The English Renaissance (1485-1660) it's a period of rebirth characterized by two periods: the Elizabethan (1485-1603) and the Jacobean (1603-1660).
Into this first period you can find five monarchs: Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I; It was ruled longer than the other monarch during the Renaissance and in these ages were attained new heights in world affairs, in art, in literature and in music. On the other side, after the death of Elizabeth, who didn't leave any heirs, succeeded her the son of her cousine Mary of Scotland with the name of James I of England, who ruled from 1603-1625. With him begins the Jacobean Period.

Before the Renaissance there's the Humanism, that brought a new way of looking at the world: from the questioning of authority and faith, to the emphasis of religious and specular matter.
Then begins the Renaissance, first in Italy with famous writers and artists as Petrarch, Boccaccio, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo; Giotto as a painter, Brunelleschi as an architect and Donatello as a sculptor. A famous figure in Italian culture is Lorenzo de' Medici who encouraged intellectual trends and artistic accomplishments, but also emphasized the capacities of human culture. Others important accomplishments are: the territorial discovery, with Columbus in 1492; the first literary masterpiece of the English Renaissance made by Sir Thomas More and in the end the astronomy of Galileo and Copernicus.
Important in this period is as well the Protestant reformation in which Martin Lutero, with his ninety-five theses, and Wittenberg are the principal founders. During this ages there's the divorced from the pope and Henry VIII who after instituted the Anglican Church of England.
Back of the death of Henry VIII, his son who was only 9-year-old couldn't succeed him so, became queen the daughter of Henry and Catherine of Aragon: Mary, known as "Bloody Mary". She was Catholic so that she establish a reign of terror and when she died in 1558, succeeded her half-sister Elisabeth, daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn, who turned into Elisabeth I.
The Elizabethan ages were influenced by the birth of the theaters, as long as the plague in 1593-94 closed them, even if tanks to the public outcry they reopened.

Elizabeth died without heirs and so became king, James I within started the Jacobean Era (1603-1625); he died in 1625 and there's the ascension of King Charles. During the kingdom of Charles there were a lot of invents, but the most relevant is the figure of Oliver Cromwell, commander of the Parliamentary forces, who conduct a military dictatorship since his death in 1658.
After this period there is the beginning of a new era: the Restoration of the monarchy which see the return of Charles II as King in 1660 and the election of Parliament.