The English Renaissance and the Tudor

Dynasty
The English Renaissance starts with the reign of Henry VII and in this period was
marked by political and religious struggles.

In 1485 the end of the Wars of the Roses establish the union between Henry VII and
Elisabeth of York. So Henry VII was crowned King of England and he was the first
king of the Tudor Dynasty, but he wasn't a member of the royal family so he wasn't
considerate like a king but like a Ruler.
However he limited the power of the barons and nobles, he also used money carefully
and accumulated a vast amount of wealth.
He created the British float for two reasons. The fist one is to improve the commerce
and the trade, in fact during his reign he establish more commercial agreement than
before; the second one is to defend the country.

The successor of Henry VII is Henry VIII crowned in 1509.

Henry VIII was one of the most notorious kings in England history, and he was a real
Renaissance prince, in fact he loved every pieces of arts he was a linguist, a
womaniser, and the keywords that represent Henry are: power, stability and religion.
He was high esteemed by the court and surrounded himself about noble and lords.

He marry a lot of woman during his live and the first one is Catherine of Aragon.
Catherine of Aragon was later married with Henry's brother and became widow for
political reasons because she wants a man who can ruled the country and have a
dynasty.
She became pregnant of a boy (Edward VII) who dies 7 weeks later of his birth.
Second change they ha Mary Tudor but they wanted a boy who was able to ruled the
country, but Catherine of Aragon was to old to be another time pregnant. She was
called Dowager Princess and was sent away from the court and Henry did not
recognise her anymore.

So Henry VIII decided to goes to the Pope to avoid the marry to consent him to have
another wife for have a boy.
In that time the religion situation wasn't stable: Martin Luther and John Calvin
criticized the English church and they was excommunicated, they believe in
Protestant but Henry VIII dind't want the the English church became Protestant so he
wrote a document and he was called the Defensor Fidei who defend the pope about
Martin Luther and John Calvin. Martin Luther create 99 thesis for demonstrating that
the church made a mistake and he says that the priest can be married and that the
population can read the Bible. John Calvin and John Knox says the same things and
they will establish the Presbyterian Church (scottish).

Coming back to the divorce from Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, Pope
disapproved because Catherine was Spanish and Spain was Catholic and the divorce
at that time was not a good thing.

In the main time in January 1533 Henry secretly married Anne Boleyn who was
crowned queen in May. The child was Princess Elisabeth I who was destined to
become a greater monarch than her father did.

So Rome declared Henry's marriage null and Henry answers with the Act of
Supremacy in 1534 which made the church of England independent of Rome and
Henry became the Supreme Head of the Church. He also tried to had Scotland
Church, but Scotland remain alone, England and Ireland put together but Ireland
remain Catholic and a republic.

During the reign of Henry VIII the religion situation wasn't establish.
Henry was very close to Thomas Wolsey, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell.
Every of these are important to better understand the figures of Renaissance noble
and they made a lot of thing for Henry and was interesting about the religion
problem.
• Thomas Wolsey who was a lord a chancellor, an archbishop and a wealthy
man. He will collect a lot of money by the church activities and step by steps
Henry VIII realize that the church was corrupted. Thomas Wolsey gave also a
Palace like a present to Henry VIII.
• Thomas More was a canceller and was a literate man, he was in favour of the
Roman Church. When Henry VIII decided to marry Anne Boleyn he didn't
approved this choice. He was arrested in 1534 and excommunicated.
• Thomas Cromwell was the leader of the decision to made the Act of
Supremacy and in one night the monastery and the church was destroyed.

Coming back to Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn we know that Henry wanted a boy, but
the first child was Elisabeth the First so they tried again to had a boy but she got an
abortion.
Anne Boleyn was accused of treason and was executed but the real reason was that
Henry wanted a boy to ruled the country.
So Henry VIII married Jane Seymour who had a very powerful family. At this point
Elisabeth I and Mary Tudor was considerate an illegitimate sons.
Jane Seymour give to Henry a boy: Edward VI, he was the fist king after his father
and ascended to the throne after the death of Henry VIII but Edward was to young to
ruled the country in fact he had nine years old so Lord Seymour and the parliament
ruled the country.

Henry VIII had other three wife but none of these had a son.
The first of these was Anne of Cleves who married Henry for political reason.
The second was Catherine Howard who was a very rich woman and Henry needed
money because he spent out all his money for pieces of art, tapestry and he had a lot
of debts because he enjoined had a god life.
The third one was Catherine Parr. She was a diplomatic lady and she was the lady-
in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon. Whit her help, there was the reconcile
between Elisabeth I, Mary Tudor and their father with the Act of Succession 1544,
when it was established the order of succession to the throne after Edward.

So Mary Tudor comes to the throne, she was very well cultured.
Mary marry Fillip of Spain who was catholic. She wanted to rein store Catholicism
and destroy the Anglican church but the parliament don’t approved her choice
because they didn’t wanted another religion problem, so she kills more than 280
people (protestant) and she was called Bloody Mary.
She wanted an heir for stop Elisabeth I her power and. Mary thought that she was
pregnant, but she had a cancer, and died.

So Elisabeth I comes to the throne

With Elisabeth a new period of the story called Elizabethan Period, with a progress
in economy and society but also in culture and literature (Elizabethan Theatre).
Elisabeth rules like a king and the first thing when she comes to the throne, was
resolved religion problem becoming tolerant.
She says that, if the population was catholic they must attend the Anglican mass.
Anyhow if you was catholic you must pay Anglican church for have the private mass
in your house.
She was considerate an illegitimate daughter so she wanted to establish her power
and her figure, so she used portrait and widespread because everybody must know
who the “King” was.

With Elizabethan Period there was a lot of new discover.

England had one of the most important float who was very powerful. Also the Spain
had a very smart float so the sea commerce was disputed between Spain and England.
In fact the pirates was very important because attacked the Spanish ships discovering
lands, money and had a lot of power.
Spain was powerful and with the Spanish Armada (Sir How Kings) attacked the
British Float. That appends also because Bloody Mary marry Philip II of Spain who
wanted conquest England. Spain was more strong because their ship was made with
Vikings techniques and had more weapon, British float was more smaller and had
less weapon but better techniques.
After this fight Elisabeth I became more esteemed and powerful.
There was also new discover and colonization in America (Virgina, Virgin Queen)
and Massachutes where extremist of protestant goes in 1620 for escape.
Economy became more important and the East India Company starts to have
commercial exchange with other country.

During her reign Elisabeth I had the support of parliament, in 45 years of reign, she
called the position of the parliament only 14 times.
Parliament was composed by middle class and was called also MPS.
Was divided in House of Commons and House of Lords.
House of Commons was powerful and the 60% was merchant, House of Lords was
composed by middle class and aristocracy.

BACKWORDS of Tudor Dynasty we have also the other branch with Mary Queen
of Scots. She Marry Louis II (France) but after their married dies so she became a
widow and return back in England. At that time religion situation in England was
different form France because was protestant. So Mary was considerate dangerous
and was executed for treason.
Before she dies she had another husband Lord Darley and they had a daughter
(James VI of Scots and I of Engalnd). Lord Darley was assassinated by a member of
the court by a blowing up in a house.

Elisabeth died in 1603

Comes to the throne James I who coming form Scotland with some member of his
court. He wasn’t so much catholic so he banned catholic from public duties. The
answer was by Guy Fawek, extremist od Catholicism who tried to blowing up the
parliament and he was called Gurpowder Plot and this nigh was called Bonfire Night
(5.11.1605).
James I in 1625 dies for natural reason but first he translate the bibble for resolve the
problem between catholic and protestant.