protestant. However, the six articles of 1539 show that a catholic reaction was taking place against the Protestantism ideas. The Six Articles upheld such Catholic articles as clerical celibacy, the private mass, and confessions to a priest. It also meant that Protestants were punished for violating the Six Articles, while papists were punished for denying the royal supremacy.

13. ‘01 Discuss the political and social consequences of the Protestant Reformation in the first half of the sixteenth century.

In 1559 Elizabeth I (1533-1603) was crowned Queen. Elizabeth sought to find a middle ground during her rein (1558-1603) in England, by allowing both Catholics and Protestants to worship without fear of any repercussions. However, Gilbert (1976) that ‘Elizabeth I and her successors had legislated to make Anglican worship compulsory’ (p. 4). By introducing the Act of Uniformity of 1559 it laid out the rules of worship that both religions were to follow and reissued the Book of Common Prayer for use in worship. The Thirty-Nine Articles of 1563 also set to define the doctrine of the Church of England which set out a middle path between the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church and the Protestants (Wolffe, 2008). By the end of Elizabeth’s I forty five year reign, the majority of people in English society were Protestant. As the older, mainly Catholic members of society had died through old age (Christianity in Britain, 2011). Knight and Mason (2006) describe a dissenter during

Henry VIII was the King that would change England’s religious system and make it his legacy. The religious system would carry on after his reign and become the predominant religion of England. The question is: How did events connected to key historical figures during Henry VIII’s reign cause for a permanent shift in the religious system of England? This question will be answered by analyzing events related to key historical figures during Henry VIII’s reign. These events will not be a biographical representation of any one historical figure, but relayed in connection to the topic of this paper in order to provide an answer for the essay question. This method is being utilized because it provides an analytical perspective, while also providing a personal appeal by tying the facts in with historical figures. History is not just facts, it is a story, and like any good story it should pull a reader in and make them interested. The historical figures utilized will be Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Thomas Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, and Thomas Cranmer due to their direct correlation to the change in the religious system of England. The sources utilized were chosen and implemented in relation to how they encompassed concepts related to historical

In 1581 a fines was imposed  for non-attendance at Church of England services (aimed at Catholics) were greatly increased (although in some areas they were not imposed). In 1585 all Catholic priests were ordered to leave England within 40 days or face a charge of treason. Despite these measures the great majority of English Catholics remained loyal to the Queen Mary.

England flourished in the 16th and early 17th century with the way Queen Elizabeth ruled her prosperous nation. With people reading more than ever, literacy expanded during her reign and books became close to commonplace. Queen Elizabeth attempted to reduce crime by using harsh punishments and public humiliation, while at the same time she tried closing her country’s religious differences. Despite many saying her social class structure was rigid, many people could break free and become rich anyways. Passages and excerpts about her reign state that she had more positives than negatives and was a good ruler. The rule of Queen Elizabeth 1 influenced social, religious, political and cultural issues in a favorable way.

The reformation in England, that is the commencement of establishing a national protestant church, started during the reign of the Tudor’s. The English reformation caused a break from papal jurisdiction and new legislations for royal supremacy, which began a new era for the English State. This essay will evaluate to what extent the English Reformation was reformed from above for example Henry VIII, his close advisor Thomas Cromwell and parliament. Also through Henry VIII children, Edward, Mary and Elizabeth. As well as considering if the reformation needed popular support from below for it to be successful. Additionally, in the process address was the English Reformation the Crowns Reformation?

During the sixteenth century there where many conflicts which occurred between Catholics and Protestants. The Kings and Queens of England especially kept on changing between both religions. This made it very difficult for the people of England to choose a religion because laws kept on getting changed in regard to practicing religion. When Elizabeth I became Queen she became the new defender of the faith, thus making Protestantism the official religion. One of the harshest parts of Elizabeth's reign was the whole Mary, Queen of Scots, ordeal. Mary was Elizabeth's cousin and next in line to the throne. Of course Mary was Catholic and that is what made the whole issue an issue. This paper will

The next oldest child of Henry was Catherine of Aragon’s daughter Mary I; she was Catholic with zeal much like how her father was in his early reign. Mary weds Philip II of Spain but never sees him after he leaves England. Queen Mary I focused her reign mainly on eradicating all Protestants she could before she died, with little intellectual return to Catholicism besides the simple reversion. Mary’s reign caused vast amounts of division between Catholicism and Protestantism. After Mary’s death, Elizabeth I returned the Anglican Church to the state it was in during Edward’s reign. Elizabeth established a middle way or via media in which people would be allowed to practice religion; it is a spectrum ranging from radical protestant (heretics) to Jesuits; anything in between was tolerated. The belief of the Anglicana Ecclesia was summarized in the 39 Articles (revised version of Cranmer’s 42). Because of Henry VIII’s Church reforms, Elizabeth was the supreme governor and head of the church, possessing the power to appoint bishops and veto faith changing legislation. She also respects and is respected by the House of Commons, meaning that progress would be