1. The English
Renaissance
1485-1660

2. Renaissance
• Begins in 14th century Italy
• means “rebirth”
• change from Middle Ages view
• MA focused on religion and the afterlife
• Renaissance focused on human life here on Earth
• arts, literature, nature, impulses

3. “Renaissance Man”
• emphasis placed on the individual and development
of human potential
• many faceted person who cultivated his talents to the
fullest

4. Renaissance in
England
• Political instability delayed it
• Began in English society around 1485
• after the War of the Roses
• when Henry Tudor (Henry VII) took the throne

5. Henry VII
• strong authority at home
• negotiated favorable treaties abroad
• built up the nation’s merchant fleet
• financed expeditions that established claims in the
New World
• clever politically

6. • Arranged for his oldest son,
Arthur, to marry Catherine of
Aragon (daughter of King
Ferdinand of Spain–England’s
greatest New World rival)
• Arthur, however, died
unexpectedly so the pope let
Arthur’s brother Henry marry
Catherine!
• This marriage has many
consequences!

7. Henry VIII
• Succeeded his father in 1509
• True renaissance man–skilled athlete, poet,
and musician
• Much of England was interested in Protestant
reforms; Henry was loyal to Rome–for a while. . .
• After 18 years of marriage to Catherine of Aragon,
he only had 1 child–a girl (Mary)!
• He asked the pope to give him an annulment so he
could wed Ann Boleyn.
•

8. • The Pope refused!
• Henry broke with Rome and, in 1534, declared
himself the head of the Church of England
• Many in England (again, they wanted Protestant
reform not Catholic) were in support of Henry’s
break.
• Those who were not, frequently paid with their
lives!

9. • Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn also produced only
a daughter–Elizabeth
• Eventually, Anne is executed on a charge of adultery!
• Henry’s third marriage finally produces a son!!!!
• But, Edward VI is frail and sickly
• Takes the throne for six years (starting at the age
of 9)!
• During this time England becomes even more
Protestant

10. • Edward dies and Mary takes the throne
• She tries to reintroduce Roman Catholicism
• unpopular idea
• her marriage (to her cousin Philip I of Spain) is
also unpopular
• persecutes many Protestants
• Nicknamed “Bloody Mary”

11. Queen Elizabeth I
• Mary’s death in 1558
brought her half-sister
Elizabeth to the throne
• She was the unwanted
daughter of Anne Boleyn
and Henry VIII
• Proved to be one of the best
monarchs in English history

12. • Under Elizabeth, England prospered and enjoyed
international prestige.
• loved pomp and ceremony
• was very frugal and wanted the budget balanced
• exercised absolute authority
• remained sensitive and respectful of public opinion and
Parliament
• reestablished the Church of England (a buffer between Roman
Catholics and Protestants–also known as Puritans)

13. • shrewd strategist–kept England out of costly wars
and ended the Spanish alliance
• never married but used the possibility of getting
married to her advantage by showing interest in
different European princes
• encouraged oversea ventures to the New World
• Secretly funded pirate raids against Spanish ships–
but publicly denounced such unlawful acts!

14. • in 1587 Elizabeth reluctantly executed her cousin
Mary Stuart (the Roman Catholic queen of Scotland)
for conspiracy
• some believed that Elizabeth’s parents marriage
was not legitimate and felt that Mary was the
rightful heir to the throne instead
• a year after Mary’s execution Spain’s Philip II
sent an armada to challenge the English navy.
• England won making Elizabeth the undisputed
leader

15. The Rise of the
Stuarts
• Elizabeth died in 1603
• Ends the Tudor dynasty and puts England into the
hands of the weaker house of Stuart
• James VI of Scotland, Elizabeth’s cousin and Mary
Stuart’s son, succeeds her as James I of England
• Didn’t really know his mom so was happy to support
the Church of England–however, many didn’t trust
him because of his background (his mom and
Scotland)

16. • James encountered more problems
• Roman Catholics didn’t like him and a group
conspired to kill him and blow up Parliament–they
were unsuccessful. Became known as the
Gunpowder Plot of 1605
• Puritans also gave him great difficulty, which got even
worse when his son Charles I took over

17. Why many disliked
James & Charles
• lacked the political savvy and frugality of Elizabeth
• both considered themselves God’s representatives in
all civil and religious matters
• both had a contempt for Parliament
• both were very extravagant

18. • in 1629 Charles I dismissed Parliament
• he refused to summon it again for 11 years!
• resulted in a deepening of religious, political, and economic
unrest
• Thousands of English citizens emigrated to North America
• due to open rebellion, Charles was forced to reconvene
Parliament–this session was known as the Long Parliament
• During Long Parliament they stripped Charles of many of his
powers
• he responded with military force and put England into civil war

19. England’s Civil War
• pitted the Royalists (mainly Roman Catholics),
Anglicans, and nobility against supporters of
Parliament (mainly Puritans, smaller landowners, and
middle-class town dwellers)
• the devout and disciplined Puritan army soundly
defeated the Royalists in 1645
• in 1649 the King himself was executed!

20. Now what?
• they needed to find a good
alternative to monarchy
• first, they established a
commonwealth with Cromwell
(the Puritan army leader) as head
• then, they made him “Lord
Protector” for life
• now that Puritans were in
rule, England’s theaters
were closed, most recreation
suspended, and Sundays
became a day of prayer

21. • Cromwell was an able politician who curbed quarrels
among military, religious, and government leaders
• When he died in 1658, his son, Richard, took his
title–not such a good idea
• Richard had little of his father’s abilities
• In 1660 a new Parliament invited Charles II to return
from exile and assume the throne–this brings in a new
chapter in English history, the Restoration