Britain 1547-1603 (Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I)
- Created by: Katharine Lewis
- Created on: 05-04-13 17:30
1547
l Death of Henry VIII - left a regency council in place for Edward (aged 10)
l Marquis of Hertford appointed Lord Protector (secured his own position as Duke of
Somerset) - within weeks he had overthrown the regency council
l Royal Injunctions are issued to clergy for enforcement of religious practices
l Invasion of Scotland - this lead to a deterioration of England's relationship with
France and the threat of war
l Somerset wanted to reassert the ancient claim of Edward I to suzerainty (feudal
overlordship) on the Scottish throne and planned to defeat the Scots in battle, build
and garrison forts and force the Scots into submission
l Defeated the Scots at the battle of Pinkie but could not afford to keep the garrisons
on the Scottish boarder
l Somerset paid for this was by debasing the coinage which resulted in increasing
inflationary pressures
l 'Act Dissolving Chantries and other Guilds' to pay for England's expensive foreign
policy
l Destruction of religious images in London lead to widespread iconoclasm
l Injunctions issued which attacked features of popular Catholicism
l Historian Brigden suggested that roughly 20% of Londoners were Protestant by
1547
1548
l Somerset establishes an Enclosure Commission which has lead some historians
to view him as the 'Good Duke'
l Poor harvest and inflationary pressures lead to riots
1549
l Execution of Thomas Seymour for treason (inappropriate behaviour with the princess
Elizabeth)
l First Book of Common Prayer issued - moderately Protestant, pleased no one
l Act of Uniformity passed which enforces the use of the Book of Common Prayer
l Inflationary pressures worsen
l Western Rebellion (The Prayer Book Rebellion) in Devon and Cornwall wanted a
reversal of all the religious changes under Somerset and the restoration of Catholic
practices such as the Latin Mass
l Kett's Rebellion in East Anglia was a result of social unrest and what historian
Wood described as "a sense of class antagonism" - Historian MacCulloch stated
that their grievances were the resentment of local government officials and
landowners
l Fall of Somerset for his failure to successfully suppress the rebellions - powerful
men had turned against him such as Cranmer, Warwick and Southampton
1550
l John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, is made President of the Council (Later Duke of
Northumberland) - has been viewed as a ruthless and unscrupulous 'Bad Duke'
l English radical, John Hooper, wrote that the process of reform was hampered by
uncooperative public opinion
l Stone alters were removed and replaced with wooden ones
1551
1552
l Execution of Somerset- his failure to suppress the 1549 rebellions had left him
vulnerable
l Revised Book of Common Prayer is issued, written by Cranmer and more radically
Protestant - rewriting of baptism and burial services, reform of the communion service, ban on 'popish vestments' and a restriction on church music
l Second Act of Uniformity passed which enforced the Second Book of Common
Prayer
l New Treason Act made it treasonable to question royal supremacy or any Church
doctrine
l Black Rubic proclamation stated that kneeling in Church was acceptable
l According to historian Haigh, only 32% of wills left money to their parish
l A Commission is established to investigate the revenue system (however it remains
inadequate even throughout Elizabeth's reign)
1553
l 42 Articles of Religion compiled which defined the Edwardian Church of England
l Northumberland had brought to an end the wars with France and Scotland and
ensured the French payment for the return of Boulogne
l Crown begins to confiscate Church Plate
l 'Devise' to place Lady Jane Grey on the Throne (this however was not certain to
override the 1544 Succession Act
l Death of Edward VI (6th July)
l Mary 1 proclaimed Queen in London
l Cardinal Pole appointed papal legate to England
l In Leicestershire, the stone alter was immediately rebuilt and in Yorkshire masses
immediately began again
l Edward's religious laws were repealed
l Deprivation of married clergy
1554
l Execution of Lady Jane Grey
l Mary's councillors wished her to marry Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon
l Marriage between Mary and Philip of Spain - marriage treaty drawn up to allay fears
that England would simply become a part of Spain (marriage was supported by adviser
Renard and the Holy Roman Emperor
l Wyatt's Rebellion - planned 4 simultaneous risings but was forced to act prematurely
so there was only a rising in Kent - Wyatt had a force of 3,000 men motivated by
Xenophobia, decline in the local cloth industry and some were anxious about religious
changes - Wyatt had come close to London and to success but was executed
1555
l Heresy Act passed which begins burnings (289 Protestants were executed including
Latimer, Hooper and Cranmer)
l Harvest failure
l Election of anti-Spanish Pope Paul IV lead to hostility between Mary and the Papacy
l Mary's parliament debated the fate of Church lands which had been taken during
Edward's reign
l War between France and Spain breaks out
1556
l Execution of Cranmer
l Harvest failure
1557
l Cardinal Pole's legatine commission is revoked by Pope Paul IV
l War against France
l Influenza Epidemic
1558
l Loss of Calais
l Continuation of influenza epidemic
l Death of Mary and accession of Elizabeth
l William Cecil appointed Principle Secretary
l A new Book of Rates was issued which Elizabeth would greatly benefit from
1559
l Elizabeth's coronation
l Phillip II proposes marriage to Elizabeth
l Treaty of Cateau-Cambresus between France and Spain confirmed that France would retain Calais for
eight years, after which it would be restored to the English, failing this France would pay
500,000 crowns
l Act of Supremacy - heresy laws under Mary repealed, communion in both kinds
reestablished, oath of supremacy to be taken by all clergymen, Queen called Supreme
Governor
l Act of Uniformity - specified use of only the 1552 book of common prayer, non-attenders at church to be fined (but Elizabeth only really required outward uniformity)
