A Brief History of the English Monarchy

1. A Brief History of the English Monarchy

2. Before the Tudors… • Prior to 1066 - British mainland was defined by the feudal system -Lesser kings from different Scandinavian regions were vying for power for centuries

3. Before the Tudors… • 1066 - William of Normandy is victorious at the Battle of Hastings • For us, TWO major results: 1) Consolidates power over the region 2) Imposes French culture

4. Before the Tudors… • 1087 - William dies (and the corpse…) -His death = MASSIVE competition for the crown • England basically at war with itself off and on until 1485

5. Before the Tudors… • 1450-1485 – The War of the Roses -A thirty-five year power struggle for between the House of Lancaster and the House of York • 1485 - Henry of Lancaster wins and the conflict ends

6. Before the Tudors… • 1486 - A politically crafty Henry extends an olive branch by marrying Elizabeth of York (daughter of the enemy) • Their marriage unifies England • He becomes Henry VII • Family is known as the House of Tudor

7. Henry VII • Henry has two focuses during his reign: 1) Consolidating Power 2) Acquiring vast amounts of money for the crown *** Henry’s efforts build the foundation for Britain’s rise as a world power

8. Henry VIII • 1509 - Henry VII dies -His second son, Henry VIII, ascends throne • Henry VIII’s priority is maintaining, strengthening, and securing the kingdom his father established *** What is the main ingredient in this recipe for success? A MALE HEIR!

9. Henry VIII • At 19, Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon (a Spanish queen) • They are married for about 20 years -Despite multiple pregnancies, they have only one surviving child… …a daughter (Mary Tudor)

10. Henry VIII • Henry desperately needs a son to secure his kingdom… … So he makes a BIG decision, and life in England becomes really interesting…

11. Henry VIII • Henry decides to “rid himself” of Catherine and try again with Anne Boleyn • The Catholic Church did not recognize divorce, so he had two options: 1) Execute her – definitely lead to war with Spain 2) Divorce her – possibly lead to war with Spain, and definitely lead to excommunication

12. Henry VIII • Henry chose divorce, but since he could not rule as an excommunicated king, he wisely first divorced himself and England from the Catholic Church

13. Henry VIII • 1530s - Through massive legislation, Henry and Parliament refuted the Pope’s authority and severed England’s ties with Rome • The Anglican church (Protestant) is established, and Henry acts as its head • He “sold” this concept to his subjects in three ways: 1) Emphasized the Divine Right of Kings 2) Make the Pope out to be fraud. 3) Sacked monasteries, churches and cathedrals throughout the country

14. Henry VIII • And now back to the business of begetting an heir… • Henry does marry Anne Boleyn, but she gives birth to another daughter (Elizabeth) • Henry = Not Happy. Anne = Beheaded.

15. Henry VIII A list of Henry’s wives and their demise: • Catherine of Aragon – divorced -daughter, Mary Tudor 2) Anne Boleyn – beheaded -daughter, Elizabeth 3) Jane Seymour – died -son, Edward 4) Anne of Cleves - divorced 5) Catherine Howard – beheaded 6) Catherine Parr - survived

16. Henry VIII • 1547 – Henry VIII dies Historically, the most important decision he made was to divorce Catherine of Aragon ***Henry’s decision to split from the Catholic Church was based solely on politics, but it had a massive impact on not only England’s history, but also the social, political, and religious climate around the world

17. Edward VI • 1547 - Edward VI (son Henry VIII and Jane Seymour) ascends the throne at the ripe old age of 9 • During his reign, he absolutely reinforces his father’s break from the Catholic Church • Why? If he doesn’t, he is considered an illegitimate child and likely faces execution

18. Edward VI • He’s a sickly child, and doesn’t last long… • 1533 – Edward dies (without an heir)

19. Lady Jane Grey • Once Henry’s only male heir had died, the power struggle began • Edward’s will forbade his sisters from succeeding him, so Lady Jane Grey, a cousin, is placed on the throne • Her ascension is deemed unacceptable by her political enemies, and her reign lasts only nine days (she is beheaded) • http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/the-execution-of-lady-jane-grey-hippolyte-delaroche-.jpg

20. Mary Tudor • Mary Tudor (daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon) assumes the throne • Before she ever took power, her reign was viewed as “problematic” • Why? Mary is thoroughly Catholic (born into Catholic marriage, raised Catholic)

21. Mary Tudor • Mary’s reign was defined by an ideological religious quest to undo everything her father had done • One of her first acts was to marry Phillip of Spain • This was a blatant and bold political move for several reasons: 1) Reaffirmed her mother’s reputation/honor 2) Reestablished ties between Spain and England (Spain is powerhouse at this point) 3) Sent a clear message that she supported Catholicism, not Anglicanism

22. Mary Tudor • A strong, stubborn leader, Mary legislated the “undoing” of the English reformation • Earned the nickname “Bloody Mary” for the following: 1) Killed about 300 religious dissenters who refused to convert 2) Imprisoned her sister Elizabeth 3) Forcibly moved England back to Catholicism

23. Mary Tudor 1558 - Mary dies, and without an heir • Side note: She was so psychologically desperate to produce an heir, Mary had several “phantom” pregnancies during which she actually stopped menstruating and physically appeared pregnant

24. Elizabeth I • 1558 – Elizabeth I (daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn) ascends the throne • In a Catholic England, she could not lawfully reign because she would be considered an illegitimate child • So…

25. Elizabeth I • …Elizabeth sets about undoing everything Mary did in order to restore the Protestant England her father established • The “Virgin Queen” reigns until 1603 (45 years), during which: -England experienced its own renaissance -England became the world’s strongest naval power

26. Elizabeth I • This is the world Shakespeare was born into (1564) -Religion and politics went hand in hand, and both seemed arbitrary • Elizabeth I was an active and generous patron of the theatre -Had her own acting company called the “Queen's Men”

27. Elizabeth I • Elizabeth stood against the Puritans who wished to close down the theatres -Without her support the Elizabethan theatres would not have survived • 1590s - Court performances by acting companies became popular and Shakespeare's company was selected more than any other *** Shakespeare does not refer to his queen very often, but he certainly benefited from her love of the theater

28. Elizabeth I • As you read Hamlet, consider the social, political, and religious turmoil the people of England had experienced in the past 50 years • Keep watch for Shakespeare’s dealing with such issues embedded in the text!

29. History ROCKS • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_monarchs -List of all the English monarchs; pictures • http://www.britroyals.com/tudor.htm -Tudor family tree • http://tudorswiki.sho.com/page/Historical+TIMELINE+of+the+Tudors -European timeline during the Tudor reign • http://tudorswiki.sho.com/page/SIGNATURES+of+The+Tudors -Tudor signatures; awesome!