Talk

Secrets of The National Archives: The Act of Supremacy 1534

Explore King Henry VIII’s groundbreaking act and its far-reaching consequences.

Date: 13 March 2026
Location: Online

About this image

The Act of Supremacy, 1534. Catalogue reference: C 65/143 m5 (8, 9)

The Act of Supremacy of 1534 declared Henry VIII the supreme head of the Church of England, formally rejecting the authority of the Roman Catholic Church. Primarily a political manoeuvre to grant Henry the power to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon, the act made it treason to support the Pope's authority.

Neil Johnston, Head of Early Modern Records at The National Archives will explore an act that divided the nation and paved the way for future upheaval including the dissolution of the monasteries and some of the most high-status treason trials of the period.

Secrets of The National Archives showcases some of the most notable documents and stories from the collection. From iconic documents such as Domesday, to hidden gems, discover The National Archives’ unique and rich collection and explore history as it happened.

Date: 13 March 2026, 14:00 to 15:00
Price: Free; Pay what you can
Location: Online, Live-streamed on Vimeo
Part of series: Secrets of The National Archives

Book now

Dates for this event

13 March 2026

14:00 to 15:00

How to join online

What you need to join

This event will be live streamed on the website of our streaming service, Vimeo.

When you book, you will receive an email that includes the link you need to join the event. This link will also be shared with you in a reminder email in advance of the event.

Vimeo provide guidance on How to watch a live event.
You do not need a Vimeo account to join. If you do sign up for a Vimeo account, please be aware you may be asked to verify your age. You can find out more here: About age verification in the UK and EU
You can join from your browser from a laptop or mobile device.
For the best experience we recommend using either a laptop or desktop computer.

Help during the event

To access the live event, click on the link in the Eventbrite confirmation email you received when you booked the event. Vimeo will open in your web browser.

If the live event hasn’t started at the advertised start time, please refresh your browser window and click the play button on the event again. If that doesn’t work, try closing the browser window and clicking the link in your confirmation email again.
You can enable live subtitles by clicking on the ‘CC’ button at the bottom of the video player. ‘CC’ stands for ‘Closed Captions’.
When you join the event, you may have to click on the sound icon at the bottom of the video to unmute the sound. If there is still no sound, please make sure that you have got your speakers turned up to full volume.
If you have a query that has not been answered above, please email us at whatson@nationalarchives.gov.uk

Watch after the event

This talk will be available to watch after the event, using the same link you will receive to join it live. It will remain available for a limited period of 48 hours after the event has finished, unless otherwise stated.