Focus on History (1485-1688)

The British Scene (1485-1688)

The religion has a principal function, that is to carry out emotions and people's thoughts and in addition it attacks people's values. In that way religion has been very important for the British scene of that period.

The Puritans and Puritanism sprang out of Protestantism and became a deep characteristic of English society during the Elizabethan period. They were hostile to official church authorities. The Puritans censured some symbols of Catholicism like statues, stained- glass windows in churches and sacerdotal vestments. They were against some dress, hair styles, ceremonies and music, in fact they closed even the theatre.

The American religious value is very close to the Puritan's , that because the puritans leaved England in 1625 for the united states of America and spread there their values and uses.

One step back: Henry VIII

His reign was revolutionary because of the schism from Rome. The king asked Pope Clement VII to dissolve his 19 year old marriage to Catherine of Aragon because she had not given birth to a son. His request was rejected, so in 1534 the Act of Supremacy passed to history. The law declared the king the only, supreme head of the church in England. Elizabeth I became queen in 1558.

The Stuarts (1603-1688)

On Elizabeth's death (1603), the English throne passed into the hands of James Stuart VI of Scotland, also James I of England. He united the two countries peacefully. The new king was a serious, learned prince, who practised the theory of absolute monarchy and he believed also in the divine right of kings. The negative result was that the king tried to rule without the help of Parliament which was called only when he needed to raise money (only Parliament had that power). So Parliament's hostility versus the monarchy grow up.

When James I died, Charles I passed on the throne in 1625. He ruled like his father. During his reign, English society became strongly affected by religious differences. Slowly the middle classes became the leaders of the opposition to the crown.

In 1625, Charles imposed taxation without parliamentary consent. In 1628, Parliament presented the famous Petition of Rights, in which the two most important points said that no taxes should be levied without Parliament's approval, and that no one should be imprisoned except on a formal and justifiable charge,

The king rejected the Petition and in 1640 he called Parliament to raise the money he needed for a campaign against the Scots. The Commons organised by Puritan leaders attacked the Crown. In 1642 a Parliamentary Army was created and Civil War broke out.

The Catholics, the gentry and the aristocracy in general became Royalists, that fought versus the professional and mercantile classes with parliament. Oliver Cromwell, puritan general, broke the Royalists' resistance at Naseby in 1645. Charles I was executed and the Royal Family went into exile to the court of Louis XIV.

A republic was instituted in London with the name of the "Commonwealth". Cromwell became its Lord Protector, but his death in 1658 broke the Commonwealth.  So in 1660 the monarchy was restored and Charles II was called back from France. He promised to respect the conditions imposed by Parliament.