l Mathew Parker appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
l Elizabeth reluctantly sends financial and eventually naval support to the Protestant
'Lords of Congregation' in Scotland
l Royal injunctions were issued to restore a single form of worship - required local
bishops to adopt a Protestant view
1560
l Treaty of Edinburgh brings peace between England and Scotland
1561
l MQS returns to Scotland after a long period in France
1562
l Outbreak of the French Wars of Religion
l Elizabeth reluctantly sends military support for French Huguenots
l Elizabeth falls seriously ill with smallpox - councillors feared civil war if she died
because she had not named a successor, this increased the pressure on Elizabeth to marry and produce an heir
1563
l 39 Articles of Religion are issue which define the faith of the Elizabethan C of E -
linked her church with doctrines associated with Calvin
l 'Foxe's Book of Martyrs' is published which is Protestant
l Elizabeth is again pressed to marry by Parliament
l Parliametn is called because Elizabeth wants money and because MPs wanted her to
settle the issues of marriage and the succession which she felt were royal prerogative
1564
l Treaty of Troyes between England and France in which England are forced to
accept unfavorable terms
1566
l Archbishop Parker's 'Advertisements' (a statement of intent) were issued, leading to
Vestarian Controversy over clerical dress
l Elizabeth is again pressed to marry by Parliament
l The Pope forbids English Catholics from attending C of E services which led to an
increase in the level of recusancy (non-attendance)
1567
l Mary Queen of Scots is forced to abdicate
l The Duke of Alba is in control of the Netherlands
1568
l Mary Queen of Scots flees from Scotland to England - the Council are divided on
how to deal with her so she is placed under 'temporary' house arrest
l An English Catholic College is founded in Douai by William Allen
l There are clashes between the Spanish fleets and the English fleet under John
Hawkins in San Juan de Ulua over the slave trade
l Elizabeth impounds (takes legal custody of) money carried by Spanish ships
docking in England - the money had been borrowed by Spain to pay their troops in
the Netherlands so technically Elizabeth was not stealing
l Marriage negotiations begin between Elizabeth and Henri, Duke of Anjou
1569
l Northern Rebellion
l According to historian Tillbrook, by 1569 many Catholics enjoyed their faith in
private and only outwardly conformed
1570
Assassination of the Scottish regent, the Earl of Moray
l The Northern Rebellion is successfully suppressed
l Elizabeth is excommunicated by Pope Pius V, technically releasing her Catholic
subjects from allegiance to her
l The excommunication cause further deterioration in Anglo-Spanish relations
1571
l Ridolfi Plot to assassinate Elizabeth
l Cecil is created Lord Burghley
l Parliament called to strengthen treason laws and laws against Catholics in light of
Elizabeth's excommunication, Elizabeth also wanted money to pay for the
suppression of the Northern Rebellion
1572
l Cecil is appointed Lord Treasurer
l The Massacre of St Bartholomew temporarily weakens relations between the
English and the French
l The Treaty of Blois between England and France improved their relationship and
formed (according to historian John Guy) a 'defensive league' against Spain and
France withdrew their support for MQS's claim to the English throne
l Field and Wilcox (influenced by Dr. Cartwright) began their campaign to reform
the English Church with their Admonitions to Parliament which attacked Catholic
traces remaining in the Church
1573
l Sir Francis Walsingham is appointed Principal Secretary
1574
l The first Catholic Priests trained at William Allen's college in Douai arrive in
England
1575
l Edmund Grindal is appointed Archbishop of Canterbury - he was a staunch
Calvinist
1576
1577
l Grindal refuses the Queen's orders to suppress Prophesyings which leads to his
suspension
l Execution of seminary priest Cuthbert Mayne
1578
1579
l Marriage negotiations take place between Elizabeth and the Duke of Alencon
1580
l The firth Jesuit missionaries arrive in England
1581
l The 'Act to Retain Her Majesty's Subjects in their Due Obedience' declares that
anyone withdrawing subjects from obedience is a traitor
l Execution of the Jesuit Priest Edmund Campion
1582
1583
l The Throckmorton Plot
l Whitgift is appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
l Whitgift publishes Articles enforcing conformity and obedience from the clergy
1584
l Turner introduced a Bill for the establishment of a Genevan prayer book and
Presbyterian system of Church government (known as the 'Bill and Book')which
was refused
1585
l The Parry Plot
l The 'Act against Jesuits and Seminary Priests' is passed
l England's war against Spain begins
1586
l The Babington Plot
l MQS is tried and convicted of involvement in the Babington Plot
1587
l Cope attempts to reintroduce Turner's Bill of 1584, which had more support than
previously, but was still not read and Turner was sent to the Tower for his actions
l Successful attack by the English on a Spanish fleet at Cadiz
l MQS is executed
1588
l England defeats the Spanish Armada
l Death of the Earl of Leicester
l Publication of first 'Martin Marprelate' tracts
1589
1590
l Death of Walsingham
1591
l Death of Hatton
l Robert Cecil promoted to Privy Council
1592
1593
l Act against Seditious Sectaries
l Execution of Barrow, Greenwood and Penry
1594
l First of a series of poor harvests
l Start of the Tyrone Rebellion in Ireland
1595
1596
l Worst harvest of the century
l Robert Cecil is appointed Secretary of State
1597
l A Poor Law is passed
l Successive harvest failures lead to dearth (famine)
l Parliamentary agitation over monopolies
1598
l Death of Lord Burghley
l Defeat of Bagenal at the Battle of Yellow Ford
1599
l The Earl of Essex returns from Ireland
l Robert Cecil is appointed Master of Wards
1600
1601
l A revised Poor Law is passed
l Rebellion and execution of the Earl of Essex
1602
1603
l Death of Elizabeth who is succeeded by James VI of Scotland
1604
l England's war against Spain ends
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