The Renaissance in England (1485-1625) is also called, the Elizabethan Age, which is known as a golden period in English History.

The English Renaissance developed later than European one. It had a strong Protestant basis, influenced by the Reformation under the reign of Henry VIII.

It was a time of rebirth intellectual and artistic energies that characterized ancient Greek and Roman civilization.

The Renaissance began in 1485 when Henry VII became the first Tudor king after deafeating Richard III in the War of the Roses.

When he died his son Henry VIII assumed the throne of England.

In the 1534 he was known for the 'Act of Supremacy'. He broke with the Roman church and declaired himself ' Supreme Head on Earth of the Church of England'.

Edward VI became king in 1547 after his father's son death but only for few years until 1553.

Mary I succeeded Edward becoming queen.

She refused to abandon her own traditional faith indeed she believed herself to be the agent of a Counter-Reformation. Protestanst were killed and she was known as 'Bloody Mary'.

In 1558 Elizabeth became queen.

She was very young but had a strong personality. She restored the Protestantism but she granted Catholics freedom worship.

Thanks to her England won against the great armada of 130 galleons.

This battle marks the decline of Spain and the progress of England as a great sea power.

She was a vergin queen who encuraged the study of arts, litterature, music and the enterteinment.

In 1576 were built some theatres but were closed because of the plague.

Thanks to the support of private patrons they reopened soon. So poets as Shakespeare became famous.

After the death of Elizabeth Tudor line ended.

At this point starded 'Jacobean Period'.

Maria Stuart's son James IV of Scotland was crowned king James I.

He encouraged a new traslation of the Bible in 1604. He persecuted the Puritans as well as his son Charles I. But when he was king he overlooked the Parliament and wanted to have absolute power.

However the Civil War broke out between the king and the Parliament.

Oliver Cromwell, commander of Parliament, won and Charles was executed in 1649.

The monarchy was abolished and the country was ruled as a a republic known as 'The Commonwealth'.

After Cromwell's death became king Charles II in 1660.