From the English Renaissance to the Restoration( 1485-1688)

A short description of the main features of European history in 16^th and 17^th centuries

Discover of the New World in 1492 by Columbus--> increase of overseas voyages; base for the creation of future empires of Britain, Netherlands, France, Portugal and Spain, national states with all power in king's hands.

High level of corruption of the clergy--> Reformation by Martin Luther( 1483-1546): birth of the Protestantism( 1517), which caused also the birth of Calvinism, led by Jean Calvin--> deep brake in Christian world--> organization of the Counter Reformation( 1545-1563), especially the Council of Trent, to oppose the Reformation--> 1540: foundation by the Society of Jesus; 1542: establishment of the Holy Office, including Inquisition.

1485-1603: Tudor's dynasty

Henry VII( 1485-1509):  financial and governmental stability to England

Henry VIII( 1509-1547): - Defensor Fidei: defense of Roman Church against Luther's

Reformation

- Act of Supremacy in 1534: the king is only supreme head of the

English Church; due to the refuse of Pope Clement VII to dissolve the

king's marriage to Catherin of Aragon

- Other five wives--> Anna Boleyn( the second)--> daughter: future

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I( 1558- 1603): - Virgin Queen: no heirs

- God had destined her to rule, but she did not explicit it--> long reign

as absolute monarch

- Re-established Anglicanism--> Mary Tudor,the bloody, had imposed

Catholic religion

- New aristocracy plus old aristocracy--> Privy Council

- Colonization of Ireland

- Win on the Spanish Armada of Philip II( 1588)

- 1 577-1580: explorations of Sir Francis Drake

-1 601: Poor Law-->economic help to lower classes

- Strong increase of Puritans' power--> hostile to Church authorities,

with a strict code of values.

1603-1688: Stuarts' dynasty

James I( 1603-1625): - unification of England and Scotland under the same crown

- absolute monarch, with "divine rights"--> to rule without Parliament help

- hostility from Catholics--> 5^th November 1605: a plot to blow up the

House of Parliament, but it failed

Charles I( 1625- 1649): - strong religious differences: Anglicans practised the religion of English;

Catholics were distrusted and feared

- Puritans' political power increased

- 1625: imposition of taxation without parliamentary consent--> 1628:

Petition of Right

- 1640: the king's need to raise money for a campaign against Scots--> the

Commons attacked the Crown, led by Puritans

- 1642: Civil War broke out--> two sides: -Catholics, gentry and

aristocracy: Royalists

- professional and

mercantile classes with

the Parliament

- 1645: win of the Parliament at Naseby, under the leadership of the

Puritan general Oliver Cromwell--> 1649: execution of Charles I

- 1649-1658: institution of the republic( Commonwealth), with Cromwell

as Lord Protector

Charles II( 1660- 1685): - Restoration of the monarchy

- re-establishment of Anglican Church

- pardon all rebels except the regicides

- two opposite groups in Parliament: Tories--> Conservative party

Whigs--> Liberal party

-1665-1666: a plague and a fire in London

- high increase of worldwide commerce: America, West Indies

India and China--> great profits to mercantile class

James II( 1685-1688): - wish to impose Catholic religion

- 1688: Bloodless Revolution--> deposition of the king without shedding

any blood.