Transcript
Henry VIII (r. 1509-1547)
1534 – Henry VIII appointed himself Supreme Head of the Church of England
DOCUMENT 1: 1536-39 – Henry VIII dissolved convents and monasteries
Edward VI (r. 1547-1553)
1547 – Edward VI succeeded his father Henry at only nine years old
June 1549 – Prayer Book rebellion began. This was a demonstration in Devon and Cornwall against the religious policies of Edward VI, which sought to remove all vestiges of the traditional Catholic faith.
DOCUMENT 2: December 25th 1549 – Edward VI’s signature following the Prayer Book rebellion
Mary I (r. 1553-1558)
October 1553 – Mary I’s First Act of Repeal reversed all the religious- aimed legislation of Edward VI
January 1554 – Wyatt’s rebellion broke out and was quickly suppressed. This uprising was motivated largely by anti-Spanish feeling.
DOCUMENT 3: 1558 – Mary I’s marriage to Philip of Spain remains unpopular throughout her reign
Elizabeth I (r. 1558-1603)
1562 – Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, joined Elizabeth’s Privy Council. He is often described as Elizabeth’s favourite and was considered a potential suitor in the early years of her reign. William Cecil, Elizabeth’s chief advisor, strongly opposed this match.
1566 – Parliament pressed Elizabeth to marry. A few years earlier she had been stricken by smallpox, prompting a crisis around succession.
DOCUMENT 4: 1578-82 – Marriage negotiations began with the Duke of Anjou, brother of King Henry III of France. Her council, however, was deeply divided about the proposed Anglo-French alliance, not to mention a marriage to a Catholic. There were many political advantages to be gained from this alliance, for example, influence over French policy in the Netherlands.
DOCUMENT 5: 1588 – Robert Dudley letter