England 1485–1558: the Early Tudors
The Tudor Dynasty
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Henry VII started the Tudor dynasty after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
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His reign established the stability necessary for his son Henry VIII and granddaughters Mary I and Elizabeth I to consolidate their power.
Henry VII’s Administration
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Henry VII secured his rule by marrying Elizabeth of York, uniting two warring houses – York and Lancaster.
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He regulated the nobility using bonds and recognisances, discouraging them from maintaining private armies, and using the Star Chamber to control Nobles.
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Financial security was achieved by avoiding wars, effective taxation, and promoting trade through navigation acts and commercial treaties.
Henry VIII
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He ascended the throne in 1509 and unlike his father, he was an extravagant spender and engaged in military ventures against France and Scotland.
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Married six times in desperate pursuit of a male heir, causing religious turmoil.
Reformation under Henry VIII
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The Pope’s refusal to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon initiated the English Reformation.
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He declared himself head of the Church of England, breaking away from the Catholic Church and Papal authority, leading to the Dissolution of Monasteries.
Edward VI and the Protestant Reform
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Edward VI, son of Henry VIII, continued the reformation after his father’s death, leading to the establishment of Protestant doctrine in England.
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The reign of Edward was marked by power struggles between nobles acting as his regents, like the Duke of Somerset and the Duke of Northumberland.
‘Bloody’ Mary I and Return to Catholicism
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Mary I, daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, reversed religious reform, restored Papal authority and returned England to Catholicism.
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She executed many Protestants, earning the nickname ‘Bloody Mary’.
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Her death in 1558 ended the possibility of a Catholic England.
Elizabeth I and the Elizabethan Settlement
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Elizabeth I, daughter of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, navigated political and religious strife to establish what is known as the ‘Elizabethan Settlement’.
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This involved a compromise between Catholic and Protestant practices, creating a broad church acceptable to most of her subjects to ensure stability.
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Her reign known as Golden Age due to progress in culture, economy, and exploration.